Swanage Railway General Discussion

Is it? I understood that a decision has not been made yet until the Flour Mill have finished their investigations.

Keith

 

Please explain why?

 

That decision will be down to the SRT, The engines in question, if given overhauls will be done to the standard required for mainline running, that much has already been said, any engine that is intended to work to Wareham has to have all the main line equipment anyway , but the cost of acquiring how ever number of sets of the equipment will be the deciding factor, unless some portable method gets introduced where by its plug and play , its the cost that will be the deciding factor , there is no reason as long as the loco passes ultrasonic tests etc why any Swanage railway locomotive could not go main line if the railway so wished.

 

Never, say never!

 

In principle, almost any locomotive that is fit to run at all can be equipped with the requisite gubbins to run on the main line. How easy or difficult it is to install the gubbins, and whether the benefits of main line running justify the cost and hassle, has to be decided case by case; as for instance for the SVR's Standard Class 3 tank.

 

You would have thought they could have got the branch headcode right

 

Never say never again!

Not a bad film - must be a Bond on the goggle-box on a BH?

I’ll get my coat...

Robin

 

The Swanage railway seems to be making heavy usage of the T9. Lucky they were given custody of it last year, otherwise things would be a bit tricky motive power wise at the moment.

Still no official announcement from the NRM on it staying at Swanage until 2020 though?(although we all know it is).

 

I would hope that the SRT does indeed get custody for the loco for a further 20 years , who knows maybe the NRM will decide that the future of all its loaned out engines and other equipment is best served by giving them to the operating groups who currently care for them and have shown they are good custodians of the items in their care?

 

You’ve changed your tune Martin. I remember you posting last year that you were very alarmed about 30120 going to Swanage, and saying it should go to Mid Hants or Bluebell instead.

We’ll have to see what happens in 2020. I can’t see the NRM wanting it back, and I’d imagine Swanage will want to keep it. All depends on it’s condition at the time, and whether Swanage and NRM are agreeable about it being overhauled again.

 

Yes I have changed my tune mostly because I now believe Swanage is the better place for it, at either the MHR or Bluebell it would not be first choice in the overhaul queue , where I would think it stands a better chance with less competition for funds at the Swanage railway than elsewhere.

 

The hills of MHR and Bluebell are not suited to T9 in certain adhesion conditions

 

very true, that's also why the Swanage railway may be a more suitable home, I'm assuming it can cope with most loadings you may normally need where as you so rightly point out its not going to be suitable for heavily graded lines when adhesion conditions are less than perfect

 

Taking the coal for a wash...

Robin

 

At least it will lay the dust when running tender first...

(One of the generally unstated problems of the current Welsh coal - ghastly stuff for dust).

Tom

 

Not possible even if a FTR had been completed as no WCRC steam driver with route knowledge available.

 

Was someone commenting on adhesion problems with the T9?

Robin

 

Proving again that a Bank Holiday weekend never fails to deliver rain, even during a long hot summer.
The crew of 31806 shelter from the elements whilst waiting for the T9 to arrive at Harmans Cross.

 

Are the sanders not working?!

 

Some of SR engines remind me of Frank Spencer's mother: 'slippers'.