Swanage Railway General Discussion

I am not sure why 257 (which was in light steam yesterday but not this morning) the Ivatt are not running.
I believe it is not due a lack of steam crews, although I understand they may have been a diesel driver short yesterday.

 

34072 is on steam test following washout

46521 failed on Sunday morning

 

sad 46521 failed
I notice on Facebook a good video at Micheldever on Sunday of D6515 leading the 4TC from Waterloo to Swanage. It will run on the met line September.
https://www.facebook.com/447368175638568/posts/930943150614399/?sfnsn=mo&s=536298150&w=y

 

I believe the Met runs are this Sunday and Monday.

 

Next weekend does seem a UK railtours tour to Quainton using the D6515 class 33 (nornally based at Swanage), 2 class 20s and the LU TC4 using the Met and main lines, so guess they need the D6515 to power the safety door locks?
https://www.ukrailtours.com/product/metroland-and-quainton-bank-holiday-monday/
Then in September there is LU organised trips just on the Met using the LU TC4 and other locos.

 

Sarah Siddons and one (or two?) Class 20 top 'n tail the 4TC on 7th & 8th September: https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/heritage-vehicles-outings - so not using D6515 it seems.
Don't think Sarah Siddons has been modified to provide volts to keep the batteries charged for door locking/lighting/etc. so, presumably, LU will rely on depot charging to keep them topped up as necessary.

 

Sarah Siddons provides the TC with 750v ETH for heating, the compressor, and to run the MG set which provides 70v to power the doors, lights, charges the batteries etc. Same for 33012

 

A report in the Times about crews and mentioning Swanage and Wareham.
Most of the article is behind a paywall.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/steam-railways-need-young-drivers-to-stay-on-track-l2w78mm2h

 

Full article:




Steam railways need young drivers to stay on track
Tom Ball


August 22 2019, 12:01am, The Times

• Transport

Steam railways like the West Highland Line need fresh bloodAlamy
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There are more steam trains running today than at any time since Beeching took his axe to the railways in 1963, but there is a shortage of qualified drivers.

There are more than 150 heritage railways, attracting 13 million visitors a year. Swanage Railway in Dorset, one of the biggest lines, needs to find 40 drivers over the next five years.

The company’s 12-mile return trip through the Purbeck countryside, terminating in Swanage, is to be expanded with a new route to Wareham next year because of demand. Most of its 42 drivers are over 60 and likely to retire in the near future.


Beth Attfield-Haines is training to drive a steam train but her older colleagues are dropping in numberPhil Yeomans/BPS
David Rawsthorn, of Swanage Railway, said: “We looked at numbers recently and saw a looming gap coming in the next few years because of older people, who make up our core of volunteers, either dying or retiring.

“So we are going for it big time with a recruitment drive to attract younger people to take up the mantle. We are going to need around eight new drivers each year for the next five years to handle the drop-off rate.”

Drivers take about seven years to train and must first work as a shedman cleaning the engines, before graduating to fireman and eventually driver. Most are unpaid volunteers.

“The steam engine is an animate object with a life of its own,” Mr Rawsthorn said. “We tend to find that once you get into it, it stays with you in your blood. It’s something people get a real buzz from. People become volunteers for all sorts of reasons. For some people it was a childhood dream, or they had family members way back who worked on the railways. Others are keyboard warriors who are stuck in front of a computer in an office every day and just want to do something physical.”


Will Armston-Sheret, a locomotive fireman, is helping to preserve a multimillion-pound industryPhil Yeomans/BNPS
The railway’s youngest driver, Nathan Au, 27, said: “Like many boys I loved Thomas the Tank Engine and when I was 18 I volunteered with the railway in the summer holidays. I started as a cleaner . . . and passed out as a driver last year so it is a long process but it needs to be because it is a very important responsibility.”

Mark Dewell, of UK and Ireland Heritage Railways, said: “There are now fewer people around who worked on, or remember steam on the mainline, so most volunteers have no direct experience in that regard.”

 

It made the Telegraph too
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/20...age-britains-heritage-railways-call-goes-new/

 

Article also on BBC Radio 4 news at 18:00 tonight

 

Nice mention on the ITV news at 10pm too. They didn't mention Swanage, but showed footage of trains on Great Central and a brief interview with someone from Severn Valley about their apprenticeship scheme.

 

Does anyone know how passenger numbers are holding up in the absence of the chain ferry? The National Trust are apparently significantly down on their projected visitor numbers to Corfe Castle this year.

 

It would be quicker buying your own crossing vehicle and save on the £4.50p crossing fee.

 

34072 and 80104 as of 13:00 today, so you may be in luck with two steam. Any issue would require a diesel substitution of course.

 

The amenity service is taking the strain!!!!

 

Have you seen the current through the inlet into Poole Harbour?

 

I have no figures but my 'feeling' is the Railway is not doing too bad during the Summer holidays thus far. Time will tell how this year compares with previous years.

 

Std 4 80104 on the 10 am dep’ Nordon and 257 Squadron on the 10 am dep’ Swanage.


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Hello all...

Thanks for updates. Visit will be to Swanage as have made it down to visit with family. So Black Hat well into Southern territory tomorrow!!