Project Wareham

I never knew that. Are there any pictures of them in the archives?

Ramblers specials were always interesting in their day. I remember going to Corfe on a very pleasant Whit Sunday evening to see a returning 12 coach (3x4TC + 2x 33/1) ramblers special to Waterloo in 1970. Loco hauled trains to Swanage were a real rarity by then. In those steamless days one could only dream of when M7s, T9s, Maunsell 2-6-0s and 2-6-4Ts were an everyday sight there. Back then you would never have thought that it would once again be commonplace some 50 years on. It is so easy to forget how lucky we are with the achievements of the last half century across the preservation world.

Peter

 

Tim Deacon's Swanage Railway in Colour book (page 41) has a shot of a Ramblers Special at Swanage in 1971 in BR Blue. The caption says a 12 car although looking at its position re the platform may be a 9 I think.

 

Maybe rambler group day trips is something the current SR could gain some extra passengers on? Using normal early SWR trains from London to Wareham, and then change onto the DMUs (and maybe steam from Corfe)? Getting back for the evening.

Although the green DMUs represent the 60s era nostalga, eventually (maybe a couple of years time) there will also be a mainline certified blue/grey 4TC/33 train to represent the 70s era?

 

Should be a training run to the River Frome, bridge 4, after lunch today, for the 117 unit.

EDIT: didn't run at all today. It must be jinxed! An obstruction between Norden and Worgret meant it had nowhere to go!

 

The Swanage to Wareham rail service has in the past not always satisfied the locals. Attached is a newspaper cutting from Western Gazette on Friday 21st February 1913



This is a reminder that when the service to Wareham opens, the railway enters another market. It is no longer just a heritage and tourist line.

 

Seems back in the day Swanage market people complained about the long wait at Wareham for the connection to Dorchester for the Dorchester market.
Nowadays I expect they will use cars or vans?
But the new timetable for 2020 has yet to be issued. There will be a balance needed for those either travelling to and from the Bournemouth/London or Drochester/Weymouth directions to keep waiting times for the Corfe connection at Wareham station to a minimum, ideally less than 10 minutes.

Was it the bridge work stopping the 117 training run?
A bit sad the DMU service will not be ready for the April Diesel gala and a bus timetable has been issued.

 

No, but there is a TSR through the bridge. The obstruction concerned unspecified material on the track.

 

Until the railway gets a license from ORR, the trains to Wareham will not run, nor I expect will timetables be issued.

 

On a historical note, what were the local services to Swanage in the hands of post end of steam and the branch closing? and was it just a Swanage to Wareham shuttle, or did some services work back to Bournemouth? was it spare 33/1 and a 4 tc set, or a 3H unit?

 

From a film by C.Legg. At Norden 1969 passing the spot now occupied by the Pad & Norden Station

 

Thanks, From Wikipedia seems in the last BR days there was one or two "thumper" 3H DEMUs working a shuttle service between Wareham and Swanage where passengers on the London to Weymouth 4TC/33 or 73 had to change? Looks like the thumpers were scrapped.
From the Hastings Unit website their "thumper" was based in Swanage 1990 to 93, then returned for a one day tour special in 2009 via Wareham.
Maybe it has been covered elsewhere why the SR decided to buy a class 108 DMU railcar in 1997 rather than a more historically correct class 205 thumper unit, then the 117 and 121 later?

Internally the 205, 117 and 121 look similar for passengers, but the 117 and 121 units do have the advantage of being able to sit in the front and as there is just glass separating the driver, to see the view, especially of Corfe castle ahead, which could be popular?.

 

117/121 are built completely differently to other stock of the period and were not covered by what was (confusingly) referred to as the "mark one ban" on the main line.

 

It was a tree across the line take a look at https://www.srstaff.co.uk/swanningaround/swanningfeb2520.pdf to see picture

 

What a lovely sight. Hopefully soon it will be an everyday sight

 

Is the inside as good as the outside?

 

Looking at the photo, it looks as if most of the seats have temporary covering. I maybe wrong.

 

Most likely protective covers.

 

Correct.

 

A red Letter day but not quite there.

 

Does biggles200 have authority to publish in the public domain an item from an internal Swanage Railway staff website?