Swanage Railway General Discussion

A bit late, but some photos and a couple of videos taken of the mid-week services on the last week of August, when I was in the area on holiday. It is a lovely railway with some fantastic scenery; I will definitely be returning soon!

 

your photo from Corfe Castle ruins inspired an imaginary run down to the Banks Arms. Thank you!!

 

A couple from yesterday with 31806 now in charge of the service. Approaching the pw hut as it pulls away from the TSR with the 14:00 from Swanage, and on New Barn Bridge working the 15:20.

 

To date, Amazon has donated a total of:

• £409.15 to The Swanage Railway Trust

 

How generous from a company that has increased its value enormously as a consequence of COVID and does its best to avoid paying UK tax.

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...ems-amazon-worst-for-aggressive-tax-avoidance

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonath...re-jeff-bezos-first-200-billion/#50005a644db7

 

Paintings help to raise cash for coronavirus-hit heritage railway

A series of paintings of steam trains are helping to raise money for a heritage railway rebuilt by volunteers over the course of 30 years that says it has been left "on a knife edge" by the coronavirus crisis.

West Sussex artist Oliver Pyle has produced four watercolour scenes of steam trains on the Swanage Railway with 250 limited edition prints of each being sold to raise money for the appeal.

 

Well £409.15 is better than nothing at all. Be thankful for small mercies.
The donation scheme has nothing to do with Amazon's tax bill by the way (which I agree is scandalous).

Keith

 

I agree that something is better than nothing but the donation scheme has much to do with Amazon's tax bill. It is part of Amazon's corporate marketing policy and will be generating far more income for Amazon than the charities which also benefit.

 

Not convinced. I use Amazon Smile (now that they've moved away from Easyfundraising ), and it just diverts some of their profit elsewhere - same as any of those donation schemes. I doubt very much that people buy from Amazon because of it, but it will sure as heck help present them as saints.

 

I am not surprised that you are not convinced.

 

Tickets for combined boat trip from Bournemouth Pier (Dorset Bell) and Railway now available
https://dorsetbelle.com/tickets/

The Dorset Belle used to operate from the pier many years ago is now back this Thursday. Cancelled due to expected high winds

 

31806 is in service today. A wreath has been attached to the smokebox door possibly in memory of lifelong steam enthusiast and SLL volunteer Robin White who sadly passed away on Saturday. RIP Robin. <BJ>

 

Robin was the go-to man for cabside numbers. He worked on both SLL and SRC locos.

 

Tragically, the Swanage Railway and Southern Locomotives family lost both Mark Lowery (Swanage Railway loco fitter) at a tragically young age and Robin White within the space of a few days. Hit everyone quite hard and we will miss them both terribly.

 

Limited prints and monies going to the Covid appeal
https://www.mulberrytreegallery.co.uk/pr...3369067633

https://www.mulberrytreegallery.co.uk/pr...3365364849

https://www.mulberrytreegallery.co.uk/pr...3366544497

https://www.mulberrytreegallery.co.uk/pr...3373261937

 

DMU in Swanage today ! Photo from cctv camera

 

Well, well. That's a side of Robin I didn't know about. A craftsman. There are so many "little jobs" around preserved railways and locomotives that even those of us who work on them don't consider - until the person who used to do them isn't there anymore. RIP

 

It would really annoy Robin if any of the cabside numerals of the Swanage locos was not spot on. I remember him telling me that he contacted a company that produced cabside numbers in BR days.
He was told that they could still be produced to the original spec. He paid for them and fitted them himself. That's dedication<BJ>

 

Penultimate day of daily running and it was somewhat wet in Purbeck by the time the last train operated (the 15:00 from Swanage). Nice to see some lambs about. Must get the mince sauce ready! (Joking), Also overlooked by Corfe Castle running round at Norden.

 

The final day of daily running and weekday steam, until half term sees U Class No 31806 heading away from Harmans Cross after the token exchange, working the final train of the day. A reasonably calm afternoon before the arrival of Storm Alex due overnight.