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Swanage Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Rumpole, Oct 10, 2012.

  1. Matt37401

    Matt37401 Nat Pres stalwart

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    80079 being one, but what do you do with something like 48773 and it hitting a car on a level crossing because it’s driver took a short cut? Same applies to the RHDR fleet and various incidents there.
     
  2. John Petley

    John Petley Part of the furniture

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    Absolutely, especially as no one would even know except a few gricers. One can get a bit oversensitive. there was a plan to re-number 34067 as 34066 Spitfire for a tour to Faversham (where Shepherd Neame brews Spitfire beer) which was knocked on the head because it was in 2007, the 50th anniversary of the Lewisham flyover disaster. How many survivors or relatives of the deceased would be able to quote the number of the locomotive involved in that fateful smash? Hardly any, I would suspect. 34066's notoriety because of this accident did no prevent it from being one of the initial preservation targets of what is now the Bulleid Society, although it didn't have the funds to buy it when it was withdrawn and hence had to wait for 1967 to buy an engine, by which time it was too late for poor 34066.

    I believe that both 76017 and 53809 have been involved in fatal accidents and although I couldn't find definite confirmation on the internet, I heard from somewhere that the wheelsets used on the new-build tender for 35006 came from D326/40126, the loco involved in the Great train robbery.
     
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  3. acourtrail

    acourtrail New Member

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    Many people have made very good points regarding trains that have been involved incidents where someone has jumped/fallen under a train - in these sort of incidents, it seems to be rare for the train involved to be identified by the media (and usually there doesn't seem to be a full RAIB (or Railway Inspectorate, DoT etc) report, hence the public will most likely never know. Where the public may get upset, is an incident where the fatalities occurred IN the train(s) - bear in mind that these sort of accidents get a lot of media coverage, and vehicles may be identifiable in press photos/ news footage etc, and often the (easily obtainable) official reports will list all the vehicles involved.

    I remember in 1999, when one of my relatives (who really does over react to things) had to travel up to Paddington, and they insisted on waiting for a later HST when the one they had been waiting for came in with 43163 on the front. Even though said relative was not by any means a rail enthusiast, they knew (having seen news footage which clearly showed the number of the rear power car), that 43163 had been on the back of HST in the Southall crash. The relative said that 43163 had "a sinister history" due to Southall, and they even started to ask the station staff "how much of the "death train" from the Southall crash had been repaired and put back into service" (I knew the answer, but didn't dare say to my relative).

    Without meaning to drift, I remember another incident (involving a bus) that really upset A LOT of people. A First Bus Volvo B10BLE (allocated to Bath depot) failed to stop at the Marlborough Street bus station, and sadly ran over and killed a lady waiting at the stand. The bus was repaired (and perfectly safe), but because the buses fleet number and registration had been visible in the press footage, the bus was dubbed the "killer bus" by the public in the Bristol area, and people started refusing to go in it. Things got so bad (when all the drivers at Bath depot refused to drive it, and passengers began to deliberately miss it whenever it was used), that First Bus was forced to move it to Wells depot (only for the buses "reputation" to move with it), and I believe that eventually First Bus had it destroyed to appease everyone.
     
  4. acourtrail

    acourtrail New Member

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    Interesting that the tender for 35006 might have the wheelsets from D326, I never knew that. I wonder if someone has a flame cut number from it? I remember reading that Bachmann stated they would NEVER do a model of that loco, because of it's history (although LIMA had no qualms, they modelled it as 40126 in BR blue - I know because I had one when I was a child).

    Regarding the Lewisham crash. I am not 100% sure, but I think there is some news footage of the Lewisham crash, where 34066s name and number are clearly visible. I also remember that in the 1990s, the stock book for the East Somerset Railway used to mention the full history of the fiberglass coach S1000S (including how it's underframe came to be available for use under it).
     
  5. ady

    ady Well-Known Member

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    I was under the impression that D326 was recycled thoroughly under watch by people like the the police, simply as the 'that' robbery' has for some reason become popular interest for some, and they didn't want people getting hold of 'memorabilia'. So I would imagen the side panels would been scraped on this occasion. I doubt the wheels would be known to have come off that engine for use on 35006's tender as well, as class 40's were being withdrawn at that time so there surely been a lot of parts everywhere.

    The ex. LMS Postal Van were the 'robbery' took place was destroyed under watchful eyes for the same reason.

    Anyway back to Swanage maybe?
     
  6. Sim

    Sim Member

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    My young cousin was 23 when he left for work in London and joined the train at Poole, so he may have sat in one of those seats in the TC coaches at Swanage. At Bournemouth, he changed to the front coach of the REP to join his mates, and the rest is history. Would that stop me sitting in those TC seats? Absolutely not!
    Is it just me being unemotional, or are we a part of a culture that just has to find something to be upset or offended by? We know that these vehicles were not the cause of the incident, so why should they be associated with any blame? The law of deodands (yes! I had to look it up!) doesn't apply!
    So give your support for the non-deodand Swanage 4TC project at http://www.4tc.org.uk/unit/index.php/how-can-i-help and let's show that this incident association stuff is a load of nonsense!
     
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  7. Andy Moody

    Andy Moody Member

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    Acourtrail, It would sadly appear that you seem to have some sort of obsession, so let me put my own spin on this.
    I was a BR Guard based at Eastleigh between 1974 and 1995, I at some time or the other worked on all of the 4VEPs mentioned in wikipedia, Indeed two of the VEPs were part of the original 1967 Bournemouth line batch.
    Between 1989 and 1991 we had the 6REPS for a 0750 commuter train to Waterloo and an 1756 train that we worked as 12 coaches to Eastleigh and the rear 6 coaches to Portsmouth Harbour. So these included the vehicles from 8027 and the surviving REP coach 62145 from 2003.
    Like everyone else, Yes, I was always very much aware of the incident especially on each anniversary, but as to working any of the trains involved? Defiantly NO!
    I agree with SIM and lets put this lot of nonsense to bed once and for all and get back on topic please.
     
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  8. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

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    I travelled in a number of those carriages post Clapham, oblivious to the association. I also travelled many times with the sadly scrapped 91132 in full knowledge of its history and took comfort from its good luck. Each to their own.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  9. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    I think everyone is different. I know some people who won't sit in row 13, etc. I never felt comfortable drinking in a pub which I knew had been blown up previously. I think it depends how closely associated the thing involved in the incident is. For example I didn't know that TCs had been involved, nor the HST power cars involved, on the other hand, I do remember that Princess Anne and Windward Islands are two of the locomotives involved at Harrow and Wealdstone.

    Where I work is near a site of another bombing and I would say that I probably never think about it, except for the fact that there is a memorial to it which serves to remind me of it.

    I'd suggest that 99.9% of people won't make any connection and 0.1 will but probably won't be bothered.

    I think it would only be a problem if you advertised it as 'this is a unit that was involved in a serious accident', which would not really be great advertising.

    Slowing down and stopping for a signal outside Clapham is enough of a reminder to me.
     
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  10. 2392

    2392 Well-Known Member

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    Looking at some of the most recent posts above. Taking it to the extreme, Rocket should be scrapped as it was involved the most famous or should that be infamous accident in railway history. That being the death of the MP William Huskisson on the opening day of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway in September 1830. OK as I say his death wasn't the first but.......
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2021
  11. 30854

    30854 Resident of Nat Pres

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    Is this still the Swanage thread?
     
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  12. Monkey Magic

    Monkey Magic Part of the furniture

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    But then if it wasn't mentioned in every story about Rocket or the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester would most people be aware of it? (And the irony is that people know Huskisson more for being run over than they do for his political views and policies (his 'Consolidated Slave Act' is :eek: ))

    But as I suspect Rocket won't be running at Swanage this isn't an issue they will have to worry about.
     
  13. Andy Moody

    Andy Moody Member

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    Please could we draw a thick black line under this deviation from topic and move on!
     
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  14. Cartman

    Cartman Well-Known Member Account Suspended

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    strongly agree. Never heard of anything so ridiculous as scrapping things which were involved in an accident, even if they only sustained minor damage.
     
  15. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    And so the discussion continues..... Let’s try again.

    Any news on whether SWR is running Corfe Castle services this year?
     
  16. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

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    Although the SWR network map shows Swanage, there is no Swanage or Corfe destination yet on the booking webpage.
    from
    https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/ne...-feasibility-study-into-wareham-train-service
    "Swanage Railway chairman Gavin Johns said: “We’re delighted that a updated and detailed feasibility study and business case into our plans to operate train services from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham have been successful in this round of funding for the Government’s ‘Restoring Your Railway Fund’.
    “The grant will pay for a fully updated feasibility study, and we hope a positive business case, for a passenger train service between Swanage and Wareham once the Coronavirus pandemic is over,” added Mr Johns who is a volunteer signalman on the popular heritage line.
    Swanage Railway Project Wareham director Mark Woolley explained: “We hope that the new feasibility study and business case – last carried out 12 years ago in 2008 – will be wide-ranging and fully take into account our existing award-winning heritage railway.
    “We look forward to working closely with the Government and our stakeholders in the next stages of the ‘Restoring Your Railway’ process as we further develop our business case and plans for reinstating and running a train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham."
    But no confirmation as to what is meant "once the Coronavirus pandemic is over" as it will still continue in 2021 , although June is possible that things will get back to normal even though the Coronavirus will still be present, so no confirmed dates.
    The SR newsletter said an evening DMU service might run, but nothing on a service to Wareham? Guess there is still paperwork, testing and training to do?
    Hopefully the Swanage railway will issue an update if it will run a service in 2021?, If not possible SWR might?
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2021
  17. twr12

    twr12 Well-Known Member

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    I’m wary of “Stakeholders”. It makes me think of outside bodies who think they can boss the organisation about.
     
  18. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

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    I’d highly doubt the SR will run Wareham services this year, but remain hopeful that SWR might.

    I seem to remember in previous years it’s been very short notice. i.e 2 to 3 days from the announcement being made to the first train running.
     
  19. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

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    The Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage is part of the Government's £1.57billion rescue package to safeguard cultural and heritage organisations across the UK from the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. As part of the Second Round decisions the Swanage Railway has been awarded £189,200.
    Apparently, this is to support expenditure between April and June allowing the railway to resume operations because it is intended to help defray the costs of items such as staffing, loco hire, coal, water, diesel fuel, detailed COVID-19 cleaning, general insurance, marketing costs, etc.
     
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  20. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

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    The stakeholders with the SR are SWR and the council.
    SWR will be keen to get an interchange with it's services at Wareham going as soon as possible as it could result on a potential extra "footfall" of 18,000 (from the 2017 service) and encourage train travel.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-dorset-41656613
    The council will also be interested in the increased tourism and taking congestion of the roads.
    Still testing and paperwork to do as the Wareham service will need to be reliable and safe with trains over 60 years old on the Weymouth mainline.
    In hindsight there could have been modern DMUs purchased (not Pacers!) or extra track to Wareham to seperate SR from the mainline (as at Bluebell or Mid Hants), but the cost would not have been feasable.
    Hope they sort out something for this summer.
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2021

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