Swanage Railway General Discussion

Didn't want to hijack this thread, press small arrow on quote panel below for full response

 

I thought I had seen one somewhere. On page 5 of the Railway World "The Swanage Branch" by Andrew P.M.Wright there is a picture of 1201 at Wareham on Sunday July 2 1967 having arrived from Swanage. Not sure if being a Sunday influenced the stock allocation, but it looks bright and shiny so maybe a running in turn. Photo credited to Anthony E Trood.

 

Short version: Bought by IMHR&T, spent years in shed at Douglas before returning to the fold a few years back. They did achieve a lot with No.8, who's reconditioned boiler was loaned to allow No.1 to run for a while, some years ago. See post #6241.

 

Whist you might be able to use permitted development rights for construction of a shed at Eldon’s, you’d be able to see it from Corfe Castle, and so might want to go through the application process to avoid a serious political backlash.

Given the issues the railway had in getting planning permission for a new Road Rail interchange just the other side of Arne Road bridge, I wouldn’t say that was a done deal. That’s before you consider the isolated site, falling gradient and a whole host of other issues.

The railway is working hard to get rid of excess stock, with a number of wagons having left the railway over the last year. The linear scrapyard isn’t that bad, although of course Eldons could do with a spring clean.

I would suggest that if the railway wanted to build more facilities after the successful completion of the Herston shed my efforts would be directed to (in no particular order):

1) Sidings 1 and 2 at Swanage
2) Possible shed over sidings the Swanage end of Corfe Castle
3) Aquire and re-construct the Coal merchants Shed at Corfe for museum/ coach workshops
4) explore the possibility of building more sheds/workshops the other side of the running line to Herston Carriage shed

Of course, none of these are particularly simple sites, but said 1/2 are actually under SR control, whilst 3/4 probably would be easier to negotiate with than an international conglomerate. Investment in any of them wouldn’t preclude using Perenco sidings if these did later become available (I’m yet to encounter a railway which has too much undercover storage space…)

Barring plans which were developed for sidings 1&2 about 15 years ago, I don’t think plans exist for any of them, oh and there’s the small matter of the £1million you’d need to construct the buildings….


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A very distant shot of the work ongoing at Frome Bridge.

 

Replacement of the bridge's way beams as well as walkways either side I believe.
Other works being undertaken, during this week's line possession, included flailing lineside vegetation, etc. between Norden and Swanage.
Opportunity taken to get lots done whilst no passenger trains are scheduled.
Train timetables/operating dates up to 8th May now available on: https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/calendar/

 

34028 Eddystone went to DB Cargo's depot at Toton, on Monday 24th January, to have it's driving wheels reprofiled on the ground lathe.
Using a ground lathe saved the loco being dismantled, and lifted, to have just the driving wheels being reprofiled at somewhere like Tyseley.
The coupling and connecting rods were removed, however, so will need to be re-fitted before resuming service shortly.
It is due back at Norden tomorrow (Friday) afternoon, I believe, to be coupled to it's waiting tender before being towed to Swanage.

 

That is brilliant to learn. How much time and aggro was saved doing it thataway?

 

Have no idea really but would have thought - lots.
However, there would have been substantial SR staff engineering time plus the cost hiring of one crane or, more likely, two road cranes to lift the loco to get the wheels away and then another one or two cranes to put the loco back onto the returned wheels and then further time to put back all the axlebox fittings, etc. So considerable savings (both financial/time).
The rods would have to be removed whichever course was chosen but, by doing it this way, the loco should be able to resume passenger service much quicker.
The only risk might have been waiting for space in the wheel lathe queue in what might still be considered a slippery rail season. I suspect all operators of wheel lathes have something of a waiting list so a turn round in just over a week wasn't too bad in the circumstances.
34028's tender is still waiting for it at Norden so this will be attached before the complete loco is towed to Swanage to have the rods re-attached. A [possibly Queen Mary bogie] brake van is scheduled to bring up the rear for brake force purposes.

 

So means SR should have at least 3 (Eddystone, 31806 and 257 Squadron) working large steam locomotives, enough for 2022 operations and any unforeseen problems?, plus from photos on FB Manston is finishing it's overhaul soon.

 

I believe "Eddystone" is now back at Swanage?

 

No sitting in Corfe from looking at the webcam

 

Seen on the A31 at Ferndown:

 

Would someone please have the intestinal fortitude to tell us how those "flats" were incurred?? read SLL news!!

 

Flats occur when the wheels stop rotating but the engine/loco/coach/wagon keeps moving

 

..and why did the wheels stop rotating?? be honest!!

 

Why do you need to know?

 

because money spent on rectifying this mistake could be better directed into needful projects. Its not a secret is it??

 

because money spent on rectifying this mistake could be better directed into needful projects. Its not a secret is it?? why i need to know is 1) to err is human 2) in an organisation that needs public donations an admission of error reflects to the credit not detriment of that organisation

 

On the other hand, you've hardly been singing the praises of the Swanage railway of late, so why would they give you another baseball bat to hit them with?