Swanage Railway General Discussion

One of the things Swanage doesn"t seem to have much of is hotel accommodation. Poole likewise, although there is a nice hotel near Poole harbour and when I have checked on websites like booking.com there is little and poor choice at high prices. nearest place with lots of hotels is Bournemouth but that is some distance away, so I suspect there is not many tourists actually staying in the area. Swanage beach always seems quite busy, but is that tourists just visiting for the day only and therefore, go to the beach, then go home. ?

I think a few new hotels in Swanage would see the railway benefit.

Compare that with say the Paignton and Dartmouth railway where there are hundreds of hotels in the Torbay area at a range of different prices.

 

Not so much hotels, but there are lots of camp sites and holiday parks in the area.

 

Thanks thats what I meant.
30053, will return to steam in Swanage, maybe in 2023, it has a webpage,
http://www.drummondlocos.co.uk/loco.htm
but has not been updated for a while, sometimes Swanning Around or the SR magazine has updates, but most updates and photos are on the restricted unofficial FB group pages.

34053 is also now at Herston works and off to Norfolk, but will return to the Spa Valley railway, the SLL website gives regular updates.

 

And the railway does benefit with those staying at campsites along the line using the railway to go into Swanage.

 

Plus self catering apartments/houses, or some B and B houses.

There does seem to be a lot of day trippers, so perhaps the proposed 2023 Wareham service may attract more if it goes ahead and is promoted well, as SWR is pushing leisure travel.

 

Also it should be born in mind that the destination, to which most people travel, is Kingswear and the ferry for Dartmouth. Parking in both places is limited and therefore the railway has this advantage.

 

Just popped up on FB for 7 and 8 Jan
"Drum roll please… …We are pleased to announce our 2023 Winter Warm Up line up;
Battle of Britain Class 34070 “Manston”, having just returned from overhaul, Maunsell Mogul U Class 31806, Class 33 D6515 “Lt Jenny Lewis RN” and finally Class 50 50026 “Indomitable”! Not only that, we will be running passenger AND freight trains over the course of the weekend too!"
Will this be the first passenger run for 34070 “Manston”?

 

See thread for the event https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/swanage-winter-warm-up-7-8-january-2023.1421791/

 

Indeed, Woodyhyde camp site at Harmans even has its own ticket producing facility

 

Did the Dorsetman last Saturday and Sunday but may be the first non dining service.

 

A non public lights train last evening (which I only knew about due the the earlier shunting moves) was an added bonus for someone who still has not been able to have a Covid or flu jab this year due to on going health issues, and attempts to avoid others as much as possible. I was virtually only person on Northbrook Road bridge for most of the time.
Manston being coaled was a bonus, as was the outbreak of low winter sun as it past the pw hut on Corfe Common this afternoon.

 

The Dorsetman canceled today due to that rare event in Swanage, snow! A351 apparently also not in good condition.
By the time of the lights train due to be around freezing, and certainly by the time the second one returns.
Wonder if they will end up going the same way.

 

The Train of Lights is not scheduled for today it was only the Christmas Lunch train.
Next ToL is Friday 16th.

 

Yes got myself totally confused though they were Friday/Saturday but first weekend Saturday/Sunday so I assumed I was wrong and never checked again.
Motto always looked at what you had copied of the website.

 

Interesting sight on the Swanage webcam a couple of mins ago, a tenderless Manston in steam moving around Swanage station !

 

Split from tender to be turned?

 

Normally does not need to be steamed to do that, an 08 normally moves the parts around.
I noticed the steam whilst watching the news at lunchtime, but have not been up to the station and shed area today.

 

Drove past the shed tonight, think it was turned but too busy avoiding someone driving at me from the other direction to be sure. Will look in the morning.

 

There is a photo of Manston in steam on the turntable at the Swanage Railway Unofficial Facebook Group

 

For those like me that want nothing to do with anything run by the likes of Zuckerberg and Musk and to hence the link provided nothing, a couple from what my car said was still minus 2C at 10:00 this morning.
Manston covered in steam, sympathy for those working on the locos in these conditions.