Swanage Railway General Discussion

As I recall the Wareham link was put in at some considerable cost at a time when it could be incorporated in the Wessex resignalling scheme. To have delayed the link then would have increased the costs astronomically. It really was a now or never scheme at the time.

Move on several years and circumstances have changed out of all recognition, both on Swanage Railway and SWT/Network Rail. Clearly the idea of a regular service to Wareham is not economically viable in the current climate, but all is not lost. Swanage has a very useful rail link with the outside system which is not going to go away and who knows, it may be possible at some future date to make better use of it. But for now, be grateful that it exists at all.

Peter

 

I do not have that much interest in diesels but usually traveled on the preview day PC (pre Covid) to get a ride behind a visiting diesel and to watch the "antics" of some of the diesel fans.
My take is from that and numerous unhappy posts in the year the Spring Steam Gala went to Bridge 4 but the Diesel Gala only to Norden is that the diesel fans want "thrash" from Bridge 4 to Furzebrook, (plus beer of course although the regular section would cover that).
I am unconvinced that loosing many or perhaps all the paths to Bridge 4 to a Wareham DMU shuttle would be seen as a positive, maybe a rather large negative.

 

Andy, West Coast Railways are based in Carnforth, yet they ran services for SR in 2017.[/QUOTE]

Yes Steve, I am fully aware of that, Every time either 31806 or D6515 venture out onto the main line network they have to be crewed by West Coast Railway Drivers and Firemen/secondmen.

 

Was watching the Flying Scotsman documentary on Ch5 and in the US Alan Pegler could drive the locomotive, whereas in the UK with stricter rules he could not.
For H and S it's good there are mainline standards.
If the SR did get registered as a TOC, there are probably several crew on the SR who could get mainline qualified to run the Wareham service and save money to run 31806 or D6515 on the mainline?

 

Aren't DCC the landlords of the Swanage Railway for the section from the bridge at the end of Swanage Station up till at least the Furzebrook Head shunt (possibly further now?).
The expediture would seem to enhance the councils property and could be reconsidered when the lease expires or in the event of the failure of the Swanage.

 

4472 in the US was just over 50 years ago. From what I understand it’s not exactly cheap to register as a mainline TOC, I really don’t see it in the short term as being beneficial for those in charge to register the Swanage as a TOC.

 

Seriously Martin, If you have an idea why not approach the railways and the TOC you’ve mentioned with your plan, I wouldn’t expect you to fund it, but
I’m not having a pop at you btw, but if it’s something you feel passionate about, then why not have a chat with those involved at the top? What harm can a phone call or an email do?

 

Its going to be a few years before any such project could work, and everything to fall in place, as it would involve the owners of the LSWR engines, possibly some coaches, and the railways involved, i certainly would love to get the Adams Radial, a Beattie well tank, an 02, B4, M7, T9,involved also, even if only static, and then somewhere that has the space to accommodate them, and the only place i can think of is Horstead keynes, in a platform road, , ok if Eastleigh just happened to be availible there would be no contest, the LSWR, ceased to be at the grouping of 1922, 100 years ago a bit to late to mark it now, but what in say a few years time , ?

 

As I say what’s wrong with asking the question now?
Nothing wrong with planting the kernel of an idea in certain peoples heads is there?

 

https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/lswr-t3-563.902324/page-83
I remember when the target of 2023 was given for getting 563 in steam was: "for the centenary of the Southern Railway and the 175th anniversary of Waterloo station".
But is now removed from the website as there does not seem to be any celebration events planned for these anniversaries?.

But having a target date is good, if 563 returns it might make it for display at the Roads to Rail event June 23rd and at Swanage station.
But will need running in before being reliable for taking passengers and not disturb the Summer peak running.
So a mini LSWR event at Swanage in September 2023 when the LSWR carriages could be loaned from Bluebell and Embsay railways will be good. Then onto other railways in 2024?.

 

I think that's bit ambitious getting the loan of coaches to the railway.

It be more like the Adams going to Bluebell to run with their coach at least.

 

It’s not unheard of. The Bluebell lent their entire rake of Bulleid coaches to the MHR once.

However Martin is really gettting into the realms of fantasy. Whilst a LSWR themed gala would be great, it would be up to SR/MHR/Bluebell or whoever to decide if there was sufficient interest to make such an event financially worthwhile.

For now, the SR have more than enough on their plate getting 563 finished and launched into service.

 

Rest assured, the 563 group are working hard to develop an exciting launch programme for the loco.

 

To be fair to Martin, at least he has positive ideas, I really can’t knock him for that.
I’d rather have someone like that than someone who can find excuses not to do something.
They might not always be practical, but at least he’s prepared to think big.
The big project might not happen but a compromise might happen.
What’s wrong with that?

 

563 is highly unlikely to visit any other Heritage railway until at least 2025 in my view.

 

I see that the SWC has allowed the Finance Director to retire without naming a replacement, good planning from the directors at a time of financial difficulty for the industry.
I also see that the Operations Department insisted that a light engine Crompton take precedence over the DMU service train on Friday and return to Swanage so that the Ops team could be home of tea while the passengers were stranded at Corfe for about 15 minutes to allow this to happen.

 

Oliversbest, is that you?

 

There was quite a shunt going on to get rid of the train of lights to Corfe and extract a PMV so that it can go to Shillingstone to help our friends with the Yankee tank as storage.

 

that is not a valid reason to delay fare paying passengers

 

Give it a rest,if you were not happy with what ever went on then send in a complaint to the railway.If you were on the delayed train, fill in your Delay Repay form and send it in to them.This forum can do without negative comments like yours.Hopefully in this new year we will see less of the negativity and other not so nice things that were said last year.
You never know 2023 could be good year.