Swanage Railway General Discussion

It most certainly would. I assume that your "Mainline set" refers to the Test trip to Weymouth and Yeovil with 31806, This was Empty Coaching stock, I:E Not carrying fare paying passengers. So you would have to hire stock in and hire in traincrew from from West Coast Railway.
So I guess it has to be filed under WIBN, Of course SR locos and stock can run as far as Frome River bridge 4 top and tailed. Have not seen a timetable for the Steam Gala so far.

 

It's interesting to note, that the green timetable has the paths for the DMMU but there are no duties allocated to it. I'm guessing it will be operated by others?

 

I guess you are talking about this weekend?

 

Now why would Swanage do that?
1st of all: It will mean it will be one set down for the main gala.

2nd: A lot of people will be travelling from various places to see 76084 [and visitor 2] to see operate over Swanage, yet you'll be limiting it to mainline shuttles.
People will want to see it travel over the regular section of the line I.E. double headers, goods runs, non-stops.

Finally: Doesn’t it cost more to book trains that are mainline certified, surely having it brought in via lorry would be more economically viable? In which case, surely more mileage over the preserved section would cover the costs it took to transport the engine?

 

Has this ever been stated officially do you know?

 

IIRC it was said by the Finance Director of the SRC Mr Andrew Moore possibly at the AGM of the Trust.

 

Is what Tom says not correct though? i.e the only thing stoppping the Swanage mainline set from carrying passengers on the mainline is the lack of door locks? So in theory it could be used if there were enough staff on board to man the doors.

 

It will need to be CET fitted along with CDL unless a temporary derogation can be obtained for the latter.

 

Not too sure why the goverment grant did not include the CDL, I can understand the CET toilet as, it could just be locked out while on the mainline and that costs more money but surly if the GOV gave £75k for a locomotive and 5/6 coaches but then they cant use it as they dont have the money for the CDL then it seems alittle........ Surly CDL couldn't have cost too much more and then the railway would be all set

Does anyone know the cost of CDL per coach? Luckily it can be done and the industry know how to do it, look at the London Undergrounds 4TC set.

 

I’m sure there are others closer to the action, but as I recall, it was a grant towards a project, not payment for a whole project. The maximum grant available was £75k, so if the intended objective cost more than that, it was down to the recipient - in this case the Swanage Railway - to fund any shortfall between the grant and the final cost of what they wished to achieve. It wasn’t a blank cheque to get a complete steam train running on the mainline.

Tom

 

The recent discussion is fine, except that it really belongs in the Project Wareham thread. Can we keep them separate, please?

 

The LT 4TC doesn’t have CET toilets. That was used on the 2017 trial, with announcements not to use the toilets whilst on the mainline. The same could be done if the Swanage coaches were used.

Does it? This discussion has mainly stemmed from the Swanage Railway steam gala, and whether steam gala trains could run into Wareham. Nothing to do with the ‘project Wareham’ regular diesel services.

 

I thought Project Wareham was about any and all possible SR operations to/from Wareham, this year or future, diesel or steam.

 

But it this case that links in with the Swanage steam gala. As Pete says, there is always going to be some overlap between the two threads. Indeed in future, if project Wareham gets off the starting blocks, the Wareham section will become part of the Swanage Railway proper. Both threads can then be merged.

 

The LT 4TC is being fitted now at St. Leonard’s Depot

 

If the Wareham DMU trial service does get going there could be say a 4TC London charter to Swanage, and then the 4TC top and tailed with 31806 and another mainline approved loco to run a couple of special trips with passengers, and photo opportunities, between Swanage and Wareham (like the 2017 trail but with steam).
The grant for one of the Mogul locos to get mainline approved was to boost tourism, so the publicity generated would tie in with this aim.
The previous 4TC/73 charters seem to be viable.

 

There will be others that know better but I thought CET was part funded by NR, although to be honest could not see them or anyone wanting to cough up to do it just for Bridge 4 to Wareham. Not sure if any of the on train toilets have been in use post Covid or not anyway, certainly the Swanage station toilets are passengers only now and only open on operational days.
CDL would need a business case, which in my view would be highly marginal if you have a fully operational DMU service.

 

Do we know that they were viable, they ran for one summer. Yes we had Covid restricting things but railtours have operated the past two years in high numbers, but not these, so maybe not.

 

No, green timetable starts in April. Not relevant now as traincrew duty inserted. Theory out of the window!