Swanage Railway General Discussion

Current estimated timings show a hoped-for arrival in Wareham at 12:05 with a departure home at 16:25.
So far as I can see, these timings would mean a lot of hanging around at Wareham should any HDL passengers wish to use the Swanage service.
After an hour's wait, the 13:05 departure gets passengers to Swanage at 13:43 where they'd have around 40 minutes to themselves.
Then they'd have to catch the next return DMU (14:23 ex-Swanage) to arrive at Wareham at 15:09 where they'd have to wait a further hour and a quarter. The toilets will have been locked up well before then.
If my timings are correct, then I suspect not too many will use the Swanage Railway's DMU service.
Still, perhaps, it might be worth putting on the 'Bubble Car' just in case.

 

I believe that might be only for stock already passed for passenger-carrying main line running.
Swanage Railway has five Mk1's registered for main line running (e.g. for test train loads, etc.) - but they're not registered for carrying passengers [yet ?].

 

Thanks for checking timings, think it's the first time the HDL Jurassic coast explorer rail tour has run, (since COVID? and they have already had to change the date) so guess they added a Wareham stop, but did not check with the SR on DMU timings, even getting a bus or taxi to Corfe means waiting for the Wareham 13:05 DMU departure to Swanage.
In a way a "Thumper" has historical links to the Swanage line, so perhaps if an extra "bubble car" 121 can't be scheduled, perhaps next time the rail tour runs it could go to Swanage rather than Weymouth if timetabling and platforms permit?.

Looking at the bookings page and the HDL Thumper bookings are good, with just a few seats left. It's much more an enthusiasts rail tour than the fine dining steam tours, you have to agree not lean out of windows as part of the conditions.

 

Good that the railway are running extra services over this very very sunny bank holiday weekend! Shame that we won't get two steam services this year but understand with the costs, i think it was mentioned on here that last year 2 services ran with alot of empty seats.
I've always wondered if the ticket price to visit ratio is the right one, at £18 I probably would only travel once or twice a year, being £10 I would go on the railway every time I visit (6-8 a year)

 

Obviously it will be very busy in the town and on the beaches but is a sunny, warm day the best time for families to opt to travel on a steam train? I wonder if the busiest time for the railway would be when the town is packed with families but the weather is not so good, ie. a typical bank holiday. [BJ]

 

Well it has been the Pirate Festival and the Fairy Festival in the town this weekend, and I have not ventured out of the house much. I did see a couple of trains Saturday (one a mid afternoon inbound Wareham) that looked well loaded,
and HX campsites look fuller than I expected. Yesterday only walked up to the viewing gallery for a record shot of the 33, but a fair few at Corfe for it when I looked at the webcam.
Overflow car park on Kings George's Field in use yesterday, first time this year I think other than possibly a market day when over a third of the car park not usable.
The extra trains seemed a late addition so I guess the railway has some intelligence that it would be worthwhile.
Understand from the local TV news there has been an illegal rave near Corfe the Police are still trying to clear, so not sure if that has impacted visitor numbers today.

 

How many are returning visitors in a seaside resort and holiday area. 6 to 8 trip at £10 gets you close to a season anyway. £18 (accepting it is only and 11 mile round trip) is very competitive for a HR line these days.

 

Hi Tom,

If I were you I would buy the £99 season ticket. It includes Wareham and all other services. Its a bargain, but it hasn't really seen much publicity for some reason.
https://buy.myonlinebooking.co.uk/swanagerailway/memberships.aspx?tid=155

 

Visibly proving the effort needed by HR's to keep the lineside "under control" these two images were only taken 52 days apart. The first one being April 8, the day after is was cut down, and the second one taken this morning, in a last ditch effort to get the "Afflington Mountain" image of a steam loco that a long telephoto lens creates.

 

With a slightly bigger set of steps and a rather risky position of the front feet through the fence and the steps leaning backwards (towards a pile of bovine excrement) I achieved a slightly better result this afternoon. Although less sun on the smokebox door.

 

I have just tried to book through to Swanage or Corfe Castle on the SWR rail planner and neither station is recognised. Same on Trainline. Are through tickets actually available?

 

They are, but I think only available at SWR station booking offices. Importantly, if you have a railcard, it will always be considerably cheaper to rebook at Wareham (or buy the SR portion on-line) because, for reasons unknown, SWR do not offer a through fare offering a railcard discounted fare for the NR sector of the journey combined with the full SR fare. Maybe I am a cynic, but one could almost think SWR have made these through fares as difficult to buy, and as unattractively priced, as possible?

 

Lots of whistling earlier this afternoon when I was in the garden. Then the U was heard and seen on the 15:20 so I guess Manston has hit an issue.
Late running by SWR gave any passengers a 3 minute over the bridge connection at Wareham for the first train I see from RTT.
Couple of images from this morning as Tesco managed to deliver our shopping in time for me to separate out my Dad's and get up to his flat and put it away before the 10:40 from Norden arrived. A contrast of Bulleid's & a nice "pick up freight" in the loop as well.

 

I think your luck might be in! Had to stop at Affington tonight on the way home from Swanage to do up my shoelaces, took a look over the bridge and guess what the grass has been cut. 31806 returned to the goods shed road on completion of the service, It actually worked the 1330,1520 and 1700 round trips.
34070 is the only loco on shed tonight so it will almost certainly be out tomorrow.
The Wareham service was formed of the 117 and 121, all trains looked reasonably patronized.

 

Did go out to Afflington this morning as was cold enough early on for some steam. No more cutting has taken place, but not all was lost as I forgot how that in June the sun is still the HX side of the bridge still at 11:00 so not a wasted journey as the steam was blowing the right way for once as well.
Lots of embankment cutting at HX in the past week or so though I noticed earlier this week.

 

The pictured 'Pipe' wagon [B 740044] has been sold and is, apparently, destined for somewhere in East Sussex I believe.

 

From the latest update on 563 Locomotive Group's Facebook page, 563 making progress and looking good, but still needs more funds

 

Match funding June!
To kick off this week’s ‘Love Your Railway’ fundraising week, we are delighted to announce our latest match funding initiative for the Swanage Railway Trust 563 Locomotive Group, coming hot on the heels of the beautiful photos they revealed of the T3 last week.
To help raise remaining £40,000 fundraising target, an anonymous donor has generously offered to match-fund all donations received by the end of June, up to a limit of £4000, so anything you can spare will get doubled along with an additional 25% coming from Gift Aid!
We really appreciate the anonymous individual for their support and we hope this will encourage further contributions to help us complete the overhaul...
There are a number of ways you make a donation. Firstly, you can make a payment direct from your bank to the 563 account at the Swanage Railway Trust (account number 93757269, sort code 20-68-79) with your name and ‘T3’ as the reference. Secondly, you can make a payment online via the Swanage Railway Trust’s website at www.swanagerailwaytrust.org/t3-appeal or the 563 Locomotive Group website www.563locomotivegroup.co.uk Finally, you can send a cheque to 563 Locomotive Group, Swanage Railway Trust, Station House, Swanage, DORSET, BH19 1HB. Cheques should be made payable to the Swanage Railway Trust and endorsed ‘563 Locomotive Group’ on the back please.
Thank you! #LoveYourRailway

 

Apparently a good response to this thus far - so everyone is hoping for movements before the year's end.
Pressure on fund raising is still extreme to keep momentum going.

 

Picked up by BBC South yesterday:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-65959878.amp