Swanage Railway General Discussion

Yes, it was SKP. Photos on Facebook of it being loaded up.

 

The headcode on my second image as post #9030 is the 1905 era branch headcode but with the addition of a disc with a red cross. Anyone know what that signifies? I can find no mention of it on the SREMG website page for headcodes.

 

Well W24 "Calbourne" habitually takes 5 up slightly steeper gradients so 563 which has bigger cylinders and higher pressure to offset the heavy Mk.1s ought to manage 5 despite her larger wheels.

 

You're not going to tell me that your delightful pre-grouping bogie coaches weigh as much as Swanage's equally delightful but much heavier Mark 1s. Not for the first time you seem to be compareing apples and oranges.

Peter

 

Deleted

 

Afraid you didn't read it correctly.

 

My impression from Saturday was of an engine still being broken in, and crews who were still fairly well down the learning curve. Time will tell.
Pat

 

As one of those crew members, I'd agree with that. There is a very good engine in there, but it's very much in the early stages of running in and commissioning; that makes it probably more finicky to work than it will be once we've picked up a few jobs that have already been identified.

I'd say by far the best trip I had on it was the last one of the weekend, which definitely demonstrates the point about the learning curve.

 

Thanks for that, Is there a link to the facebook page?
I was on my way home at 1800 from a shift at Swanage . As I approached the entrance to Herston Works, there was an escort vehicle at the entrance, as I approached, it turned on it's hazard lights, I obviously slowed down, As I said upthread, I only got a two second glimpse of the Loco and I concluded that
as it appeared to be a "Barry wreck", so I no assume what I saw was 34053 with the boiler ex 34010?
Where was it heading to? Tunbridge Wells west or Sellenge?

 

No it was SKP with SKPs boiler still attached heading Tyseley for the boiler swap

Andrew

 

That's my take on it also, the engine is just only out of overhaul, plus crews are still finding their way round a locomotive type that no living person has experience of driving, or firing,

 

I wonder - is it that much different to the Bluebell's 488? I know that it retired some 30 years ago but there will still be loco crew there that remember driving and firing it. Most Victorian locos were pretty basic machines and not too difficult to get the hang of. True they can be less forgiving than more modern ones but that is part of their charm.....and we all love a challange, don't we

Peter

 

There was also a train in the HST's booked platform 3 so we were held outside for a few minutes until it departed westward.

 

The existing 117/121 is, I believed approved only for 25mph running between Worgret Junction and Wareham station.
Also, the one toilet in the 117 trailer car is not compliant with use over NR metals is it is not of the modern retention tank variety. The 121 has no toilet. The Swanage Railway cannot afford all the work, and cost, in making the 117 compliant with NR's current requirements.
Another point is that the 117 doesn't carry that many passengers so ticket prices would be very high to cover all the costs.
Sorry to burst that particular bubble.

 

Rumour has it that their piece might be broadcast on either Wednesday or Thursday evening's South Today.

 

Presumably 488 has a reasonably similar sized firebox and I seem to recall it was deep - although the last time I saw it at Sheffield Park was many, many years ago.
Is there anyone reading this that can recall what sort of fire was needed to get the best out of it.

 

As far as I am aware the 117/121 isn’t limited to 25 on NR tracks and ran up to 40 down to Wareham from Worget Jct on both of our runs in it.

 

The 488 is representative of the LSWR London Suburban stock (later BR branch shuttles) hopefully will one day be restored to steam.
https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/adams_tank.html
Whereas the 563/T3 was a LWSR express, so had a more glamorous past.

 

The recent "Bournemouth Belle" HST excursion was what some at SR had hoped might become regular
From
https://www.swanagerailwaytrust.org/giving#
Still mentions the Mogul steam locomotives running to Wareham and beyond. But guess the cost of getting the MK1 carriages up to current standards now rules this out.
We will have to see if there is a way of the DMU service being viable to return in 2024. But sounds like finding funds for updating the toilets to run beyond Wareham (say Bournemouth?) might not work out

 

Are toilets needed though? Bournemouth isn’t very far, and plenty of other train services run without on train toilets. London Underground being a prime example.

It’s a moot point anyway though. If rumours of the financial performance of the Wareham services this year are to be believed, it seems unlikely 2024 services will run to Wareham, let alone any further.