Swanage Railway General Discussion

Yes I did. Thanks. Hope to get there trains and health permitting

 

Purbeck seems to have an affinity with open top transport.
A sneak preview of the railways new "cabriolet class" offering for the Winter Warm Up

 

Please could somebody explain what I should be seeing/noticing?

 

The metal skip behind Eddystone.

 

Bit harsh its a Dogfish.

 

Thought people called them “rock salmon” now as it sounded more up market

Tom

 

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". - William Shakespeare

 

I think you’re confusing your ballast wagons and your flats.

 

No timetable yet but website now says both 33's, 34028 and 563

 

I thought the modern name for dogfish (as food) was "huss".

 

My Quail and the gradient profile that is published in many gala timetables says it is about 5.5 miles from Swanage to Norden.
I do not normally look at the Facebook page but I did today and noticed this.

"Swanage Railway is a 9 mile heritage railway in Dorset, with services to HX, Corfe Castle & Wareham".

Technically of course very correct, the distance from Swanage to the NR boundary. I just wonder if it is somewhat confusing to the general public, as the only days trains run to the boundary are galas, and people may be expecting an 18 mile round trip, and Wareham of course is further than the 9 miles as well, so a bit of an undersell where that is concerned.

 

It rained today in Purbeck, like most of the country. The first Polar Express pulling away from the token exchange at Corfe in awful light, and the second approaching Swanage passing the new "King George's Field Lake". Luckily the rain stopped about an hour earlier than was forecasted.

 

Looks more like Swanage sea front

 

Night time at Swanage. 31806 under the coloured lights as 34028 arrives back with another Polar Express trip.

 

Pages 8 to 10 of the new edition of Swanning Around perhaps highlight why some who keep saying the railway should be running more services etc may need to seriously consider the railways position.
I have worked in an environment where nearly every item of unplanned expenditure need to be approved by someone higher up the food chain. It is not fun, it does delay stuff but it really is the only way to seriously control costs as long as you do not have managers who can be "easily swayed". I think from memory at one point our figure was £500, which when you compare the size of BA to the SR and around 20 years on with inflation £100 seems maybe the right sort of number.

 

Anyone on here know anything about Steward Palmer (x swt managing direct) who swanage around has stated has given an 'offer of assistance'?

Talking about timetables. The railway themselves are removing the lunchtime break on the blue timetable thus increasing it to 6 steam trips a day from the post covid 5. So clearly some within the railway support the idea of slightly increased services

 

As usual Google is your friend.
https://www.railfuture.org.uk/Stewart-Palmer

 

Slightly concerning that price increases are mentioned, but not improved marketing / return to physical marketing.

Given the cost of living crisis, I’m not sure how much additional cash can be squeezed out of existing customers. It might even decrease visitor numbers.

However better marketing to holiday makers in the general area could be much more lucrative. If they can increase their visitor numbers by say 5% , that’s an extra £150k or so in the bank.

 

Good to see the next heritage coach has been sent to Rampart for overhaul. Bulleid 4366.

 

Yes indeed. It is also worth noting that the Wessex Belle set is to be sold except for the kitchen car. One wonders just what on train catering offerings there will be? Will they all be contracted out and if so what does that mean for the two full time catering members of staff?