Swanage Railway General Discussion

I do not know the details other than the N's boiler was used in the end for a fast track on the U done outside during the winter in early 2021. Seen here on a test run giving 45699 a run for its money in the "confused locomotive" stakes.

 

Yes it was mentioned that there was a break clause in the Moguls contract after 15 years.

I have raised the issue why the Swanage Moguls website has not been updated since 2019 but have not had a response.

Unless there is an official statement from the SRT SRC that the Moguls contract has been varied, there has to be an assumption made that SRC is continuing to pay hire fees for the two out of service / unrestored Moguls.

 

From the article
"The Swanage Railway is committed to continuing to offer steam haulage and, with future expansion north of Norden towards Wareham on the horizon, we will need a core of six suitably powerful steam locomotives to work the service."
It was expected the Moguls were to play a part in running steam trains between Wareham and Swanage. One, 31806, got upgraded to mainline line standards, and could work with the DMU carriages to meet SWR passengers at Wareham to take them to Corfe or Swanage. But does not look like it will happen beyond 2025 (but still a remote possibility if the bus £2 cap on tickets are no more, and funding the operational shortfall can be found).

Fundraising is now for the 30120 overhaul, so unless John Bunch can find other funds to overhaul the 2 Moguls, they will remain in storage.

 

Why would JB fund their overhauls? They are under contract to the SR, therefore any overhauls are the responsibility of, and would be paid for by the SR.
Once the contract ends in 2039, JB would be responsible for funding any overhauls.

I also seem to recall that the N's chassis was overhauled and was just waiting on it's boiler (not sure if its tender had been overhauled). This plan changed when the overhauled boiler was diverted on to 31806

 

With the long term addiction of the T3 on limited number of services and the T9 since 2017 (All after the announcement of the 3 U/N class) plus the possibility of having 4 Southern Locomotives Locos the railway really doesn't need the extra 3 locos

I could be completely wrong.. but I'm sure I remember hearing something about hire costs to be 20k a year for each engine? The T3 is fully owned by the railway so has no hire costs, is the T9 the same?

I would expect them to leave the agreement if they can half way through in 2029...

Long term Fleet:

T3, T9, M7 in rotation . 2 in service at a time
Southern Locos in rotation. 3/4 in service at a time out of a pool of 8 with others on hire to other railways.

Maybe 30108 U class if they really wanted it and could get a good agreement post 2029 ?

 

Yes. Its all up to SR. However.... If Swanage is going to end the agreement in 2029... why spend any money on the boiler which would only have now 4/5 years in service. Plus... they don't need it with the Standard tank and M7 coming back soon (depending on if they will defo come to the railway)

 

T9 isn't it, unless they deaccession it like the T3.

 

£20K a year hire costs seems remarkably cheap for a 2-6-0. On 40 steamings that's only £500/day which an 0-6-0 would probably get. Even cheaper with more steamings. Or is this too simple an analysis? Are there overhaul costs that the SR are liable for on top and, if so, is that £20K payable if they are simply sat there awaiting overhaul? That seems like a one-sided deal to me, if correct.

 

As far as I know. Swanage Pays for everything.. 20k is just to have the locos... someone mentioned upthread ages ago it could defo mean Swanage are paying X amount (I thought it was 20k) for 2 locos to do nothing..... or other words... paying 60k a year for one U class..

 

The consolidated accounts of the Swanage Railway Trust provide the financial cost of the arrangement (supplier being JMB Locomotive Services) for the year ended 31 March.

If the Swanage Railway is paying to overhaul and maintain the locomotives in addition to nearly £650k of hire fees in 6 years, seems like an extraordinary deal for one of the parties:

• 2023: £154,440
• 2022: £78,000
• 2021: £85,800
• 2020: £112,320
• 2019: £112, 320
• 2018: £106,080

 

This is truly extraordinary. I do hope that the break clause referred to does not have some sting in the tail: such as yes you can break the agreement and cease paying the hire fees but you have to deliver back all three locomotives with a minimum of 5 years left on the boiler certificate of each loco.

 

Given the limited likelihood of operating services to / from Wareham and the limited number of days that 2 locos in steam would be warranted, one wonders what the optimum fleet size and composition would be and how that can be achieved given the locomotive hire agreements in place?

 

I assume 2023 means April 1 2022- March 31 2023.

On the basis my very unofficial loco roster steaming days were
21-22 96
22-23 83 (or 84 as "management" forgot to look on a day I was not around)

Which makes the numbers strange but I guess includes steaming but non running days and costs of repairs etc.

 

Only just noticed this and almost fully booked for all you Class 50 fans


https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/events/view/class-50-driving-experience

 

They can’t assume they’ll always have the T9. It’s at the discretion of the NRM who may one day decide to recall it to York. Even now the NRM have only agreed it can be assessed for overhaul. Depending what is found they may not agree to
an overhaul actually happening.

I don’t see them ever wanting 3 or 4 SLL locos either. The SR have made it clear in the past they’re not too keen on Bulleids, and prefer smaller more economical locomotives.

So at least one or more of the moguls may still have a place.

 

Have they? Please provide evidence..... and just because a bulleid goes to another railway doesn't mean SR is not too keen on them

 

It’s definitely been stated by people from the railway on here in the past that is the case. A plentiful supply of Bulleids is available from SLL, but that’s not necessarily what the SR would choose to use if they had other options.

 

Well, for a railway that's not keen on Bulleids, they certainly use Eddystone a lot. <BJ>

 

Although in fairness since Manston's Hampshire holiday choice has been limited to that and the U. 563 being not exactly a daily use loco.

 

They were very quick to move 34053 and 34072 on.

I think from the numbers quoted above the daily hire fee for 34028 is significantly lower than 31806 possibly negating the additional coal usage.

Andrew