Swanage Railway General Discussion

Is there a new timetable?

Thanks

 

I meant new compared to previous years - before it was usually hourly services to the River with an hourly shuttle to/from Corfe. In the last couple of years, this has only required 2 passenger sets from the SR Fleet, meaning that 6 coach sets could run.

 

Looks like the 4TC BSK 70824 has been moved from outside the goods shed and there is now a Green Mk1(?) coach there, On Facebook the weather beaten DTSO 76275 has been moved to Ramparts for overhaul.
Edit: guess the carriage shed will be soon cleared to store the operational carraiges during winter, and the 4TC units will be stored outdoors under tarpaulin? Might depend on fundraising and available effort if the "3TC" plus 33111 is ready for the 2026 Diesel gala?.

 

I see there is now an M7 update from Virginia

 

Swanage Railway Unofficial Facebook Group reports and has a video showing Eddystone has left the Swanage Railway by rail, under it's own steam! doing more than 25mph (but with 33012 as backup!)
https://www.facebook.com/660969112/videos/pcb.24922580103995282/1287604123157487

 

For those that don't want to join a private Facebook group, this was the first result I found on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iaxEsxUW-vQ

 

Awesome

 

34028 Eddystone seen passing through Sway this morning with the light engine test run from Swanage to Southall. D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN on tow for insurance and will work back to Swanage this evening.

Eddystone will conduct a loaded test run and then, if all successful, is scheduled to work back to Swanage on 10th September with the Swanage Belle charter from London Victoria.

Well done indeed to all concerned, in the workshops and elsewhere, for getting this great looking locomotive back on the mainline - running on the mainline for the first time in 61 years.

 

Eddystone at Swanage before departure as Manston pulls out and couple pulling away from a very gloomy and damp Wareham this morning.

 

Current rumours are still a night time loaded test train for '28 [believed to be with WCRC's support coach 80217 ex-Courier vehicle, ex-Mk1 BSK 35299] to Didcot and back - but no date or times.
All subject to '28's inspection, of course, after it's - up to 60-ish mph - run with D6515 this morning/afternoon.
Everyone seems to be pleased with how it went and arrival in WCRC's depot around 5 minutes early. Currently smokebox pointing westwards - is this a clue?
Incidentally, D6515's return move from Southall to Swanage has been cancelled and RTT entry removed. No re-scheduling apparent at the time of writing.
Support Coach 35011 still in Herston Works, I believe, for final work prior to any main line activity. Whether all the new systems will need to be tested on the Swanage Railway, before it goes to join '28 at Southall, I have no idea.

 

Lovely to see, credit to SLL for pulling it all together.

 

Hear, Hear. Plus a few on the Swanage Railway engineering department too I would have thought
As mentioned elsewhere, D6515's immediate return to Swanage was cancelled but I can't trace a revised working yet back south.

 

Talking above about all 13 active carriages are being used for this gala. What is the latest update with the two bulleid carriages that have been restored by love and now don’t seem to have been used for a year or two?

http://srstock.co.uk/
In total there seems to be 18 mark 1s , what ones are out of service ? Two are x dinning stock so that brings useful cars to 16 mark 1s but that still means 6 mark 1s are out of use?

 

The Bulleid CK 5761 is nearing the end of its body overhaul. It has just been removed from the goods shed and is being finished at Corfe.

Bulleid brake 4366 is being overhauled/restored at Ramparts.

Bulleid brake 4365 is in dry storage away from the railway, pending maintenance upon its eventual return.

Other Mk1's are either in storage or require some work I would suspect.

 

If you had looked at my post #11705 you would have seen the Bulleid coach the day it came out of the Goods shed along with the van

 

Bulleid CK 5761 is planned to be back in service for the gala.

Maunsell TO 1381 is currently in the goods shed undergoing a repaint and roof repairs. It is planned for 1381 to come out for the gala. It won’t be finished completely though and will be going back in after the gala…

Mk1 TSO 4416 is currently stopped for replacement flooring, reupholstering and new tables. This should also be in service for the gala albeit without the new tables fitted.

Maunsell TO 1346 is next in the goods shed for repaint and roof repairs.

Mk1 TSO 4842 is stopped awaiting funds for overhaul. Work was started but found to be worse than anticipated so work was stopped to progress other projects.

Mk1 BCK 21205 is stored undercover also with a partially completed overhaul that was stopped due to other work requirements.

Mk1 CK 24127 is stored out of use, as is Mk1 Bar Car (ex TSO) 4055

 

So how many does that mean for the
gala?

 

As it was stated earlier, 13 coaches are due to be in use for the gala. One 5 set and 2 sets of 4.

 

The consist advised earlier did not mention a Bulleid or is it replacing the Obs coach to make a proper 5 coach set? I often go to the Swanage railway and spent 4 days there with the family last week after the same in June but may not go to the gala even with the rare appearance of 926 as I fear the 4 coach trains will be overloaded and my health issues will mean I will not cope.

 

Good to see the Maunsell and Bulleid coaches being used and maintained as an integral part of the fleet. I remember a few years ago SR management saying they couldn’t justify spending money on the historic coaches, as their priority was overhauling the ‘core MK1 fleet’. Good that distinction is no longer made.