Swanage Railway General Discussion

The Eddystone move to 81C with its and the WCRC support coach was scheduled to clash with out weekly Tesco delivery. So I did walk up to Northbrook Road Bridge at 08:15. However Tesco driver was early at 09:50 and even allowing for having to take some of it to my Dad it still left me time to see the move.
Here at Afflington and Arne Road. Leaving I noticed an HGV parked in the road to the car park, assuming it may be the bucket as it had disappeared during the day yesterday, a quick 360 round the Norden roundabout and it turned out to be my favourite Bulleid off on its travels.

 

Funnily enough I passed the Alleslys rig between the end of the A31 dual carriageway and Canford Bottom Roundabout, on the way home from my shift at Corfe Castle box.

 

From todays facebook update:


"Tomorrow is the first day of our model railway weekend, we are planning on having top and tailed class 33’s out on the diesel service! For those wanting to go a little bit further also (including the dmu service today), those with a all day rover ticket will be able to travel on the “over the road” section of railway beyond Norden as part of crew training for our Bluepool services later in the year!"

Good news still no big news release about general extension of service. Any update if the station has been built?

 

It has not

 

Be interesting to see if Blue Pool and back in 15 minutes can be achieved throughout the day. The Blue pool timetable when it starts would imply yes, but the level crossing always seems to involve an age.

 

What dowe have here!?!?!

Class 33 has brought this car from Nordon today.

Guessing its a GWR Auto/push pull car?

Is this being used this year/on test/ other reaons?

 

Very good point! They should manage 20 mins, which would allow a 45 mins instead of 40 mins frequency on blue/yellow which wouldn't cause any real issues.

In terms of crossing:

Guess as soon as they see the train approaching Nordon they would lower the crossing so its a green signal as soon as the guard gives the signal.

At the galas it seems to be a case of the box waiting for the train to show some signs of being ready then the train waiting to show signs of the box being ready.

On the down line from Wareham does the box have any idea if a train is approaching to lower the barriors or is it just done signal Red until they see train approaching.

Hopfuly the test driving this weekend can speed up the process which is needed for daily running

 

Not an auto trailer - it's an inspection saloon.

Tom

 

It’s replacing the observation car on afternoon tea trains until that arrives back in late summer.

 

In the up direction there’s a plunger on the platform at Norden for the guard to press when the train is ready to start, and in the down direction there’s a treadle (from memory around the fixed distant at Norden Heath).

 

x

 

A

And there I was thinking it was to wind up the diesel fans at the gala

 

One could have fun here. DCrail have won the contract to move ballast from Merehead to Hamworthy. Non of their driver sign the route. One could suggest that this vehicle has been bought in to allow route learning facilities.......

 

On an archive note - the "On This Day" feature of this month's issue of The Bluebell Times features a rather grimy 30053 on an up service at Corfe Castle, waiting to cross with an incoming down train. (You'll have to take the photographer's word for it that it is 30053, as the number isn't visible!) Photo was taken on 10 April 1964.

See https://www.bluebell-railway.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/issue-80.pdf, page 17

Tom

 

Irrespective of the locomotives number. It was a pull push service

 

The picture shows that both trains should have been pull-push operated but the incoming train is hauled by a BR Class 3 tank deputising for an unavailable M7. This makes for a more interesting picture as had a pull-push loco been available it would have been propelling the set into the station rather than leading it.

This is the situation that I found in exactly the same location at Whitsun 1970 with the ecs f0r a 12 coach (3x4TC) returning Swanage-Waterloo ramblers excursion with the locos (2x33/1s) well out of sight in the cutting.

Peter