SWANAGE RAILWAY - The Red Arrows Effect

I note that the West Somerset carried over 2,300 passengers when The Red Arrows displayed over Minehead.
The Red Arrows display on Friday 6th, over Cowes, IoW, had been Caped due to very low cloud so there was some anxiety about low cloudbase over Swanage the following day.
Although clouds did seem somewhat low-ish they still managed a full length display - only amended by omitting the high level loops, etc. What they did was well up to their normal high standard and duly thrilled the assembled masses as usual.
The Swanage Railway scheduled two 6 coach rakes on its regular 40 minute interval service as well as adding two 3car DMU trains during the early morning. Full and standing seemed to be the order of the day resulting in Norden Park & Ride car park being totally full [350-ish cars] by early morning and, by the end of the day, 2,624 passengers had been carried. Not a record day but it highlighted how successful railways can be at moving large numbers of people.

 

There you go then! The power of the Red Arrows to bring in the crowds. Hopefully it'll encourage our heritage railways to actively lobby their local organisations and authorities to bring similar "big names", whether planes or pop stars or whatever, to their area. It's great for local trade.

So good to hear the Swanage Railway doing what railways were (re)built for. Great news. Peter.

Steve

 

The P&DSR has been taking advantage of Dartmouth Red Arrows events for years, although they need to add an extra train, and delay the departure so folks can get back over from Dartmouth on the ferry (currently have to stand on the Kingswear side, where you can't see the full display (high loops mainly) properly)

 

I remember that Stuart from last year when we watched perhaps one of the best displays I have seen by the Red Arrows over Dartmouth and Kingswear. The only bit we missed was the 'Goose' manouevre because it happened beyond the Kingswear headland!

Regards,

Dan

 

well the next combination looks to be Red Arrows appearing at the Shackerstone Family Festival

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