Whats running at Swange this weekend?

Fantastic. I'm walking part of the Purbeck coast early tomorrow with two (non-railway enthusiast) friends. Will have to pursuade them to allow a detour on the journey back home to allow a stop off at the railway! I'll take my camera with me...to photograph the, err, scenery...!

 

Hope you liked Eddystone doing an impression of the North Devon Line - Bulleid + BCK!
We could have used it's seats to cope with some standing passengers however. Despite a two train, 45 minute interval service we still couldn't seat all our passengers - and it's only 1st May LoL

 

It did appear very busy yesterday, not only at the railway, but in and around Purbeck generally. Even Kimmeridge which is in the middle of nowhere was bustling! I didn't have the time I'd hoped for at the railway during the afternoon (missed out on the very good tea they serve at Swanage station!) but did see 34028 heading into Corfe and 34070 heading out. Nice to see the flags on the front of Manston - a more subtle nod to the goings on elsewhere on Friday. What I did enjoy though was hearing the whistles of both Bulleids echoing around the hills as we were walking along the coast. Will be back again very soon for a decent bit of time on the railway for sure.

How long has 34028 left on its ticket out of interest?

 

Did you find the Square and Compass on your walk, or the puffins near Dancing Ledge?

 

Hearing the sound of a Bulleid chattering away up the 1 in 80 gradient makes my spine tingle, so to speak, when standing on Corfe Station on a quiet [wind-less] day. It's sounds seem to echo and re-echo around the Purbeck Hills!
Incidentally, this weekend sees the Railway's 6th Annual Diesel Gala so there's no steam around from close on Thursday until Monday morning.
Don't know when 34028's ticket expires. Hope some other contributor can help you.

 

Nope! We walked a total of 11 miles starting from Kingston, down to the coast then along the coastal path to Kimmeridge Bay. Walked about a mile past there along one of the range walks and then turned back towards Kingston along the high ridge via Kimmeridge itelf. Found a 2ft gauge point sticking out of the cliff edge along the coastal path though! Must be part of an old quarry rail system which I imagine was much farther inland when it was running than its current location!

 

The section from St Albans Head to Worth Matravers to Swanage is worth walking, there is a pool at Dancing Ledge, filled by sea water at each high tide. Hope you had a good day out.

 

I suppose it's too much to hope that any of last weekend's diesels are staying over for this weekend? Call me a dreamer......

I would be interested to know what is working this weekend!

 

I don't think any of the visiting locos are still there, but the 3-CIG (1498) definitely is. Ollie Cromwell is due to run down to Swanage light tomorrow afternoon in preparation for a tour, and Sir Lamiel is bringing the inbound in on Saturday.

As far as the roster is concerned, I imagine one of the Bullieds (Manston or Eddystone) will be taking the steam service and a DMU the diesel (though I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to roster D6515 and the 3-CIG instead...). I'm down to do a cleaning turn on the MPD tomorrow, so no doubt I'll find out then.

 

I understand the Western, Deltic, 37 and 56 are all still on site, 57601 left on its own on Tuesday.

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Edit - d'oh!

 

As Rumpole states - 37/52/55/56 still 'resident' (all possibly moving out next week?)
Suspect Manston plus 2 car DMU providing the Green Timetable, on Saturday & Sunday, with Eddystone on Sat. Evening Wessex Belle and Sunday Luncheon Trains.
70013 "Oliver Cromwell" arriving tender-first Friday lunchtime [1330-ish?]
'Black 5' 45305 is scheduled to haul "The Swanage Belle" from Waterloo - Arr 1412.
70013 departs with return leg at 1610. Do not know when 45305 departs - Sunday perhaps?
Outline ideas being formulated for 33+3CIG to be utilised on 7/8/9 June. Still subject to lots of ifs, buts and maybe's though so may not happen. A separate thread will be created if there are any definite 3CIG workings at Swanage.

 

Manston's a good bet for tomorrow. She was running services today, aside from the second Swanage-Norden service of the day when she felt mildly unwell and had to be replaced by a nice shiny green Crompton. As a result I unexpectedly got to ride shotgun in the cab of D6515 instead of getting a little Bullied firing practice in, but hey I'm certainly not complaining!

Eddystone was moved onto the coal dock later in the morning. When I last walked past the spanners were out, but it looked pretty routine stuff so she's almost certainly "good to go" for the weekend.

70013 arrived at around 2pm and was just moving into the platform at Swanage when I left at 4 (presumably to give the public a look between service trains).

Around the same time D6515 assisted in moving the visiting locos up to Harmons Cross to get them out of the way for the arrival of the tour tomorrow. The 3-CIG is currently stabled in the siding just south of Corfe Castle station.

 

Is the 33 mainline certified, it certainly looks as if it's being restored to be ?

good to see Manston today, is 45305 staying a little longer or is it back to Southall ?

 

Yes the 33 is fully mainline certified and available for use

 

Eddystone used on 2 round trips hauling Sunday's lunch train but it's use on next week's service train has had to be delayed a short while due to a couple of little problems. Manston stays in service for a little longer.
Believe 45305 is staying at Swanage for a month - perhaps returning June's Swanage Belle to London?

 

So bringing this back to the top again, anyone know what is likely to be running on Sunday?

Thanks in avance

Andrew

 

Expecting a busy time the Swanage Railway will be running its Yellow timetable: http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/n-timetable.htm . I suspect this means that both Bulleids will be in traffic over the weekend.
80104 has returned from an Intermediate (?) Overhaul in Herston Works but still needs a firebox brick arch. Whether anything else needs doing I don't know but I'm not sure everything can be done before this weekend. Once test runs have been accomplished I guess it might be in service in early June perhaps.
"Sir Keith Park" 's tender is now on the railway and it is hoped that an Autumn arrival for the engine might be possible.

 

Thanks for the info. Heading down early on Sunday and camping overnight. Any idea what 45305 is expected to do, if anything? Not necessarily this weekend but during the rest of its stay at Swanage?