Driver experience

The Purbeck Mineral and Mining museum at Norden Station on the Swanage Railway will be be running its driver experience this weekend (15 -16). Come and drive a Quarry Hunslet.

To find us we are behind and above the platform, access from the end by Skew Arch Bridge. There is no access from the museum entrance. Minimum donation a fiver.

We are also running again over the bank holiday weekend all three days.

Usual caveats apply!

 

Just to add: Drivers must be 18 or over.
The amount of parents who we turn away when they ask if their five year can drive would surprise you. I do wonder if they let their kids drive their car or a 7.5 ton truck or if they do not realise it is a real very hot loco.

 

Parents have no concept of the dangers of a loco. They see Thomas on telly and think it is dead easy and anyone can do it. Suddenly they look at you dumbly when you have to politely tell them the age limit.
Had one a few weeks ago asking if the regulator was what you used to steer the train.... the mind boggles. And the number of people who look on the footplate and say "oo isn't it warm on here?"

 

I think you are being unfair here. Steam engines are hardly common place items and exist now only in a semi-sanitised environment; people have no experience of how hot in can be in the cab, so they are naturally surprised....why do you criticise that? I doubt they go home, switch the iron on and say "oo isn't that hot".

Secondly I have no idea why your age limit is 18 and suspect that has more to do with insurance than anything else. Most places start cleaners on the footplate at 16.

 

Yes, plenty of places start cleaners at the age of 16, it is because they are covered by insurance as they are staff so is classed as a place of work. I don't know of anywhere, please put me straight on this, that do driver experience under the age of 18.
Sorry if I sounded harsh, perhaps put it down to having a semi bad day. Usually I refrain from going online if I am grumpy. I do like talking to the general public but still, there is a fire that heats the water. It is going to be warm.

 

It may be that steam locomotives are the problem but driving locomotives needn't be - this example of a driver under supervision (grandad - a member !) taken last Sunday at the West Lancashire Light Railway shows it's never too early !

 

There is a lot to be said for using Diesels in Driver experience for this reason.

My oldest first drove a Sentinel at 4 and at 12 was very professional on an 08. When he was 6, poor lad was desperate to have a go on a 9F but was far to small to manage the congtrols

 

Steam Locomotive driving experiences tend to be a bit rubbish if a diesel is used.

 

Insurance say 18 minimum, even for cab rides. That is the way it is. It is a shame that it can't be younger but the insurance is not for me to interfere with,. There are plenty of young adults that come along that would be mature to drive it and there are plenty of adults that I would not let let on the footplate again! If they look about 18 (I work with children so I usually have a good idea) and say they are then I am not going to ask for ID. At the end of the day we need to encourage young blood and this is the way to do it. My comment was about the children that would not reach the regulator, or see where they are going , nor have the cognitive maturity to be able to control the loco and the fact that parents can't see that, worst is when the parents then say that they won't have a go as it isn't fair on the kids. We don't have a diesel that can seat two at the present, however a diesel driver experience has been mooted for the future, but I bet the insurance will be the same.

 

We do a Drive a diesel experience at several of our special events over the year at the WHHR and in these young children are allowed to "drive" the diesel. It is all under very close supervision in a very controlled way. As long as you have sensible control measures in place it is possible to do safely.

 

Why not have a go at the Vale of Rheidol's Driver for a Fiver where you get to drive the Kerr Stuart "Wren" No.3114 at Devil's Bridge for a £5 donation to the No.7 restoration fund.

 

Driving a wren sounds fun. Purbeck mining and mineral museum are doing their driver experience on bank holiday SUNDAY and MONDAY only. Minimum donation £5, driving Cloister, a quarry hunslet. Saturdays have proved quiet and we often struggle for staff as well so have decided to give it a miss. If wet it is likely to be cancelled.

 

Anyone in the BBC radio Solent area should listen at 10am on Saturday.