Project Wareham

Yes good publicity, but as usual the Daily Mail don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.

It keeps going on about Beeching. Swanage wasn't a Beeching closure at all, it closed later. It was never even mentioned on the Beeching report.

I wonder if this replacement coaching stock is the 4TC?

 

Don't think so.
Carl Watson's brilliant Eastleigh Works site: http://www.carlswatson.com/Trains/G...lass4914tc76297eastleighworks1stjune2017.html

 

Appearances can be deceptive. Despite it looking a mess, it looks like it's being prepared for painting and therefore in the final stages of restoration. Given that photo was taken three weeks ago, it may well be finished now sporting a nice new coat of red paint.

 

You raised this rather than me. I merely agreed with you!

PH

 

I just think it's great that the through trains are running at all and am really hoping I can find a spare Saturday after all the "End of Southern Steam" festivities to travel over and enjoy a ride. I would still be expressing this sentiment if the trains were formed of DMU stock (not normally my favourite form of motive power!) However, while my preference would be for a Crompton with the correct 98 headcode on the front, any loco-haulage, be it 33, 37 or 47, will be something of a bonus. The latter did work over the line (See page 46 of Swanage Railway in Colour, featuring D1690 and D1922) but even if no 37 ever reached Swanage in the pre-preservation era, they are quite fun - they certainly make plenty of noise.

 

33025 in green (or BR blue as Sultan) would be a nice touch although I appreciate that's not possible for such a short period of use, I'm not a fan of the WC livery but a 33 on the main line and indeed the branch is definitely something to look forward to

 

Rubbish Deleted. Phone developed mind of its own

 

In the words of Monty Python "My hovercraft is full of eels".
Ray.

 

What are todays plug board & wheel settings?

 

You mean "doesn't drive or open his wallet even for his own enjoyment"? Sounds like a curious domestic arrangement to me, I'm not sure there will be others the same.

 

'Allo, this is Nighthawk. Are you receiving me?

Tom

 

I don't "mean" anything of the kind. The individual concerned makes many donations in cash and in kind to the line he supports. Accusations of meanness are unworthy of you.

However, there will be others, apart from Mrs X., who have no interest in trains, who would rather pay to park in the town than to pay twice.i.e. to park the vehicle then to buy the ticket. Most couples have some interests that the other does not share.

PH

 

Parking charges in Swanage:
http://www.swanage.gov.uk/carparkcharges.aspx
So assuming you're going in peak season, parking at Nordon is £3.90 cheaper.

Obviously that don't cover the cost of the return ticket, which is £12.50 each.
However, you do avoid the 6.7 mile drive, which at 11am on a Summer Saturday is 16-20 minutes (according to google maps) and from experience is pretty much a stop start crawl.

On the face of it the car wins, but the train is a much more pleasant journey.

 

My purpose for going to Swanage at one time was principally to visit a relative now, alas, dead. By far the worst part of the journey was on the mainland before "hitting" Purbeck, either via Wareham or Sandbanks.

Nevertheless I do acknowledge the merits of your argument although with more people in the vehicle, the train gets yet more costly than the car. The danger is a perception that someone is being greedy in wanting a train fare plus a parking fee. Really the S.R.needs to come to an arrangement with the local authority.

PH

 

Is the IoWSR car park free? Don't all railways risk passengers objecting to first having to pay (perhaps quite high charges) to park in addition to the train fare? Don't get me wrong, I very much share your concern on this but I have never believed what an old boss said 'if the customers aren't complaining about the price, it isn't high enough' - and the economics of any train operation mean that it is revenue per departure rather than price per head achieved that is important.

On pure economics and time, a steam railway will rarely beat an available road alternative, but being able to combine a train journey and visiting a desirably destination is most definitely going to be of benefit to any line that can offer such a combination in an attractive manner.

Steven

 

I wasn't accusing anyone of anything. You were the one who said the man's wife was expected to stump up for all of their parking fees, even if visiting something for his enjoyment and not hers. I only commented at all because the notion is absurd.

My wife has little interest in railways and coincidentally we are currently on holiday within striking distance of Swanage, chances are I won't convince her to go there at all but if we do there is no way I would dare to ask her to pay for it!

 

I would not dream of presuming (or asking for that matter) how individual couples share domestic expenses. However this is an example of an instance known to me, where parking charges on top of fares inhibited use. As I said before, there are likely to be others.

PH