Swanage Railway developments

A 158 unit may use less fuel than a first generation unit but you also need to look at the cost of hiring a 158 unit from the train leasing company and would the TOC be able to justify the extra cost of running a 158 unit against the extra fuel used by a first gestation unit.

 

That certainly has a bearing on it. The 158/159's are good runners but as the WoE line is to be strengthened in the foreseeable future, every available unit will be required. This will probably include the one in daily use on the Lymington branch cascading a 450 to that route.

Although I can see your argument, I still believe that for the Swanage to operate the service would be to the best advantage of the line for the following reasons.

- SWT's 158 fleet is maintained in Salisbury and as stated above, will be required for service strengthening on that route in the near future rather than plodding along at 25mph down and back to Swanage. If I remember correctly, they are not good performers at low speed for some reason. (I stand to be corrected on that one if someone with 158 traction knowledge is available to comment.)
- The Swanage would have full control of the line/service rather than having to try and fit their services around SWT's. Having a third party operating over their metals could cause conflicts, especially if something falls down with the timetable.

If a 158 fails between Harmans Cross and Corfe, the closest compatible unit to shift it would be at Salisbury (if one is still on shed and a driver/drivers with route knowledge is available). Result - the whole timetable is in disaray and both the mainline and heritage operation grinds to a halt. At least with both units based on the Swanage as well as a mainline registered class 33, recovery can be arranged swiftly. Even if the 117 fails just outside Wareham, recovery is no more than 10 miles away rather than the 60 miles (approximately) from Salisbury.
- As for running through to Bomo or Brock, I doubt there are many paths available, especially for diesel stock. The DfT don't particularly like diesel stock being used on electrified lines so (in my eyes) it makes more sense to have an up Swanage service arrive at Wareham before a Weymouth - Waterloo service, shunt to the yard and follow the down Waterloo - Weymouth service. Ok, passengers will require a change but if worked out correctly, the layover time at Wareham could be minimal.

These are just my views.

 

Well done everyone concerned. I look forward to travelling the whole line.

Will the Worgret-Furzebrook section be 25mph or, as it is being upgraded, a higher line speed for the mainline passed units? If 25mph would class 158 units be more fuel efficient? They are designed for much higher speeds and would certainly use less fuel than a 117 at, say, 70mph.

Just because something is older doesn't necessarily mean that it is less reliable. I have worked on 30 year old aeroplanes that are considerably more reliable than some brand new types. Build quality and maintenance (in that order) are everything.

In my mind the heritage units crewed by the railway's personnel are the way to go as they fit in with the rest of the operation and provide some added interest for visitors and volunteers alike. I'd love to fire a train from Alresford to Farnham but as line line speed from Alton is 70mph with 1/2 hour frequency at peak times it aint gonna happen. As for commuters as long as it's warm, dry and comfortable that surely has to be preferable to sitting in long traffic queues at Corfe, Wareham and Bakers Arms every morning.

Good luck to you.
Ian

 

I cant help but think, if new DMU's are to be required, these are probably the best option.
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Its not like they really require extra speed on the branch, and I would have thought most people would be alighting at the first station on the branch to ride the heritage units anyway. If the intention is to run right through to Swanage, perhaps the larger unit would be a better idea.

Be interesting to see what solution they choose.

 

Have you had the joyous experience of riding in a PPM?
Its ok on a small almost closed off branch line ie Stourbridge town - Jnc. But for a mainline run to Wareham? No thank you!

One thing has occured to me. Is the bay on the down side going to be reinstated for the Swanage service?

 

Just wondered what happened to the one that broke down on the MHR I believe it was recovered and repaired but not sure what happened to it after that?

 

I don't know if the same plan is still one but there was talk of running through the Up platform, crossing over, reversing, then returning to the Down platform. I didn't hear of any plans for bays for the initial operation at least, although I've often looked at the grassy platform on the up side and thought it had Swanage's name written all over it Isn't the down side a car park now?

 

Be half of the experience I would have thought. Perhaps they can market it as part of a funfair?


Lets be objective here, I somehow doubt you are going to fill an entire DMU up with passengers on a regular service from Swanage to Wareham. If you do, well fair enough, something like a 158 or a 150 would be a far better options. Chances are though the majority of poeple who will experience the line will want to travel by heritage units or steam train. If thats the case all you really need is a small unit to get people onto the line. A first gen DMU to my mind is going to be expensive to run, and they arent exactly getting any newer.

Its not an ideal solution by any means, but short of acquiring Pacers when they leave service (a not much better option even if it was imminent, and its not) then this presumably has to be the best option. Well, short of getting running powers to run a steam hauled push pull unit onto the mainline anyway which is never going to happen.

 

Maybe they should lay a 3rd rail to Norden ?...
would be easy and cheap, take the juice from NR.
could give potential for Swanage to have a very good USP operated with heritage stock.

 

If the through services are only going to run on 50 days per year initially then the 158 option should clearly be explored. One expects the 50 days to be weekends and holiday periods when their just might be slack in SWT or FGW fleets. That seems to be the case with FGW and the West Somerset at present.

I know we all wish the service well, but I fear the realities of competing with bus services on which many Purbeck residents pay nothing and the tourists with cars who find current arrangements more favourable, means that the service will eventualy operate at a frequency which makes the 158 option the most viable.

 

NR's current re-signalling between Poole & Wool is being set up for Swanage-Wareham services to drop off passengers on the Up platform; ECS crosses over to Wareham Down Sidings; then, once SWT Down train to Weymouth has departed, the ECS is released to pick up passengers on the Down platform and onwards to the Swanage Branch.
I understand there are no immediate development proposals for the vacant Up Bay platform face. It would cost a substantial amount to re-instate it. If passenger numbers become really busy, however, then who knows! LOL

 

Experience from owners of different units involved in the Railcar Association has shown that Second Gen is not that cheaper in preservation than first gen.

In terms of diesel fuel and replacement parts used, there is quite a price gap between running first generation DMU's and diesel locomotives (DMU's are considerably cheaper until you start needing to move more than about 4 coaches of people that is) , but the same dramatic difference cannot be said between first generation and second generation.

As has already been mentioned, a well maintained First Generation fleet would run rings around a couple of secondhand pacers if the latter didn't have the maintenance expertise and support of spares behind it. There's no reason why a First Generation fleet, managed properly of course, can't cover the service at the frequency that has been suggested in the thread. Indeed there are already first generation units being used on some of our busier lines at the level we're talking about at present.

 

Now that I'd like to see, a proper home for SR EMU preservation!

 

Remember, Pacers are banned on the Southern Region. (Thank God!)

To have a line where Southern Region EMU's can ply their trade would be fantastic but it will have to be on a line that is currently juiced as as I am pretty sure new 3rd Rail routes will not be permitted for H&S reasons. Options? Unfortunately I cannot see SWT dropping Alton to Farnham as this would be ideal as it could include Farnham Shed for storage and servicing. Sorry, that was a bit off topic.

 

Section between Motala [current boundary with NR part of Swanage Branch] and Norden is covered by SR's existing LRO - which specifically bans any form of electrification. Never say Never - but I'll still plump for Never!

 

Just spotted some very interesting reading which I don't believe has been posted here - the business plan (pdf link) for the community rail service. It is jam-packed with information as to how the service will be developed and the costs involved. You can find the link on the Dorset Councils Purbeck Community Rail Partnership (PCRP) page.

(apologies if this has been posted already)

While I'm at it, you might also be interested in the April PCRP draft minutes.