Swanage Railway General Discussion

Thanks for that and it is interesting, because it suggests that 80104 basically ran when not on washout in 2013, with the others covering wash-outs and the 2nd diagram. 75029 and 61264 have largely done the same on the NYMR in both 2013 and 12014, with only a couple of occasions when they have been stopped or restricted due to mechanical issues (naturally, as Steve alluded to, both at the same time and on one occasion with almost all the rest of the fleet!). In theory, as the number of diagrams increases, the need for spares to cover should lessen a little but again, and Steve is clearly quoting form the same bitter experience I am all too aware of, there is always the risk of multiple failures at the same time with aged machinery. The problem is the potential cost (and actual practicality) of providing sufficient cover for such rare eventualities.

Steven

 

I would have to disagree. If the diagrams are increasing. Then there would be a greater need for spares.

 

I think Steven meant decreases but only he can say! The NYMR has a somewhat unique problem with its Whitby operation. At peak service, the Railway requires four coach sets for a normal day. In theory, if you can cover the service with four coach sets, you can cover it with four steam locos. However, not all locos can go to Whitby and two steam locos start their day at Pickering, where there are no coaling facilities. Thus, on a normal day, time has to be found for Pickering based locos to go on shed at Grosmont for coal and exam and this can't be done between trains arriving and departing. The T/T also means that, unless there are three 'Whitby' locos available, one loco has to come off its train at Grosmont to be replaced by a non-Whitby loco and ready to take the next one back to Whitby. This effectively means the peak service can't be operated with less than five locos. At present four steam and one diesel. To service this, my personal opinion is that the Railway needs eight steam and three diesels.
Sorry for gatecrashing in on the Swanage thread with a purely NYMR post.

 

Steve, I think you mean the NYMR needs 4 sets of coaches, rather than 4 coach sets - that would lead to severe overcrowding!

 

Actually you only need one coach - a BCK. The Atlantic Coast Express left Waterloo without about six or seven of them!

Tom

 

All the right words; just in the wrong order.

 

If they were all BCK's, we'd need a dozen of them in each set!

 

I meant the ratio decreases - so twice as many diagrams does not automatically mean twice as many locos needed as 3 spares can cover for 5 in use, for example - but I am most interested by your take on the current debate over how many locos we need available for the peak season!

If the Swanage found it needed a 3rd diagram, it it probably would need 1 extra loco but not an extra spare.

Steven

 

When a 3rd diagram is required either a DMU rake or a 33 and LHC are used

 

Not necessarily Steve; there are several days this year where we will need 3 steam locos, mainly for days where we are running a Peak service with a lunch dining train.

 

Out of interest, what work is going on at the Swanage Railway this winter? There's usually some big track or other infrastructure project taking place.

 

A few things going on; the P-Way department are currently busy with a deep dig, waterproof membrane and relay through Herston platform, getting rid of one of the final bits of former LT rail and also reinstating the loop (half the reason the loop was removed was that the London end pointwork was required for the trapping arrangement at Motala, which has been removed now the SR has a lease of the remainder of the branch. Once Herston is completed, they will move up to Norden to rebuild the supports for the platform there, to stop the platform from sinking.

While this is going on there are plenty of other things going on; the S&T Department are replacing the post for the Harmans Cross Loop Up Starter as well as picking up a number of jobs to do with Project Wareham, there are quite a few maintenance jobs going on with the locomotive fleet (changing springs on 31806, rubbing down and repainting 6695's cab etc), the new workshop opposite Swanage shed is being fitted out (which will enable us to get rid of the eyesore green container from alongside the shed!) while around the shed area we are in the process of constructing a new signing on point and locker room out the back of the shed.

As ever, more volunteers would most definitely be welcome!

 

An important, but little-noticed milestone for the Swanage Railway yesterday; the No Signalman Key Token system between Norden and Worgret Junction was brought into use yesterday, and the token machines in Norden Gates cabin and on Platforms 1 and 2 at Wareham commissioned. This is a significant step towards provision of the Wareham service, as from the closure of the branch up until the lease being transferred last year the branch was operated with a train staff, then up until yesterday with Pilotman working; both of which are a lot more labour intensive, and operationally restrictive.

This will significantly aid the operation of this section, both by reducing the requirement on people and by reducing the requirement for the train staff to be transported by road, and was formally commissioned at 14:08, ready for 1z15, a special train conveying Claire Perry MP to Corfe Castle at 16:15.

With the commissioning of the token scheme, this was the first time a passenger train has been fully signalled on and off the 'branch' without handsignals or being instructed past a signal at danger 1972; it was quite nice approaching Worgret along the main and seeing the junction signal go green and the 'feathers' appear!

 

Does anyone know what is going to be happening with 2464 once it comes back from York?

 

As a point of interest the low number of days for 6695 (and the corresponding high amount for 80104) that year was due to the loco being out of traffic for replacement valve liners and piston valve heads & rings amongst other mechanical work. The loco not returning properly to traffic until July of that year! Additionally 30053 and 34070 were both also late into traffic that year due to various jobs being undertaken, so 80104 bore the brunt during the early part of the season.

 

Hello,
I think that 2464 will be returning to Corfe Castle Station and stored outside with all the other vehicles.

In an ideal world it would be displayed undercover as a national treasure......


Nick

 

Sadly the trial passenger service has been delayed from September this year into early 2016:

Swanage to Wareham rail line reconnection works delayed

Chris

 

To be honest I would very much like to see 2464 permanently displayed somewhere appropriate as part of a memorial to Winston Churchill. The Swanage Railway Trust needs to very carefully consider the future of this vehicle.

 

Is it the case that all the Pullman carriages from the funeral train still exist? If so, the entire train needs to be displayed in the original order, at a covered location preferably. Swanage doesn't have the space (yet), unless Furzebrook could be utilised somehow. York may have space in the annexe section where other short train formations are displayed. I presume 34051 will never be steamed again so, a permanent display makes sense.