The Swanage Belle 13th June 2013

Seats still available: http://www.railwaytouring.net/uk-day-trips/swanage-belle
Originally planned to be hauled by 34046 Braunton with 34067 Tangmere on the return but 34046 is not yet passed for main line haulage.

 

I am beginning to wonder if Braunton actually exists. Hope to film Tangmere at Brentford on this one. Barry

 

Subject to actually getting a steam loco I want to travel behind in both directions this is one of the few trips I could, hopefully, join at very short notice and get started on my 2013 steam mileage.

But the time they take to get to and from Swanage!

Last time for a Swanage trip, (not a Swanage Belle I think), I fought my way round the M25 to Woking to try and make things more reasonable. But even then, and just for me I am sure, it was one of the most boring steam trips I've been on. All those hours to get to Swanage, just from Woking. I dread to even think that SD's 9th July trip will get the same times. Not that I can be certain I will be free for that, the Owls are breeding late this year: I hope!

But I guess the top fare paying passengers, (who we are told subsidise us peasants who only go for the steam and a lovely fish and chip lunch at Swanage), just want comfort and food and drink all day, and don't care how long it takes.

And yes, I know. It's probably the only times that can be given in todays very busy railway.

Reckon my steam travelling days are fast ticking away........................

 

Mate just phoned saying return is diesel hauled to Southampton the Tangmere round Laverstock Curve to London...

 

Unsurprising, but pretty pathetic. I tried to get steam both ways from Swanage 3 years ago on an RTC "Swanage Belle", and it was apparent to me that it wasn't going to be steam both ways well before the RTC website was updated. After a number of persistent phone calls, we were re-booked on the "Capital Christmas Express" and eventually had an excellent run from Swanage to London and back later in the year behind 44932 with no diesel on the back (unlike 2011's trip behind Tangmere) . Last year, the corresponding train didn't run from Swanage at all. Doing the branch both ways behind steam seems to be getting harder and harder.

What is baffling is that 3 days later on 16th June:-

So why not run the "black 4-6-0" down to London a few days earlier. take the place of 34046 on the outward leg and then buzz off with the support coach to Bristol afterwards? It has been pretty obvious for a while that Braunton was not going to be ready for this trip.

 

So does that mean a box on the back for all the other sections of the day? I would guess there must be a chance of that.

At least there is some rain falling in that area today. So the weather wenches are saying.

 

Its a West Coast job so theres a chance it will be... empty stock to Victoria then Swanage to Southampton and ecs to Southall after.....

 

Thanks for that. I won't bother about even thinking of fighting my way round the M25 to Woking then!

 

From the Steam Dreams website " Our return journey will be diesel hauled from Swanage to Southampton where 34046 Braunton will rejoin the train for the steam hauled run back up to London."

 

OMG! A box AND Braunton.

What hope is there for that day now!

 

Starting to wonder if we are going to get any steam UP Parkstone Bank this year - hopefully the Dorset Coast Expresses will restore my faith! and the trip with Braunton starting from Poole on 4th July. Really looking forward to seeing Braunton back on homeground eventually ! Hope it will be in less than a month !! DH

 

Train is listed as 34067, though its failed in Norwich, leaving only the "blue chosen one" in London to handle this, (its down to goto York following day), if its not fixed between now and Thursday.
There is of course 35028, if they were to borrow it the day before its VSOE turn ?

 

What about borrowing 44932 or 45305 which has covered Tangmere's work before. In Feb/March 2011 44932 ran some Tangmere schedules down to Kent and to Cardiff. In May 2011 45305 ran the down leg of the Swanage Belle from London-Waterloo to Swanage. Forecast rain on Wednesday so it shouldn't matter if a 5MT has to work a bit hard. Or, does anybody know the prognosis for Tangmere.
Barry

 

If, as seems likely from the reports above, Tangmere's problems are in the valve gear, then it will take a little while to dismantle and inspect the relevant bits. If it's a simple repair that can be done at Southall, then I suppose there's chance she could be back together again by Wednesday. If new parts are needed, or if existing parts need to go to another workshop for repair, I'd think it unlikely.

So, given that 44932 and 34067 are both part of the WCRC "stable", and that 44932 is already booked for The Royal Duchy on Sunday 16th, I think it most likely that 44932 will come south a few days early to cover for Tangmere. The trailing DL will probably need to assist on any significant gradients and starting from stations, to keep time. Then again, given recent practice, that would probably be the case if Tangmere works the train, too. (I can't see the DL being sent separately on this occasion.)

 

I agree. When it has covered for Tangmere in the past it has been with the Tangmere support crew.

 

Although I can see how 44932 could cover for Tangmere on the Swanage trip on Thursday, I wonder if the Golden Arrow Statesman on Sat 15th might be asking a bit too much? If timings are similar to the previous one, and if there are no delays, the loco would be back at Southall about 20:30. It then needs to be prepped (and inspected? IIRC an FTR is valid for 48 hours) and sent out agin, loco and support coach, to arrive at Bristol before 08:00. Not impossible, and in the "olden days" that sort of diagram would be no big deal. Certainly, from the loco's point-of-view, it's best for it to stay in steam for several days, and if it's in steam, and not being serviced, then it might as well be out on the line. The issues today are: 1) whether WCRC have got enough loco crew and support crew, in the right place, with enough rest hours in between duties; 2) whether a path from Southall to Bristol can be found on Saturday night at short notice. I can imagine it having to go via Addlestone and Salisbury to avoid Reading, for example. I'm glad I don't have to do the organising and re-organising!

 

Second thoughts - does The Goldern Arrow Statesman need an air-braked loco? If so, then that counts 44932 out. On the other hand, though MNLPS would be reluctant to offer Clan Line for Thurs 13th, because of the VSOE commitment on 14th, they might, perhaps, consider doing so on Sat 15th - provided they've got a support crew available. The logistics are less challenging than my speculation about 44932: arrival back at Stewarts Lane about 18:00 Friday, prep for the next day instead of disposal, off shed Saturday morning in time to get to Willesden about 09:00. Clan Line would be an appropriate choice for a train with "Golden Arrow" in the name. Probably isn't time to fit the full regalia, though - unless they run with it on Friday too!
(NB: although I'm a member of MNLPS, the above is entirely my speculation. I have no idea whether they've been approached nor how they might respond if they were!)