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Project Wareham

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by David R, Jul 31, 2015.

  1. Jupiter

    Jupiter New Member

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    Does Swanage Railway have a project manager for Wareham overseeing the individual elements and responsible for delivery?

    Driver pool, guard pool, training, medical, main line PTS, rules, incl rescue drivers and train crew
    Rescue arrangements, traction and crew location and readiness
    Paperwork, TOC, insurances
    Mechanical reliability and support, servicing, FTR
    Contingency arrangements (alternative contractors to supply service via road or rail)
    Marketing, ticket sales, website
    Signalling/crossings
    Pway
    Timetabling
    Volunteer liaison etc

    The start date must be getting quite close?
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2022
  2. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

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  3. Jupiter

    Jupiter New Member

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  4. 80104

    80104 Member

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    Mark Woolley is / was the Project Wareham Director.
     
  5. Jupiter

    Jupiter New Member

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    Thank you.
     
  6. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

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  7. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Of course a lot has happened since that article last summer, and much more may happen before this summer.
     
  8. Woof Mk2

    Woof Mk2 Member

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    Was
     
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  9. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    A number of times it has been mentioned how the Wareham link would benefit getting to a gala. That did get me thinking about for a steam gala in particular would this would be seen as a benefit or not to those not using the link, or perceived as not either by some that do.
    Reviewing some old gala timetables the 2018 diesel gala ran 7 return trips Corfe to Wareham and one Norden to Wareham. That is a lot of paths to take up if you are using the DMU, even with the diesels it is about a 1 hour round trip from Corfe. Would most steam fans prefer top and tailed trips to Frome Bridge rather than the DMU to Wareham taking those paths? The 2019 Autumn Gala only had for steam return trips to Frome Bridge anyway (the Strictly Bulleid Gala had 14) but not sure you could fit those in around 8 Wareham trips. Unsure of the signalling scope between Worgret and the NR/SR boundary and obviously the Wareham train would need priority both due to pathing and connections to SWR.
    Based on other forums, especially as there was much complaining on the more diesel oriented forums in 2018 when their gala only ran Swanage to Norden when the steam gala went to Frome Bridge, would the diesel guys also want to give up their "thrash" up and back from Frome Bridge?
    I guess if you has a couple of mainline locos then the Wareham service could be those, but then they would probably just be allocated to that all gala.
    I do not know what people want from a gala, I like to have the chance to travel behind as many locos as possible with easy changes, use of the extension facilitates that, but using the Swanage Norden section only tends to make folk try to change at HX at times, something I have done in the past but now probably beyond my 70 year old body, at least more than once in the day.
    I guess just yet another headache for a gala planner, which luckily I am not.
    Of course on a non gala day it ceases to be an issue at all.
     
  10. 80104

    80104 Member

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    I was under the impression that allowing passengers to changeover at Harmans Cross when the locos cross was "discouraged" because it had the potential to cause delays. It is a bit of a schlep up one side, across the bridge and then down the other side.
     
  11. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    It depends on how fast you can run. Although of course the path on the up side is not conducive to moving too fast.
     
  12. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

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    I have yet to go to a gala and hope the May 2022 diesel gala goes ahead along with the start of a 90day DMU service from/to Wareham for those travelling by SWR stations and want to have some beers on a day trip (not getting "drunk").

    The service in 2018 was possible as the mainline certified LU 4TC and 33 or 73s were available as a substitute for the DMU, whose refurbishment was delayed.
    In 2019 the DMU was still not ready and the LU 4TC was not available, the bus service from Wareham to Corfe did not seem appealling. The 2020 and 2021 galas were cancelled.

    Hopefully in 2022 Corona will be under control. It might be possible to allow some other diesel trains to run to the Frome bridge in-between DMU trains from Wareham?
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2022
  13. 5914

    5914 New Member

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    Instinct would be that if any S-W service were running on a two hour cycle (fitting in with at 40 minute S-N cycle), then any trains to Frome bridge would effectively have to 'cross' the S-W service at Harmans Cross (being unable to go any further toward Swanage, which would require a running loop or double track section somewhere between Harmans Cross and Herston!). This would result in almost 100% line occupancy which would leave absolutely no room for error. (I learnt the inadvisability of assuming a theoretical timetable would work in practice the hard way once - and vowed that I would never again assume anything close to 100% as a practical proposition!)

    I would suggest that a 40minute S-N cycle with a 2 hourly S-W service overlaid is about the maximum that can be achieved without risking missing slots on the mainline - but would be interested to hear from those who had experience when the trials ran to Wareham before.
     
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  14. Wenlock

    Wenlock Well-Known Member Friend

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    I recall once reading a book about "modern railway operation" (dated from the 1930s).
    The author suggested creating a theoretical timetable using all available paths, and then simply erasing alternate trains, to produce a workable timetable.
     
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  15. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

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    Has not too much "Corona" (other lagers are available) been an issue with a number of diesel gals around the country?
     
  16. 80104

    80104 Member

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    When the 2017 trial ran there were two different "versions".

    Purple which was the Wareham service plus a 40 minute steam service between Swanage and Norden (ie two steam in operation)

    (cant remember the colour) which was the Wareham service plus an 80 minute steam service between Swanage and Norden (ie one steam in operation).

    IIRC there is some buffer time built in for the Wareham service beyond Norden to ensure it doesnt miss its mainline path.

    I wasnt aware of any delays or issues but on some Gala days there have been punctuality / time keeping issues.

    I would venture to suggest that SR can not afford any issues with the Wareham as the costs it could incur could be significant.
     
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  17. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

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    Thanks, on Facebook there is talk of a diesel and beer gala for May being confirmed next week.
    Nothing yet about a Wareham service, if the Wareham service will be part of the gala, or if there will be another bus service (as in 2019) to allow the gala timetable to work to Frome Bridge?.
     
  18. Hirn

    Hirn Member

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    This was certainly the assumption in the British Army operating railways in Italy, North Africa and the Middle East during World War II - quite possibly first established in the American Civil War.
     
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  19. 80104

    80104 Member

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    The Wareham trial is meant to be 90 days which at 5 days per week = 18 weeks.

    Given traffic declines considerably after the September Classic Transport Rally (second week of September) they may well decide to run Wareham at the diesel gala so as to get the most productive 90 days in.
     
  20. Jupiter

    Jupiter New Member

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    Middle of May to start then. That gives 18 weeks to the middle of September I think.

    Not long to go is it?
     

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