Swanage Railway General Discussion

Manston is not due to be turned for the Winter Warm Up.

That's correct, 563 is the planned service engine from the 27th December through to the WWU.

 

A couple from yesterday and one from today taken whilst some random dog in the park was attempting to jump up me.
I cannot match the quality of the night time Polar images by @Sidmouth , but I quite like the purple Corfe Castle in the background (the colour in the rotation I had hoped for).

 

Where is the first shot taken?

 

That's Herston; the site of the new carriage shed is in the foreground.

 

5am start for the last Polar Express services of the season.

Have a great Christmas all!

 

And all the best to you Josh.

 

A Christmas Ghost Story
So, as guard on the late turn PE yesterday, observed token exchange on the down platform at Corfe and then stuck my head out of the opposite window to check School Crossing for errant photographers and well wishers, when I spotted what looked like a young girl dressed in white, some 6 coach length distant, holding a torch and moving it up and down, standing on School crossing.
I waiting to pass her, and waited and waited.
Still waving her torch, still kept her distance from me.
It was pitch black as we climbed up to Townsend, and she had this halo around her.
This was a little bit eerie, in fact a shiver ran down my spine, what was this phantom.

Finally it dawned on me, it was the illuminated motion of Manston and a slight whisp of steam.
Phew!
I said to the sound and lighting guys along with the production liaison officer who were located in the van area alongside me to have a look at this 'ghost.'
All were transfixed, in fact, a little spooked, until I explained what they really were seeing.
It goes to show how you can put a suggestion in someone's mind and they are prepared to believe in what they see, a spectre of Christmas past?
However, we know now it was the motion, or was it?

 

If she was waving her torch up and down, then maybe she was telling you to move away...?

 

I think the railway deserves praise for the Polar operation.
From what I saw, or heard, I think there were around 76 trips (I say around as I noticed one trip at 12:30 one day maybe a test run, and there seemed to be a 15:30 Christmas Eve I was not expecting) all which seemed to run on time or within about 10 minutes if delayed. Whole opertion also executed purely with Manston and D6515 appeared flawless.

 

Never been called "an errant photographer" before.
Many other things though, some not too polite

 

Thought errant, better than odd

 

A question regarding the Warm Up timetable as we do not seem to have a thread for that.

Where it says F & R for the loco I assume double headed from the DH operating characteristic, so 563 leads each way? If so 15 minutes for a turnaround at Norden seems about 30 minutes short based on the last train last year where similar operation occurred. Also for this train I assume note #3 should be note #6?

Still looks good, as long as we do not have any more domestic disasters I hope to travel Sunday.

 

Had a nice day out at Swanage yesterday. 563 looked and sounded good, quite a few passengers about, and a cracking bacon and omelette roll from the café coach at Corfe Castle (isn't that the one that the chap in Canada was beefing about?).
Pat

 

Happy new Year to all those who love Swanage Railway!!

Let’s hope 2025 is much better building on the foundations of 2024 and the potential 150k profit they made.

Carriage shed, the return of the 3TC set (in spring they did say Autumn so 2025 surly will happen), Eddystone going mainline and the return of 257 Squadron means a strong fleet of steam!

Let’s rise a glass to all those involved and start with a whistle at mid day today and the winter warm up this weekend which I will be attending

 

The latest Swanage Railway news Page 24/25 states that DTSO 76275 is going to a workshop for overhaul, Does not say where. also 33111 is at Barrow hill undergoing overhaul and major cosmetic
surgery.

 

What a day to be lineside.
Blue skies, no wind, haw frost, low sun.
Some of us had to run trains.
Anyhow, the T3 has her hot water bottle (brazier) to keep her moist tonight, ready for this weekends winter warm up.

 

Just watched 31806 leave Swanage, via the webcam.

I wanted to drive down for this event.

But not quite knowing when/what the advancing warm & wet front would do to my journey from Kent when it meets the mass of cold air over part of the South at present has kept me at home. Thinking of a 6 hour, 20 mile drive home from the nature resrve were I was last to leave after being on duty for what became a true winter event two or three years back. At least I had a large, used, Costa Coffee cup in the car next to me. No single use for that item during the looooooooong journey home.

And my current working hours on my SR steam loco memoirs book , circa 11.00 to 00.30-01.00, are not conducive to an 05.00 hrs departure.

I need to find a nice B & B within 25 or so miles of the Swanage Railway where I can reliably get a room at short notice throughout the year (some hope of that!), as before long two original Bulleids will be on the roster. And will be the nearest to me.

Bryan

 

Just within your mileage range is the Travelodge in Poole,always able to get a room at short notice,often cheaper than over priced B&Bs,bus stop for the 40 bus to Swanage 3 minute walk.

 

Didn’t make it due to combination of things but noted running about 20 late at 1630 with fun and games with the watering at Swanage. Not nice to get soaked in this very cold weather but I would love to have been on the double headed 1630 departure

 

First train in from Norden was about 20 late and hovered around that all day.