If you register, you can do a lot more. And become an active part of our growing community. You'll have access to hidden forums, and enjoy the ability of replying and starting conversations.

Project Wareham

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

  1. ikcdab

    ikcdab Member Friend

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2006
    Messages:
    610
    Likes Received:
    1,849
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    WSRHT Trustee, Journal editor
    Location:
    Taunton
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    MF??
     
  2. 80104

    80104 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2020
    Messages:
    679
    Likes Received:
    451
    Location:
    a small town in germany
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Monday and Friday.
     
  3. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    where is that renowned British sense of humour?
    ..ad just mark T/F against the five"dishes"
     
  4. 61624

    61624 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2006
    Messages:
    5,294
    Likes Received:
    3,596
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    I'd say "I'd like some of what you're having" but on reflection perhaps not as it seems to have left you writing gibberish.

    Perhaps you should add a strapline to your signature: "Wareham and bust!"
     
    Andy Moody likes this.
  5. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    Actually I am quite looking forward to a trip to Norden. will the PMMM be open in the summer? ..and a gaze perhaps into the mysteries of Woodpecker sidings. Did I not read a while ago about efforts to cull some of the wreckage up there? I do think Wareham will happen eventually,but not, maybe, under the particular conditions that SR would envisage.
     
  6. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    ...and further to a lot of thoughts forthcoming about "wither Project Wareham" or HR in general, how about a trial of Mr Shooters refurbished LT stock, battery or hybrid version ,on the Swanage Branch. Batteries to Bulleids sounds like s Gala to me!!
     
  7. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,078
    Likes Received:
    4,893
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Let GWR see it if even works on the Greenford Branch first. But please tell me what is Heritage about it?
     
    35B likes this.
  8. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    Well, I understand these units date from the late 70s nearly the same age as some of the diesels that you are about to fete.should the present circumstances continue to prevail "Heritage Railways" might have to widen the circle a little. Yes/No??
     
  9. Andy Moody

    Andy Moody Member

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2007
    Messages:
    496
    Likes Received:
    337
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    71B ex 71A
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    What wreckage? Please will you specify.
    You can find Heritage static sites in Canada with your so called Linear scrap lines. I prefer to use the term "Work in progress."
    Try visiting the Exporail Canadian Rail museum at Delson in neighbouring Quebec, Home of A1 Terrier 654 "Whaddon" and A4 4489/60010 "Dominion of Canada", You will find plenty of exhibits stored out in the open subject to far severe weather conditions than experienced here in the UK.
    If there is a shortage of working volunteers here, the shortage in Canada/USA is tenfold.
     
  10. DcB

    DcB Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2018
    Messages:
    1,339
    Likes Received:
    421
    Location:
    Surrey
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Had the 70s Vivarail 230 been available in 2010 would probably made sense buying 2, rather than the council buying the 50s diesel railcars and the Government grant to upgrade, which took years.

    It's possible the 117 DNU could be converted to hybrid at some time.

    Looks like the DMUs and trained volunteers are now ready to go.
    I wonder if things get better during the year, rather than a full 90 day trial, there could say a ORR licenced only low cost Wareham to Corfe trial to replace the Saturday SWR service?

    Had to look up the Woodpecker sidings?
    https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5457490
    Seems to be old goods wagons which could be moved.
    There is also the DMU parts donor carriage which could be scrapped if the usefull parts have been removed.
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2022
  11. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2011
    Messages:
    25,494
    Likes Received:
    23,734
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Grantham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Given the time that the Wrexham-Bidston units have taken to come into use, I personally think Swanage has dodged a bullet
     
    Shaggy likes this.
  12. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    Thank you for the link. Can we all try and look on the bright side and hope those 230 trials are successful. i was in Seville a couple of years ago and very impressed with their trams that ran "sans wires', they recharged via pantograph at certain stations. Also ran through the pedestrian city centre without any restrictions but also without any apparent alarm on the part of those on foot or cycles.
     
  13. Alan Kebby

    Alan Kebby Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2019
    Messages:
    1,173
    Likes Received:
    1,223
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Brighton
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    What is the cost of a couple of class 230 units though? I’d imagine vastly more than was spent on upgrading the 117 and bubble car.
     
  14. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    One would have thought it good PR for the various levels of Government to fund a trial like this. After all its a "good news" story. Recycled Rail Cars adopting new technology through British ingenuity and a nicely laid Branch Line that is still waiting(and waiting!!) for its purpose to be fulfilled. How are these units working out on the IOW? any anectdotal evidence?Wasn't the selling point that these units could be adapted to various traction modes? so quite a few options from Wareham to Swanage. Third Rail, Diesel and Battery.
     
  15. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    most likely though it will be The Purbeck Breezer option !
     
  16. Gladiator 5076

    Gladiator 5076 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2015
    Messages:
    6,078
    Likes Received:
    4,893
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Swanage
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Are you proposing electrifying the branch then? Goodbye to a heritage railway operation then.
    As I have mentioned a quick charge battery version is about to be on the Greenford Branch by GWR. Therefore the government are funding the trial, if only be default being the operator of the network these days. I am sure if it works there may be some government spin to its success. However with a disjointed network of overhead, third rail and diesel these things can quickly turn into an own goal when reference is made to loads of units in store at places like Long Marston.
    I thought the IOW was electrified so performance not really relevant is it other than the ride?
     
    Shaggy and Bluenosejohn like this.
  17. 35B

    35B Nat Pres stalwart

    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2011
    Messages:
    25,494
    Likes Received:
    23,734
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Grantham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    VivaRail have also sold diesel power versions of these trains for use on the Bletchley-Bedford line (performance apparently mediocre, though comparisons are a little unfair due to the impact of Covid on that branch's services) and the Bidston-Wrexham line (by most accounts, a traumatic introduction).
     
  18. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    what are the figures;passenger revenue miles for the SR DMUs.? Extremely low since their reintroduction one would think. How many movements of any sort are there on the SR branch Worgret to Norden per annum? Once again extremely low. But we have been over that ground before. I do sense that there are some who would like HR such as Swanage to remain exactly as they have been and are at present. Is that a viable business case? Most of us especially in our later years, hate change,however it is forecast that NOTHING will return to the status quo ante. i but please tell me about these adverse reports on the VivaRail product. Are they published? If they are below par is that a reflection on UK engineering vs the imports.? from my reading of the RM it would be somewhat unusual for a class to get instant A1 status.(Except perhaps for the Class 66 which charted a new course in diesel reliability.)
    As to the specifics of your reply I did not mention electrification of the branch, but,nothing ventured, nothing gained. The electro diesel locos have endured and now the GWR 802s use both electric and diesel. I have reluctantly come to the opinion that Swanage to Wareham as a scheduled service is a "line too far" but would like to see at least some attempt to apply modern solutions to an old problem
     
  19. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    just to add "loads of units in store' at Long Marston. Would that not indicate that major body parts and wheel sets etc are available. correct me if I am wrong but did SR not have to obtain wheel sets or tyres from South Africa? one of the major causes of delay. abundant spares for the 117 and 122 units?
     
  20. Lord Belborough

    Lord Belborough New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2022
    Messages:
    80
    Likes Received:
    138
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Berkshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    IOW units are classified as Class 484 and operate via 3rd rail. After some initial teething issues they are now reliable performers. Don't mention the Class 230 units which operate on the Marston Vale line - they've been so successful the route is now largely reliant on rail replacement buses!
     

Share This Page