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.

Swanage Railway General Discussion

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by Rumpole, Oct 10, 2012.

  1. mdewell

    mdewell Well-Known Member Friend

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2005
    Messages:
    1,653
    Likes Received:
    2,564
    Occupation:
    UK & Ireland Heritage Railways Webmaster
    Location:
    Ruabon, Wrexham
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Suggest you take this up with your local MP (as the government have far more influence over such things than the HRA).
     
  2. johnofwessex

    johnofwessex Resident of Nat Pres

    Joined:
    Apr 6, 2015
    Messages:
    9,186
    Likes Received:
    7,226
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Thorn in my managers side
    Location:
    72
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    This issue was raised in the 80's(?) when a terminal was built at Royal Portbury Docks to import coal from Columbia by NP/Powergen.

    It seems that mines that provide coal for use in Columbia are poor BUT the 'export' ones are up to modern standards.
     
  3. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121

    Does it make sense to you? Importing coal 5200 miles in the midst of a crisis?Trying to pay to park at machines that do not work? and while you are at it take a look at the Buffet provided by the South Tynedale Railway, Its actually in the Station at Alston and not stuck out overlooking a coal yard!
     
  4. 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
    So where do you suggest it is imported from?
    No idea where the mines are in Russia (not now of course a source) but Moscow is 1800 mile from London. Kazakhstan 3500 mile, Newcastle 10500 mile.

    Where is this nearby source somewhere in Poole I have never noticed?
     
  5. ruddingtonrsh56

    ruddingtonrsh56 Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2009
    Messages:
    979
    Likes Received:
    1,470
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Nottinghamshire
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Right. I am now becoming increasingly convinced that you are only ever on National Preservation, not because you like preservation, but because you like complaining, and you are finding plenty to complain about the Swanage Railway (95% of it unnecessarily so in my opinion). I'm sure if you tried to see positives from some of the decision making (such as moving the buffet coach from a station where it wasn't used and was duplicating existing services to a station where it was offering something genuinely new) you would stop portraying yourself as such a grumpy old man. No decision will ever be perfect, but if you let pursuit of the non-existent perfect option mean you cannot accept a good option in spite of its flaws, you will end up being an extremely negative person who can never be satisfied, which will be unpleasant both for you and for those around you.


    As has been pointed out by others, it's mainly government decisions that have resulted in Colombian coal being the best option for many heritage railways across the country, and the local county council regarding the car park at Norden. So, if you like complaining so much, go and complain to them about those decisions, because then your complaining might actually do some good in the world. As it is, your complaining on Nat Pres is doing nothing constructive, but it is annoying other people on here and giving yourself more and more of a reputation of a troll. Nobody wins from that scenario.

    So, I say this with your best interests at heart, stop making every single post you make on this forum negative, start looking for the good, and direct your frustrations towards people who can actually do something about it.
     
    Nick C, beavis, mdewell and 19 others like this.
  6. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    As of now nearly 370 signed the B.N Petition..but of course they are all grockles,malcontents and non railway people who do not have the best interests of the Railway or Swanage at heat!
    Just because SR did it doesn't necessarily mean that it was right.especially if one actually reads the remarks from erstwhile users.from a community context.
    My remarks regarding importing coal over 5000 miles from questionable sources are general and not directed to SR. When there is abundant coal still able to mined in the UK sorry,it does not make sense, but then,yes I did grow up in an age of austerity.
    Have a great Diesel/Beer Fest! and I will enjoy a journey up the line in August.
     
  7. 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
    Thanks still have not seem any updates on the Swanage Mogul's website or FB other than "The Southerner's" video (with no narrative).
    Hopefully the fund has enough to place an order for the ex 31608 boiler refurbishment so the 31874 chassis can be stored at Helston ready to re enter service at some date and earn revenue when the SR will then have 6 operational large steam trains?
    Or are all funds currently being raised going to 563 to get it ready for 2023 as there is no update in the latest Swanage railway magazine, the trust website still says
    https://www.swanagerailwaytrust.org/giving#
    "The Swanage Railway now has the largest collection of Southern Railway Maunsell Mogul historic steam locomotives in the UK. Only one - U Class 31806 - is currently in traffic and we urgently need your help to restore 'N' class, no. 31874" , but all recent fundraising effort seems to be on the 563?

    I see The Southerner" has posted a new video showing the class 50 on test on the SR line to the River Frome network rail boundary, presumably during the gala will have some coaches?
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2022
  8. LC2

    LC2 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2012
    Messages:
    845
    Likes Received:
    999
    Occupation:
    IT
    Location:
    70B
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Are you using lies, damn lies, or statistics?

    This will be my last response as you are evidently don't seem to understand that you just constantly come across as trolling.
    Say hello to my ignore list. And I urge others on here to do the same.
     
  9. 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
    Looking at the dates on the www.swanagemoguls.com website it seems the last news update was 30th August 2019 with literally a handful of posts made during the previous 2 or 3 years.
    It saddens me to say it but this hardly encourages or motivates volunteers or donors.

    As others have commented the projects are run by groups of individuals who therefore effectively compete for resources both from within the SRT SRC and without. This can hardly be conducive to achieving "goals" in the most efficient and effective way possible.

    Whilst this "methodology" has a sense of inevitability because of the structure of the SRT SRC and its members individual motivations, aspirations and preferences, one does wonder if a firmer grip by the SRT (ie prioritising projects, limiting the number of projects and implementing funding milestones) would enable projects to be completed in a more timely and less costly fashion.

    At the risk of sounding like a broken record I do wonder just how much rent will have been paid to the owner of 31625 and 31874 before they enter revenue earning service. Likewise is there a cost of insuring and storing 31625 and 31874? It does tend to be a bit reminiscent of the old sales ploys of "buy now, limited stocks available" or "buy one get second half price" which whilst it may have been true nevertheless does end up enticing the purchase of more than perhaps was originally required.
     
    oliversbest likes this.
  10. 007

    007 Member

    Joined:
    Nov 3, 2012
    Messages:
    418
    Likes Received:
    872
    All fundraising efforts haven’t been directed to 563. The group is under the umbrella of the SRT.

    563 loco group was formed after the engine arrived and has raised money off its own back ever since.

    As for the moguls fund, whilst initially successful, it ran into difficulties internally when incentives were offered.
    I’m not going to expand on that but basically many if not all of the people who were involved moved onto other things (including 563).

    The Moguls are the SRC responsibility who are fully aware that they need to get 31874 running to achieve value and reduce costs overall.
    As for updates, I’m sure one can be rustled up and included in the next mag.
     
  11. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 29, 2006
    Messages:
    3,967
    Likes Received:
    5,064
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    N.Ireland
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Please warn the SR of your intended date(s) of travel. I'm sure they will be very glad to thank you in person for your overwhelming 'support'
     
  12. 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
    Thanks for progressing an update.
    Does the Moguls fund still need a separate webpage and FB page as it, and regular updates on 31874's (ex 31806) boiler could be incorporated into the main pages as 563 updates are?
    (Edit noticed the 563 also has its own webpage which has some updates not on the main website, or no link to it, seems the SR has too many not connected websites or FB pages, so perhaps some rationalisation is needed?)
     
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2022
  13. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    Democracy is a terrible system, until its compared to all the others. And as you can observe from other contributors to this thread, lack of information and overly ambitious projects with their comcomitant completion dates are rightly centred out for comment.
     
  14. ghost

    ghost Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    May 29, 2006
    Messages:
    3,967
    Likes Received:
    5,064
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    N.Ireland
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    Actually, if you care to look back over the last few pages, there's just yourself and possibly one other who are consistently complaining about SR projects. The rest of us understand how Covid has changed things and how projects can be delayed.
     
  15. oliversbest

    oliversbest Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2011
    Messages:
    814
    Likes Received:
    121
    Credibility.
    project identified
    Appeal launched
    Funds collected
    ........and then??
    Carriage Shed (Postponed x 2)
    Project Wareham (Given up on that one)
    Turntable
    Water Tank
    Contributed to all those appeals plus T3 plus BNB plus bringing Sleeping Car to Swanage
    Covid is being used from Auckland go Zanzibar to excuse late delivery of goods and services. Companies use it as an excuse to cut their costs and up their profit margins
    Another contributor has pointed out that perhaps SRC should prioritise its projects and achieve that which is achievable which goes back to issue One. Credibility!
    12
     
  16. Paul42

    Paul42 Part of the furniture

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Messages:
    5,922
    Likes Received:
    3,830
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    East Grinstead
    Give it a rest.
     
  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
    Covid is also having a significant effect on all sorts of businesses, directly through the impact on staff and working arrangements, and indirectly through suppliers - a brief look at the news from China will show the impact that it's having.
     
    Sunnieboy, Paul42 and ghost like this.
  18. Woof Mk2

    Woof Mk2 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2015
    Messages:
    287
    Likes Received:
    218
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Padstow
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    Those on the ground are more aware of more important issues at the moment than those you have mentioned.
    The main one being surviving in the current climate
    Thanks for your undying support
     
    Nick C, Bluenosejohn, Paul42 and 6 others like this.
  19. ady

    ady Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2006
    Messages:
    2,369
    Likes Received:
    281
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Post office
    Location:
    South
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    No I do not currently volunteer
    I know I moan a lot but Oliverbest your even doing my head in...
     
  20. Daddsie71b

    Daddsie71b Member Friend

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2013
    Messages:
    770
    Likes Received:
    638
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    34091
    Heritage Railway Volunteer:
    Yes I am an active volunteer
    The coal yard at Corfe Station! :Imwithstupid:
     

Share This Page