Swanage Railway General Discussion

They were going to take

They were going to take place overnight this week

 

Nice to have seen the T3 on service trains this week, even if a couple of days the loco seemed to prefer making up its own timetable. Today ran to published times however.
An image of the 16:40 departure passing in an in steam 31806.
I chose this one as the current coal batch appears to burn particularly black and I did not want our member for Hayling Island taking out a contract on me

 

At the Battlefield we went from the last of the Welsh coal in February to Polish coal from Easter and, let me tell you, the difference in colour from the chimney is very marked. With Welsh you barely got any smoke from the chimney no matter how much coal you put on the grate, but with Polish it's a different story, and you have to get into the habit of working your doors to try and mitigate smoke production, especially with the regulator closed. Due to the fact that Polish coal has a much higher volatile content than Welsh so if you're not getting enough air to the fire, the volatiles don't burn and the smoke goes black.
Anybody heavily criticising a railway for creating smoke having recently switched from Welsh to something else would do well to remember that firemen are having to adjust their firing technique to the new coal to mitigate black smoke - it's like when you buy a new car that behaves a little differently from your previous one, it takes a little period of adjustment to learn all of its sweet spots

 

Interesting to see the class 33 running the 2nd service today! Hopefully expecting high demands and the latest swanning around still states passenger numbers and revenue is looking good....

We have a very busy May Half term coming up and we will see how the steam service copes with passenger flow

 

I assume that is because the Prosecco Cream Teas and Afternoon Teas on Car 14 are sold out, so available seating for non booked passengers reduced.
Having said that only happened to see the 16:40 yesterday on the way back from Boots. Very quiet, as was the town, not sure about the beach never bothered to look.

 

Not many passengers this morning, lots of empty carriages.

 

Good to see the 33 working instead of the DMU. I had many good runs with 33s on the SWD including an astonishing run on the Brighton-Plymouth with 95 at Broad Clyst and some very good climbs. It shows the resilience of the locos that the traction motors didn’t burn out. Crompton/Parkinson from memory

 

It may not be Meteorological Summer for another 11 days, but the first day of "Purbeck Summer"
Roofs are coming off the buses again, which normally guarantees a few days of rain.
Currently due to roadworks the 50 is using Gilbert Road (behind the signal box). Struck me this afternoon as I left my Dad's flat and the top deck of an open top hit the trees that Cabot Square get themselves in a lather over doors that no one has fallen out of, but (even allowing for the fact they have abdicated roads to the Highways Agency), seem not to care if someone has their eyesight damaged or hits their head on a branch on an open top bus.
Usual UK double standards on "safety"

 

Between me walking back at 10:15 from having my mouth "worked over" by the hygienist and just after lunch this had arrived. Looks very smart, already with a fire lit. But still does not look as good as the one on the low loader at Norden, which had the decency to arrive whilst I was photographing the 14:00 service at Corfe Viaduct.

 

Where on earth are they going to store all these big locos on the railway between now and the event?

Peter

 

There’s loads of room at Swanage now with the 5 coach dining set gone

 

Great photos, fingers crossed Manston stays looking like that.

Bryan B

 

Sorry if I missed it elsewhere, who brought them?.
Hopefully the funds raised will help the appeal fund.

 

I believe they are the tarped over coaches in the sidings at Herston. (Check the image I PM to you the other day).
Well the railway did manage to store 9 diesels during the gala. The U should be holidaying in Kent, Jenny Lewis jollying on the mainline, so there should be enough room I guess. Not sure what is happening with the 24 that was still here yesterday.

 

I thought S A Smith's lorry that brought in Manston was due to take the Class 24 back to the ELR.
From what you've written, that has not worked out.
Perhaps the railway is keeping the 24 whilst D6515 is on it's various upcoming main line jaunts

 

Still here today behind Manston in the sidings.

 

Can anyone tell me what will be rostered for Saturday, and which way it faces, please?

I have to drop a child at a D-of-E expedition starting point in Swanage on Saturday. Seems rude not to ride a train and take a few photos.

 

D5054 is due at West Somerset for their gala over 6th-9th June

 

Whatever it is, it faces Norden. Has been the U this week.

 

British India and 6 maroon Mk 1 coaches coming down for Bulleid 2