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Swanage Railway DMU

Discussion in 'Heritage Railways & Centres in the UK' started by JBTEvans, Jan 11, 2014.

  1. JBTEvans

    JBTEvans Well-Known Member

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    Does the railway still operate a daily DMU evening service in the summer?
     
  2. MAPLE CHRIS

    MAPLE CHRIS Member

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    Yes it did in 2013 and well patronised as well would assume that it will run again this year during the six weeks school holidays
     
  3. JBTEvans

    JBTEvans Well-Known Member

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    That's quality, hopefully I will be able to visit during that period.
     
  4. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    GWSR also do similar during the summer with their bubblecar, sounds like a nice idea... even better if it were with a 14xx and an autocoach :p
     
  5. buzby2

    buzby2 Well-Known Member

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    I believe it is likely to operate each evening from 21st July to 31st August.
    Evening fares/timetable should appear on: http://swanagerailway.co.uk/index.php in due course.
     
  6. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

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    I can confirm the evening DMU service will be operating daily through the peak summer season. As Buzby says, details will appear on the website and advertised on the stations in due course.
     
  7. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    What is the current availability of the DMU sets?
     
  8. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

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    121 available for traffic (currently undergoing exam)
    108 stopped for engine repairs
    117 awaiting overhaul
    101 awaiting stripping then scrapping
     
  9. SirTophamHatt

    SirTophamHatt New Member

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    DMUs operate on the GWSR all year, not just in the summer. Friday evening trains were run in August 2013 (and will be again in 2014) with the three car 117. I agree that it would be a nice idea to use 1450 and its autocoaches, but there are cost and crewing factors to consider that make a steam service less viable.
     
  10. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    Thankyou for the update.
     
  11. burmister

    burmister Member

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    The high back seats in a 117 always remind me of padded cells. Good design for commuter routes yes but on a preserved railway IMHO you need lower back seats such as a 101 or 108 so passengers can see as much as possible of the countryside going past. A 101 was used as a hauled observation saloon on the Kyle line for that very reason. Better to overhaul the 101 and scrap the 117.

    Brian
     
  12. flying scotsman123

    flying scotsman123 Resident of Nat Pres

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    I suspect the 101 is probably in much worse condition than the 117 if the 101 is being scrapped
     
  13. Ian_B

    Ian_B New Member

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    117s have low backed seats, compare with 115s and 127s which have high backs. But you're right, high back seats do restrict the view.
     
  14. Steve1015

    Steve1015 Member

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    Bit of a long story but the gist is the 101 arrived on the railway as a source of spare parts and then scrapping.
     
  15. Rumpole

    Rumpole Part of the furniture

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    As Steve says, the 101 arrived as part of a deal specifically to provide spare parts; the SR itself does not own the unit.

    The 117 is privately owned and subject to a long-term hire agreement, which obviously would prevent the SR from taking that suggested course of action.
     
  16. pmh_74

    pmh_74 Well-Known Member

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    Does the Swanage still have a strategic reserve of 117s at the local power station?
     
  17. M59137

    M59137 Well-Known Member

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    They had three 3-car sets (9 vehicles in total), but two of them (6 vehicles) have since been sold and scrapped/rehomed elsehwere. The remaining set still exists in storage.
     

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