Swanage Railway General Discussion

Whilst I accept completely the scenario you mention - in this case the loco will have done some shunting moves before attaching to the stock. Also, I suspect it would not have had much time before departure to allow much soot to settle in tubes. Therefore I believe it unlikely that the dark exhaust could have much to do with settled soot. My conjecture could be wrong, of course, as I wasn't there at the time.

 

Perhaps the answer is for SRC to post the web cam footage for the movement so the extent of the "smoke" can be viewed in its entirety (well at least whilst within station limits).

 

Peter I do not think any shunting was involved, after I photographed the U on the 10:00, I drove over Northbrook Bridge on the way home and 257 looked like it had not had a fire lit for too long. The 33 did the 11:20 and then the stock sat in the platform for around an hour from 12:30. I did not leave home until 1320 after I had quick look at the webcam and 5 minutes previous there was no loco visible so I can only assume it had just moved off the pit road.

 

Why? Its only a couple of curtain-twitchers here complaining.

 

Not so much complaining as concerned about possible bad publicity. People who live near Swanage station are no doubt used to seeing a certain amount of smoke, but they may become less tolerant over time, especially if they see more than usual.

 

Then thats on the residents to bring up and work with Swanage. Those houses are set fairly far back to the point I had to check maps to be sure there were houses there and its hardly laundry drying gardens are upfront. The shed is closer to a back garden than the steam locomotive in the photo. As actual footplate crew have said, crews are still finding their feet with these new coals but this is a nothingburger people are getting upset about. Watch any video of a steam locomotive leaving Swanage and you'll see it is just as filled with smoke albeit it a little whiter.

 

Not sure whether it's what's meant in this case, but we all need to be very wary of language suggestive of any invitation to the neighbours to nut kicking contests. That'd be pretty much the polar opposite of what out movement needs to ensure any sort of viable future

 

Perhaps (and I stress the word perhaps) the issue may be raised by Swanage Medical Practice whose premises are directly opposite Swanage Railway Station?

 

Like the woman who purchased a top floor flat in my dad's block opposite the water column as a holiday home, visits no more than twice a year and then complains about the railway.
Why buy a flat opposite a station, especially where the loco will be standing before departure? And do your due diligence before you buy anywhere.
It is only to keep a goodish relationship between her and my dad and the other residents that I do not tell her what I think of her stupidity.

 

If this is a non issue - as some have suggested - then there should be no hesitation in SRC undertaking air quality monitoring at the site and for comparison measurements to be taken say 250 yards away. This would provide hard factual evidence to rebut any complaints made.

The reality is that SRT SRC needs to be a good neighbour and do what it reasonably can to avoid causing a nuisance (perceived or otherwise). Generally speaking HRs are well thought of by the public at large. It would be a pity if some thoughtless action at one HR tarnished the good name of all HRs.

 

The same occurs close to airports and airfields. Whilst aviation has expanded many times over during the past 30 years off the top of my head I cant think of any airports built post 1950 except for London City and Belfast City.

 

I'm afraid it is attitudes like this that are more likely to cause problems than the actual smoke. All footplate crews must do their utmost to minimise smoke emissions. They can't be 100% successful in doing this for reasons explained by Tom and me but best endeavours should be used at all times.

 

Some forget that the Swanage Railway Project was founded as a community based movement. seem to have got a fair distance away from that! Is the Birds Nest Buffet coining it in at Corfe Coal Yard? That was a great community based decision NOT!
Anyway as you enjoy that Colombian Coal remember that the Erie and Lackawanna RR in the 1920s famously advertised that washing on the line was safe next to their tracks due to the Company using that wonderful anthracite in their locos

 

What I used to call the "Wandsworth Effect" when I worked at Heathrow.
Do not buy accommodation in West London without checking where it is in relation to the arrival and departure patterns of what was the worlds busiest international airport 15 miles down the road.
Do not complain if you were stupid enough not to do any due diligence.

 

Isn't this all about the evolving HR scene.? Claggy diesels and Smutty steamers can be tolerated by the residents but to a decreasing degree. surely HR have to be cognisant of the wishes of the townspeople in areas in which they operate. Change is coming especially for the "Railways in Aspic" faction.,

 

Yes, however the SR is a private entity running a limited tourist service and operated by 20th century(or older) locomotion with their attendant emission problems. When the SRP got going there were those who were quite happy with the peace and quiet from the closed line, and the Project did a lot of assuaging in that regard by making a return to the main line one of its principal objectives. Swanage no doubt benefits from the SRC as an attraction,but from transportation functionality, nothing,Events are overtaking HR
Think and act locally!

 

Stil lmakes no difference to stupidity if it is HR, NR, aviation or a major road.

 

Yes the ironic reality being that proximity to an airport is not necessarily a totally reliable indicator of aviation noise. You could be 15 miles away, under the fight path and thus be bombarded by noise whereas someone 5 miles away from an airport but not under the flightpath could hear very little aviation noise indeed.

 

Air pollution in certain BCP areas exceeds WHO standards.(Echo) i am sure someone in Dorchester is reading those headlines!

 

Theres a bus depot next door, regular locomotive movements and background emissions so any test will be almost null and void.

Absolutely. Some folks round here seem to be suggesting the Swanage is deliberately engaging in bad practise when they're firing with increasingly differing fuel quality.

I wouldn't want to be on the end of that but IF the locals complain then its on Swanage to provide a reasonable response and if needed a plan of action going forward to placate the angry mob. Like I say, any number of loco movements around Swanage are as bad as this single shot.

From nearly 2 years ago is this of 34072 departing Swanage with a lot more drifting smoke and steam.