Swanage Railway General Discussion

Tom, best to reply to that on the Bluebell thread in Galas and Events.

Bryan B

 

How are loadings looking like atm! I’ve seen no steam set needing an extra car plus the class 33… frequent 45 mins service is a much better customer timetable than the 4 DMU secondary services last year (albeit they did go to wareham)

 

Loadings on the evening DMU service are good, in fact, complaints on Trip Advisor about over crowding

 

We travelled last Saturday. From Norden on the 1245 diesel. That was mostly empty we had a whole coach to ourselves.
Came back on the 1545 ex-Swanage behind a dirty Manston. Better loadings, but no way full.
Manston looked distinctly scruffy and dirty. Could do with some engine cleaners!

 

That’s the best part of Manson ! Looking ever so dirty compare to last year its brilliant! I hope they never paint it!

New Swanning Around did say the two X bell stock at swanage are ready for new owners plus one wagon has also gone. Has the other 1/2 already gone? Guess only the Kitchen or bar car is remaining

Any news on the 08 sale?

Let’s hope the hot (ish) weather continues and the last few weeks of summer brings lots of customers before it dies down heavily as we get through September

 

Re Manston; totally agree. But all good things come to an end. Not sure how much longer it will be kept in it's weathered 1960s condition - hopefully until the October Gala. Apart from being allowed to look like many of the Bulleids I saw and travelled behind from 1961 to 1967, it has the enormous benefit of not reflecting everything it is passing when photographing it! Maybe a rebuilt Bulleid will be allowed to weather like Manston, once Manston does get a clean and re-paint. . . . . . . .

Bryan B

 

It most certainly could not, looks magnificent.

 

Ironically finally found a slot this evening to get the cross over shot (around 17:20) at HX of the green 33 and Manston in its true look. Expected problems when I arrived and 33111 was sitting at HX awaiting the road to Corfe. Seems Manston must have hit an issue. Announcement around 17:30 that the 17:10 would only be going to Corfe due to a failure. Luckily no pax waiting for that up service as I saw it leave Swanage from the house behind D6515 at 18:23.
Hopefully an easy fix although Eddystone looked pretty real when I was on the bridge this morning briefly.
Did a dining coach leave today as there was only one today whereas there were two went I went up Friday afternoon?

 

What rock have you been living under? It has been well discussed on many platforms the reasoning for not cleaning Manston. She looks brilliant and is well loved and looked after.

 

Further on the Manston paintwork discussion, as Daddsie71b mentions, it has been described before: -
This is what I believe the story is; when the loco was being finished on the last overhaul it was decided that the paintwork would be left weathered to get the loco into service quicker, so the paintwork was varnished as it stood. In fact the restorers had to workout how to match the new smoke deflectors with the remainder of the casing.
I suspect that the loco would need a full repaint to get it looking pristine, just giving it a clean would not do anything.
BTW the areas below the casing (i.e. frames, wheels, motion, etc.) are being cleaned each day the loco is in service.

 

Well not a rock just someone who has more to their life than spending all day on internet forums.

 

For anyone expecting their steam fix today, the 09:50 service from Swanage was hauled by D6515. <BJ>

UPDATE:
33.111 will haul the 10:30 departure

 

From the Swanage FB page it looks like 34028 will be taking over the normal steam service at some stage today as hinted at by @Gladiator 5076

Not up to making it down over last weekend to Swanage for 34070, but hope to see it in the October Gala. And, before then, if the very much appreciated roster information can be repeated by @twr12 a September trip to have another day there for 31806 will be attempted!

Bryan B

 

A more interesting question is how are the loadings holding up against what anecdotally generally appears to be a drop in visitor numbers to Swanage.
For example
Our neighbours AFAIK have not until possibly this week let their Airbnb house for as full week yet.
My wife's art group exhibition was down on numbers visiting this year compared to last, and correspondingly hence on sales.
One of the shopkeepers I know says it is still quiet for school holidays.
The overflow car park gets used most days, but not in numbers as recent years (other than carnival week) and rarely before midday other than market day on Friday.

No science to any of that of course.

Due to my wife breaking her hip I have seen very few trains other than via the webcam, but I did see the 11:15 from Swanage walking back from the town one day and it looked about 90% full, although more than one coach seemed to be a reserved group. An unusual train to normally be very full I thought.

 

Thanks Bryan.

Indeed, it's about to depart on the 11:15 from Swanage. <BJ>

 

Am I the only one now finding the Swanage FB now wants you to sign in. I also found this with another railway FB site yesterday, forget which one.
It may be a FB change but seems a little strange to restrict yourselves to only those who have an FB account.

 

For no reason other than needing to pop down the Coop, and of course why not go when there is a train due to leave.
Rush hour at Swanage.
Manston over the pit
D6515 heading for the bay having worked the first round trip
Eddystone due to shortly depart with the 11:15 to Norden.

 

@Gladiator 5076 Have you reached the stage of trying to buy a loaf of bread one slice at a time from the Co-op - at precisely every 90 minutes during the day?

Great photo.

Bryan B

 

Sometimes it does feel like that. Although it was in response to my Dad's (97) "we have run out of ready meals".
That being the royal "we" as he lives on his own, but has carers.