The Swanage Railway Trust

2006 – Congratulations on a Record-breaking year

Passenger statistics

• 201,452 passengers carried. (2005 – 188,433 passengers)
• Approximately 1.8m passenger miles travelled. (2005 – 1.6m passenger miles)
• Over 40,000 cars used the Park and Ride at Norden, saving up to 480,000 car miles between Corfe Castle and Swanage. (2005 – Approx. 35,000 cars and 400,000 miles)

Train services operated

• 2,852 public train services operated on 254 days of the year.
• Approximately 31,000 train miles operated.
• One of the most intensive public train services operated by a heritage railway.

Finance

• £1.1m in passenger fares. (2005 - £1.03m)
• Estimated benefit to the local economy of at least £2m.

All income used for maintenance or reinvested in improving the infrastructure for future needs.

Staff

• Approximately 400 volunteers supported by 33 permanent paid staff. (2005 – 400/ 34)
• Providing full-time further education training to 3 people. (2005 – 3)

Where available the bracketed figure provides a comparison with 2005.

2007 – The challenge ahead

The results achieved in 2006 have set a high target for 2007 and, notwithstanding any changes in the national economy; I hope that we will be able to rise to the challenge. One of the strengths we have is the friendly image we portray to the public and I thank you all for the effort that goes into making our visitors enjoy their visits and return again. A lot of effort has already gone into preparing for 2007 during our public shutdown period and I hope that we can welcome our passengers with renewed enthusiasm in the coming weeks.

The Working Timetable, containing details of all planned services, should be issued to all members of staff shortly – could I ask that all members of staff read the information that it contains and takes every opportunity to encourage passengers to sample the full range of products that we offer.

Dining Train Discounts in March

Staff can book up to 2 seats on the Wessex Belle services running in March at the discounted rate of £18.95. Please visit the website for dates and menu details. Bookings can be made by calling the Reservations Office on 01929 425800 or e-mailing your booking to info@swanage-railway.co.uk , please make sure menu choices are included and a contact number given so that payment can be arranged.
 

Working Parties

Herston Halt & Infrastructure Support Group (ISG)

Details vary. Contact Frank Roberts (07703 566941).

Carriage and Wagon

Meet Saturdays and Sundays from 9am in the Swanage Goods Shed. Contact Jeremy Weller.

Heritage Coaches

Meet Third Weekend in the month from 9am in the Swanage Goods Shed. Contact Jeremy Weller.

Carriage Cleaning

Meet Thursdays 9am at Swanage Station. Contact Martin Trott (07921 726659)

Permanent Way Work

Meets Monday to Thursday at 8:30am. Please check location with Tony Andrews (07798 743016).

Signal and Telegraph Wednesday Gang

Meets Wednesdays at 9am, usually starting at Corfe Castle. Contact: Dave Cobb (07790 205454).
 

Vacancies

Contact name person (via Station House) for more information:

Health & Safety

Assistant(s) –required to assist the Company Safety Officer in monitoring and promoting compliance with relevant H&S and other legislation. Contact Nick Brown or Malcolm Munro.

Traffic

Assitant to the Roster Clerk – The traffic department rostering team requires an assistant to assist with the preparation on monthly rosters, primarily dealing with the rostering of portering staff, other duties may be required. Internet and email access would prove invaluable as would knowledge on Excel. Contact Martin Trott.

Ticket Inspectors and Booking Clerks – are required to help man Swanage and other Booking Offices on a daily basis. Contact Martin Trott.

Station Master – Harmans Cross –required organise and supervise platform and commercial staff working at Harmans Cross. Contact Martin Trott.

Catering

Assistant Chef – Contact Pat Welham, Dining Train Manager.
 

Training Courses

Training courses for staff working towards parts of the SRVQ are held as listed below. The bracketed numbers refer to the NEW SRVQ Unit that they cover – please see the Safety Management System (General Instruction 17) for more information.
 

For details of additional courses please contact the person responsible as follows:

• SR PTS - Mike Standhaft
• NR PTS - Nick Brown
• Signalling Rules - Mike Whitwam
• First Aid - Adam Trott

Notes from the Board Meeting on 10th February

Health and Safety

No specific report was tabled at the meeting. The report into the incident last year on the NYMR was highlighted. The printing of Rule Book amendments was agreed.

Progress Reports

Purbeck Rail Partnership/Market and Coastal Towns Initiative: It was reported that a bid for funding had now been submitted on behalf of PRP to MCTI. Plans for re-signalling of the main line may enable the required work at Worgret Junction to be undertaken in the next 3 or 4 years and this needed to be factored into our own planning. The Furzebrook site should become available to us towards the end of 2007 and planning for this has now started in earnest. The funding implications of this need the attention of SRT. The transfer of some or all of the remainder of the branch to DCC/SR is now under discussion.

Finance

It was confirmed that a profit had been returned for 2006. Cash flow is currently satisfactory but a tight control needs to be kept on spending if we are to repeat the 2006 result in 2007. The need to increase our Public Liability insurance was discussed.

General Manager’s Report

6695 Loco Group

A regular meeting with this group was held. There are no significant problems with this loco and, hopefully, the work undertaken during the autumn should provide for another reliable season as well as ironing out one or two issues outstanding from the overhaul. It is proposed that this loco visit the East Somerset Railway at the end of April and the Spa Valley Railway at the end of September in return for other locomotives that have been/will be hired from these railways.

Purbeck District Council - Planning

I had a further meeting with the relevant Planning Officer who seemed pleased with the document we provided. He expressed an appreciation for the problems we have and the benefits that we bring to the area – although he said that in strictly planning terms this was of little consequence. As a general principle the planners would be looking for a reduction in existing buildings equivalent to any new building that took place in sensitive areas.

We discussed the proposed building for Harmans Cross and the proposal to build a loading dock at Herston and I have some specific actions for these projects. Discussion about Furzebrook awaits developments between BP and DCC.

RAIB

I met with the Inspector drawing up the report and, as far as I am aware, there are no further immediate actions to take. I believe that there will be recommendations in the report and we need to await the publication of this document to check that we have covered all areas required.

Bournemouth and Poole College

I attended a meeting with Dave Green and the students to organise the Easter Specials.

Original 106

I met the Marketing Director of Original and we discussed some joint promotion ideas and, following confusion over invoicing for previous adverts, we were offered a free weeks advertising for the February Thomas event.

Dorset County Council

I met with DCC (Valuation and Estates). The Legal Services Department is to see if there is anything they can do to help with the underlying issues at Pondarosa.. They are also looking into the issues along the back of Kings Road.

Bournemouth and Poole Preservation Club

I attended the cheque presentation evening where we were donated a sum in excess of £4000 from the September Vehicle Rally.

HMRI

I met with HMRI Inspectors to discuss the status of several projects and liaise regarding our SMS.

Rampart and Midland Railway Centre

I visited these two sites with James to familiarise myself with both organisations who are now undertaking regular contract work for us.

Corfe Chamber of Trade

I attended the January meeting of this body.

Rail TV

This organisation met us to outline their services which would provide a website based video news service through joint marketing to SRT members and provide DVDs for sale by SRCL as was required. Dave is investigating this further.

GMs Meeting in Bristol

I attended a meeting of General Managers in Bristol. There were representatives from the Bodmin and Wenford, Dartmoor/ECT, South Devon, Swanage and West Somerset Railways together with the Operations Manager fro ACoRP. The key areas of discussion were interfaces with Network Rail and Safety Management issues including Assessment and Training. It was agreed that we would work together on these areas starting with mutual arrangements to audit SMS/SC documents. A further meeting will be arranged in the early summer to look at Training and Assessment.

Bournemouth Tourism – Transport

I attended a further meeting of this body and discussed ways that we can work together with Wilts and Dorset, Yellow Buses and Dorset Belle Cruises.

HRA AGM

I attended this meeting in Taunton. The key relevant issues were:
Security. Following a spate of thefts a system is being established for the sharing of information and ways of publicising thefts of railwayana to reduce its market value.

• SMS/ROGS Guidelines. These will be available shortly.
• Boiler Advice. Ditto.
• RAIB – NYMR report available with various points of note.
• British Tourism Week.
• Asbestos. Making sure that railways comply with the latest regulations.
• Riga Charter. Railways are encouraged to adopt this.
• HLF. There will be a meeting to discuss raising funds through this body in early 2008. Those organisations who have consulted HRA about proposals will be invited.
• Thomas events. Event charges are changing.

Structure of the Commercial Departments of the Railway

Outline proposals to provide for a Commercial Manager were discussed. It was hoped that over the coming few years the Catering and Retail Departments could be brought together and the current managers had met to discuss how this might take place. The resulting ideas were presented to the Board who are now considering the idea. It was intended that, were such a post to be created, it would involve both some line management of the Commercial Departments and, also, specific help in marketing across the Railway.

Filming proposal

The Bournemouth Institute of Film have made a request to undertake filming on the extension. The proposed film would involve the relationship between two suicidal people and the group wish to simulate (without a train) the lead up to a potential suicide with the plot ending in suspense as to whether the individuals are saved or not. The Board thought it inappropriate to agree to this request.

Projects for Consideration

Furzebrook – it was agreed that a team would meet to start to draw up a specification for this project. This group would be Nick Brown, Steve Dyer, James Cox, Andrew Moore, Peter Sills and Keith Gooding.

Inspection Pit in Goods Shed Road – The necessity of this project was agreed. Tenders will be obtained for approval by the Finance Director.

Harmans Cross Station Building – Funding for this project still needs to be confirmed by SRT.

Harmans Cross Bank work – This project was approved subject to the normal checks before work starts.
 

Future Meetings

24th March

• SRCL Board Working Session, 9:30am, Off-site
• SRT CoM Open Meeting, 2pm, Rectory Classroom
• SRT Fundraising / brief CoM, 3pm, Rectory Classroom

24th March

• SRCL Board Meeting, 9:30am, venue tbc
• SRT CoM, 2pm, Methodist Church Hall

Nick Brown
General Manager
Swanage Station
Tel: 01929 475213
Email: generalmanager@swanage-railway.co.uk

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Photographs

All photographs on this page by and copyright Andrew P.M. Wright,
Swanage Railway official photographer