The Swanage Railway Trust

On Train Catering

No report
 

Station Buffets

2006 ended on a high note for the department, thanks to all the staff and volunteers who worked hard to achieve good results. This year we aim to replicate the same if not better service and final figures. We have, to date, 18 volunteers and 5 full-time paid staff working (not all at the same time) in the Station Buffets.

How will we achieve our goals?

1. The RMB will be open on most train operating days and will be staffed mainly with volunteers.
2. The RMB will be open on 14 nights and will run as part of the evening diesel service on these dates.
3. The Norden Nest will open on most train operating days and will be staffed mostly by volunteers.
4. The Birds Nest will continue to open daily with the added attraction of our popular Summer Evening Opening on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays during the summer season.
5. New menus and prices for 2007. All Buffets will now have the same corporate image.
6. Small Lunch Parties, Cream Teas and Children’s Party bookings are available in the Birds Nest (Back up carriage).

Penny Jones
Station Buffets Manager.
 

Retail

No report

Operations

The Santa Special season passed without incident, with most trains running to time. After some complaints about smoke in 2005 it was decided not to steam heat the trains overnight. The first locomotive was booked to be off shed at 08:00 to steam heat the Santa stock until 10:00 when the booked Santa loco came off shed, and the first loco then went to heat the dining train.

Work carried out during the shutdown has involved the use of the Class 20 but unfortunately this has led to some complaints from our neighbours about smoke and noise. This locomotive was returned to Lakeside siding at Norden on 5/2/07. D6515 returned to traffic on 7/2/07 therefore the Class 20 will see only limited use in the future.

THOMAS arrived from the Midland Railway Centre on 6/2/07. Two sets of coaches have been shunted into correct order in readiness for THOMAS week, the B set will be stabled at Corfe and will form the THOMAS train. The A set still requires the RMB which is due to arrive on 13/2/07, the BSOB leaving for Rampart on the same lorry. The scrap metal wagon was emptied into a skip by Bob Payne & Roger Stewart-Hindley on 6/2/07 the wagon returned to Swanage on 9th to collect more scrap. Finally, on Sunday 14th January I received a report from Peter Sills about an injured deer at Harmans Cross. I informed the RSPCA who sent a member of staff from the New Forest; the deer was put to sleep and the carcass removed for incineration.

Steve Dyer
Operations Manager
 

Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon

Locomotives

• 80078 – Piston & Valve Exam found that both piston heads were worn to excess. We purchased two new blank heads from Severn Valley Railway and Ron Neale of SLE machined them to suit 78’s bores. As this loco was going to be unavailable for traffic for several weeks, waiting for the pistons, we took the opportunity to carry out a full examination of the motion. All coupling rod bushes were within limits – we re-metalled all of these last year. One Big End bush needed re-metalling. However, the valve motion was worn to excess. This was dismantled and the following parts re-metalled: valve spindle guides, expansion link die blocks, lifting link die blocks.
  
  The coal bunker floor has been leaking water for several months, Graham Froud welded in new sections during the summer to stop the leaks, but the area around the shovelling plate was very thin and likely to split again. After consulting with SLE, we contracted OJ Fabrications to cut out defective sections of bunker plate and fabricate new repairs.
• 6695 – Annual steam test passed OK. Light engine test runs undertaken to run-in big end bearings. During the latter part of last year, both injector water valves were leaking and poor delivery. Ollie Furnell drained the water tanks, removed the water valves and flushed the tanks to remove manufacturing debris. Ollie has made some pipe up stands to keep the feed water clear of the bottom of the tank. Loaded test runs next week.
• 80104 - Routine Piston & Valve Exam. Just new piston rings required! Steam brake cylinder removed cleaned & examined. Both safety valves overhauled.
• 30053 - At Portland, work resumed when Gambles had completed another loco. Boiler work expected to be completed end of Feb. Then back to Swanage for DLL to re-assemble.
• D6515 – 71A funded bodywork completed 1st February. A exam and steam cleaning carried out, now in traffic with Ops. Dept.
• 33108 – Awaiting appointment of repair contractor by insurance assessors.
• D8188 - New batteries fitted by owner in December, which improved reliability somewhat! Has been used extensively while both 33s out of traffic. The characteristic excessive smoke on start-up has caused some complaints from neighbours, now that D6515 is back in traffic, the class 20 is stabled at Norden.
• 08436 – Available for traffic
• D3591 – Awaiting engine components storage space.
• 108 DMU – In traffic. DMBS heater removed and overhauled. Electrical faults repaired.
• 117 DMS – External refurbishment complete at Butterley, internal works underway. Expected back during March.
  DMBS –Overhauled gearbox fitted. Available.

Carriages

• 35464 - 240v through wiring fitted, and automatic battery charger.
• 4981 – All collision damage parts repaired or replaced by Pete Frost.
• 1885 RMB – Back from Rampart next week. Will be available for Thomas: if I am left alone to get on with fitting inverter/charger to it.

A & B sets undergoing routine 6 monthly exams and repairs arising.

Wagons

• 1248 PMV – Body rebuild ongoing by C & W volunteers.
• Dogfish Ballast hopper into Goods Shed this week for Jason Kingdon to repair corroded and missing sections.

James Cox
LCW Manager 
 

Permanent Way and Civil Engineering

Work done

• Jan 2-5, 8 Sandy Lane Bridge. Dismantled track and wheel timbers, installed replacement beams, slewed track on Norden side, changed 8 sleepers, drilled new timbers for chairs and packed with Kangos each side of bridge.
  Replaced timbers on crane runner.

• Jan 9 Norden. Relocated hut for Norden station. Craned on 10 rails, screws, keys, chairs and sleepers. Picked up and delivered 20 sleepers to Harmans Cross.

• Jan 10-12,15 Swanage. Replaced 5 pairs of rails, drilled and cut as required, added new sleepers at new joints, loaded old rail.

• Jan 16 Replaced rail and 3 sleepers in No. 2 siding.

• Jan 17 Harmans Cross. Moved pipe, dropped timbers at Harmans and Norden. Uploaded plate, moved carriage at Harmans.

• Jan18-19 Swanage. Dug out and replaced 4 crossing timbers from siding to main. Changed 4 broken crossing chairs, jacked and packed.

• Jan 22-23 Dug out old cross drain (in 18” of concrete) using jack hammer.

• Jan 24 Moved crossing timber under main to engine shed nose, redrilled, 9A base plate to works for redrill.

• Jan 25 Installed new drain, shingle and backfilled. Reinstated crossing timbers.

• Jan 26 Disconnected and slewed loop points to ease curve.

• Jan 29 Grind crossing nose, changed 2 check rails, installed check blocks, changed 3 sleepers on main.

• Jan 30 Jacked and packed near signal box.

• Jan 31 Jacked and packed main between signal box and main platform including pointwork.

• Feb 1 Jacked and packed crossover at buffer stop end.

• Feb2 Loaded clay, jacked and packed main near and beyond No. 1 siding.

• Feb 5-8 Bridge 18. Fitted new packers to bridge. Jacked and packed for 3 panels on Corfe side and 10 panels on Swanage side.
   

Tony Andrews
PW Manager
 

Signal & Telegraph and Telecom

S&T

Annual Maintenance

Most of the Annual Maintenance programmed for during the shutdown has been carried out. These have included a full service of all Electric Key Token and Electric Tablet machines; The lever frames at Swanage and Corfe Castle Signal Box’s have been cleaned and serviced; Electric Locks and Circuit Controllers have been inspected, adjusted and cleaned; The Signalling Relays have been inspected and cleaned. A list of outstanding work and defects has been prepared and these items will be attended too after Thomas Week.

General Maintenance

All areas will be checked, oiled and greased ready for Thomas Week.

Work arising from Permanent Way work at Swanage

Track Circuit bonds and an Insulated Block Joint were replaced after P.Way carried out rail replacements by the Inner Home Signal.

The point drive was reconfigured on points 29 coming out of the loop after P.Way altered the curve exiting out of the loop.

S&T Stores

A start has been made in removing equipment from the storage coach on top of the bank by Northbrook Road Bridge. Some equipment has been moved to the containers on Herston Bank but an additional storage van will be required to complete the job. Hopefully this can be completed before daily running commences.

Faults

No faults reported during the shut down period.

Dave Cobb
S&T Manager

Telecom

Internal Telephone System and Cable Network

The installation of the Telephone Concentrators at Corfe Castle and Harmans Cross is complete. Both units have been fully commissioned and all faults cleared. The Swanage unit has also been brought up to standard and several faults cleared. Test calls have been made between all three Signal Boxes and we are very pleased with the speech quality. The green field telephones have gone as well as the direct line phones, thus making the boxes less cluttered.

A new instruction sheet has been produced, which Mike Whitwam is going to laminate and display in each box.

We are now in the process of putting together some weatherproof telephones so that we can change over the existing signal post phones at Corfe Castle on to the concentrator, and provide new ones at Harmans Cross.

The internal system continues to perform well. Recently our test call program has shown a successful call rate of 98%. If we can maintain this level of performance, and I can see no reason why not, then we really do have an economical and reliable network that we can all be proud of.

Just a few faults since last report : -

• S 32 Swanage Platform - Dial replaced on phone.

• S 48 Wessex Belle - Plug broken where line plugs into the carriage. When we can find a better alternative, we intend to replace this with a more user-friendly version.

• C 51 Norden Crane and Diesel Van – Phone had filled with water due to leaking roof. Phone has been removed until the roof is repaired.

BCM & BT lines

All appears well. There was a failure on the ISDN lines in December, which was repaired by BT. I have purchased a new 02 pay and go number for use at Motala ground frame. The number is 07927 401621.

Dave Cobb
S&T Manager
 

Stations

Herston Halt and Bank

The gate on Washpond Land leading to the Bank was hit bay a car and a new gate has been built. This is now locked with a Herston Bank standard key. Some general maintenance has taken place at the station, and a plan of outstanding task has been completed. The lights are not working at the moment as one of the lids came off and the components got soaked. Lights should be working for Thomas weekend. At the end of last summer the clay banks either side of the platform were plagued with hundreds of bees nesting in the clay. This has the prospect of being a serious problem unless action is taken to prevent this nesting action. The strimmer has been serviced. Three days of craning have taken place over the past two months releasing the Salmon and moving bogies to the new area. An empty skip has been provided for loading by the Army once they start visiting from March.

Harmans Cross

John Martin had not been informed in time, of need to submit report for me to collate.

Corfe Castle

Liaison is taking place with Philip W-J on final arrangements for the footbridge in respect of signage and other matters whilst general housekeeping around the site continues. June Neale has been painting the ladies toilet of late whilst Norman and Tom have finished work under the canopy.

Norden

Planning application submitted for new Permissive path. Provided permission is granted, we anticipate to start construction on / about March 1st. Christmas lights along platform malfunctioned. They were checked for electrical safety by Langdon Tomkins and faulty pieces quickly replaced so that the lights worked for the Santa Specials.

Following on from the electrical problem with the Xmas lights, the complete station is undergoing an electrical safety check before Easter, hopefully before Thomas week.

Ian Diffey
Station Manager - Norden

Quick Links

Photographs

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