The Swanage Railway Trust

Station Buffets

If we continue to stay above budgeted figures for the remainder of the season Station Buffets will meet their predicted figures. The Norden Nest is starting its third season this June being open daily. Thanks must go to all the staff who enthusiastically support the buffet – be it replacing vandalised windows, renewing table tops, keeping the site tidy and serving inside. Soon it is hoped to place 3 park benches beside the gravel path, one will be a remembrance seat.
 

Retail

Shop opening times are 10.00am to 4.30pm daily.

Due to the current shortage of shop volunteers, work is in progress to recruit more help. From the four people who offered their services to date, two still remain and are being trained.

To cover shop counter duties on a seven day basis we require 28 staff, at the present time we have only 16. To try and avoid closing the shop during times when staff are not available, a small number of staff have agreed to temporarily cover more than one shift and or work all day shifts.

Over the next few weeks some shifts have not yet been filled, which will mean the shop will have to close on some half days.
 

Operations

On Monday 24th April a Facing Points Lock (FPL) became jammed in Swanage signal box, this caused a delay of sixteen minutes to the 09:50 departure. Another signalling problem occurred on Friday 28th when the electric key token machine failed at Harmans Cross. Pilot working was introduced and normal working resumed at 14:30.

The 09:00 DMU failed at Norden on Sunday 30th April, the Driver being unable to create the necessary vacuum for the brake. The 09:50 left on time as far as Corfe Castle, the locomotive then detached and went forward to Norden to push the failed unit across the road into the construction section. The locomotive then returned to Corfe to collect the train and continue to Norden, departure was ten minutes late but time was quickly recovered with only minimal delays for the rest of the day.

I would like to thank the Frank Mead and the driver, John Denison who managed to return the unit to Swanage and repair the fault enabling the evening service to operate as normal.

The Class 37 arrived on the railway on Friday 5th May and moved to Swanage on Sunday 7th. Five trains were operated on Friday 12th as a private charter for the owning group and two days of driver experience over the following days.

An incident occurred at Swanage on Saturday 6th when the driver of the 11:10 service train nearly passed the starting signal at danger. The footplate crew and guard were relieved of duty and the train continued with only a minor delay. The driver and guard have since been suspended from duty.
 

Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon

Locomotives

• 80078 – Following an incident with 75029 at the NYMR where its blastpipe fractured, we stripped out the smokebox of 80078 to investigate for cracking. A 10” long crack was found so we contracted Gambles Engineering to carry out a Coded Welding repair. Since then, the loco has seen regular maintenance and use.
• 6695 – Routine maintenance.
• 5197 – During a routine washout inspection, a defective joint at the base of the blastpipe was found. After consulting with the owner, we have made a new steel shim to replace the old fibre joint. As with ’78, there was more work in stripping out the smokebox contents to gain access, than in actually carrying out the repair.
• D6515 – Available for traffic.
• 33108 – Available for traffic.
• 08436 – Available for traffic
• D3591 – Cylinder heads being stripped for injector overhaul and valve seat lapping.
• 108 DMU – Routine maintenance and servicing.
• 117 DMBS – Test runs prior to the Bank Holiday Weekend.
• 37324 – Examined upon arrival and passed fit for traffic on SR.

Carriages

• BG 92607/ 81410 – Running in Driver Experience train.
• 4416 TSO – In Goods Shed for removal of deteriorated paint, application of primer, undercoat and gloss.
• 1885 RMB – Intermediate Overhaul: Replacement of worn bushes and pins in brake rigging. Replacement of vacuum D/A valves. Replacement of worn drawbars and buckeye couplings. Steam heating test, repairs as required. Ride height adjustment. Axle box exam. Water tank leak repaired and frost damaged pipes. Modifications to 240v system to supply Fridge while on shore supply. Overhaul of internal window frames, internal heavy clean. Minor body repairs. Reinstatement of ETH equipment.

Wagons

• Grey Brake van in Goods shed for minor woodwork repairs and re-paint.
• 1248 PMV – C & W Working Week; major project. The old concrete floor was broken out and disposed of. Plywood sheets for new floor being cut and epoxy coated. Many thanks to Operations Dept. for making space for this PMV to remain at Swanage. When the Grey Brake Van and 4416 are finished shortly, 1248 will be in far end of Goods Shed.

Carriage Electrical Update

The Swanage Railway Mk1 active coaching stock fleet currently comprises 18 vehicles.

Of these; 9 are fitted with Mark Campbell’s 240v conversion, 4 have variations on the original 24v system and 5 have no lighting at all.

The ‘Weesex Belle’ 5 car set is completely Campbell converted.
The remainder give us sufficient vehicles to form one 5 coach train, all with lights and PA.

The last 3 TSOs to go through Rampart; 4945, 4961 & 4416 all had their original wiring partially stripped out and most of the new cables for Campbell conversion installed, while at Derby.
4945 was fitted with a new battery last year, I have charged this from time to time.

We have sufficient major components in stock, to be able to finish the Campbell system to two vehicles, without significant expenditure. These will be 4945 & 4961, because these both have working PA speakers.

4416 will require additional work to install PA wiring and speakers.

BSK 35464 retains its original lights. When it returns from Rampart in late summer, I will be fitting it with through 240v wiring, the same as our other coaches. Mark decided that compartment stock would not have such extensive conversion, retaining the 24v lighting throughout with an automatic battery charger. I have budgeted for new battery and charger for 35464.
 

Infrastructure

• Container removed from field at HX by Marsh Plant Hire. Area cleared at Herston Bank to receive it.
• Swanage water column emptied and cleaned out. Major water leak in supply pipe to Swanage station located and fixed. Carriage water supply pipes in Swanage station area remounted and leaks stopped.
• A large number of items have been removed from the Norden Pad. The area is now almost tidy and it is hoped that the rest of the loose items will go within a month. Some fencing needs to be repaired.
• Purbeck stone wall and drainage at Swanage ’box now completed.
• We have commenced a more formal process of monitoring electricity consumption. 1st quarter of this year costs for the Railway were just under £10,000.
• Display of 2006 Inf Gp works put together for Rail Ale festival

I am happy to report that we seem to have been blessed with a surge of new younger volunteers; frequently of late we have raised teams of 4 or 5 people. Mike Standhaft has kindly agreed to hold 2 additional PTS courses for the Inf Gp. – please contact Mike directly to confirm dates, times and places.
 

Permanent Way and Civil Engineering

• Shimming completed from Harmans Cross to Quarr
• Blades ground at Harmans Cross and Swanage.
• Broken chairs changed at Swanage, lifted and packed through the platform.
• Tony Trood has worked at Corfe Castle.
• Fishplates lubricated from Swanage to Herston.
• Dolphin unloaded.
• Whole line contract weedkilled.
• Bramble sprayed from Outer Home to Victoria Ave. Bridge.
• Trees cut down near 180 Kings Road West.
• Dolphin unloaded at Norden.
• Ash wagon unloaded at Corfe.
• Measurements taken at Pondarosa twice weekly.
• Fencing renewed along King Georges Field.
   

Signal & Telegraph and Telecom

General

Fraser White has now started his employment with the Railway and he will be responsible for the S&T maintenance work and repairs. Volunteer help has been arranged for Tuesdays and Fridays to assist him. A new maintenance work schedule will be prepared during the next few months to improve the system where tasks will be changed to a 1 monthly or 3 monthly visit.

A duty roster has been prepared to provide the maximum amount of S&T cover but there will still be some days where there is no cover.

Norden Pad

After several drums of S&T cable were stolen, the remaining large cable drums of 37 and 19 core cable have been successfully moved down to the cable store at Herston Bank. There are now only a few items belonging to S&T which need to be moved from the pad area.

Donation of Equipment

We have recently received a donation of equipment from a resident in Corfe which includes; a treadle lathe, a shaping machine, an anvil, an electric metal cutting hacksaw, various taps and dies, and assorted tools. These have been moved to the S&T mobile workshop at Corfe.

The Annual S&T inspections are ongoing with Swanage and Corfe Castle nearly complete. Harmans Cross inspection should be complete by end of June.

The documentation for the Level Crossing Inspections and Risk Assessment is being checked by the Health and Safety consultant for comment and should be ready for use during the summer.

A major fault occurred on the Swanage points 26A from the main to the siding where a portion of the blade tip broke off and dropped between the blade and the rail as the points and FPL where being engaged. This jammed FPL prevented it’s withdraw and the setting of the road for the departing first train of the day. By the time the duty S&T staff had arrived on site the FPL had been released by staff in the vicinity but some damage to equipment had occurred.

It is important that the duty S&T staff is consulted if other staff members attempt the rectify problems before the S&T arrive at the scene.

Internal Telephone System & Cable Network

Over the last few weeks we have mainly focused our efforts on the installation of the Signal Post Telephone Concentrator in Harmans Cross signal box. This unit required the removal of several BR modifications and an overhaul of the circuitry, but it looks promising and we hope it will work without too many problems.

It is now cabled and connected to a connection box adjacent to our Telecom box in the locking room. This will make connecting the signal post phones and signal box lines straight forward when we are ready. We have also spent some time studying the wiring diagrams and feel much more knowledgeable about how these things function.

Stuart Ward is building a power unit, so when this is complete we can switch on and see what happens. If all goes well, we will be able to connect the Swanage and Corfe Castle signal box lines and then start providing telephones on signal posts.

The internal system continues to perform well. There was a fault report of problems when calling Corfe Castle numbers from Swanage; a fault was found and repaired at Corfe Castle.
 

Stations

Swanage

New hut built for brick/brack use, and use by station staff. Adjacent compound built for station team.

Herston

12 rotten fenceposts replaced at back of platform.
New flower bed constructed. 300 plants now being grown in pots for the Halt.

Harman’s Cross

Painting has been carried out on the Haycrafts Lane access fencing on the up path, with a view to making all the fencing on both access's the same and to official SR standard colours. A start has been made on the provision of lighting for the up access path. Sygnets were in action on station during May.

Corfe Castle

New timer installed for heating and staff toilet repaired.

Norden

Site meeting with P Sills, who will approach B Langdown with a view to commissioning some drawings for footpath diversion.

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Photographs

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