The Swanage Railway Trust

General Notes

Time for Reflection

For those who have worked hard over the main season to run the trains and provide our daily services to the public the winter can provide a time of relative quiet so that we can work towards improving the service that we offer the public in the future. I know that several areas of the Operations Dept. are having training sessions to this end.

Of particular concern is the message that we give to the public about our Railway. We are often referred to as a friendly railway and you only have to visit websites or read the incoming letters to know that this is how a majority of our passengers experience us. Unfortunately, there has been a small increase in the number of complaints that we have received about incorrect information – could I ask that staff ensure they know the most up to date information and put passenger satisfaction as their focus, using discretion if necessary.

Time for Action

Of course the Railway is not quiet during the winter months with many repairs to be made to our Rolling Stock and Infrastructure. The main focus of this is our Winter Shutdown in January and February. This year the main projects are:

1. Overhaul of Harmans Cross Signal Box – including overhaul/relocking of the frame and replacement of the timber beam that supports it.
2. Track work at Swanage – including replacement of sleepers and clearing of drains.
3. Preparatory work to the cutting at Harmans Cross.
4. Maintenance work at stations.
5. Installation of revised watering facilities for carriages – including new facilities at Corfe Castle.

PLEASE GIVE SOME TIME TO HELP THESE VITAL PROJECTS – full details will be in the next Newsletter.

Health and Safety

Accident Forms

A reminder that new format of Accident Form has been issued. This updates the information required to match the legal requirements and is on a yellow coloured paper. Please use these wherever possible in the future. Stocks are available from the General Manager.
 

Passing Thoughts - Frank Roberts

I took the decision to resign from the post of Infrastructure Manager on Thursday 21st September and since then have met with Nick Brown to handover the various aspects of the appointment; I have also given some thought to my future within the Railway. However I have not as yet relayed much to members of the Infrastructure Group, and Nick suggested that I might consolidate some thoughts on what has been achieved over the past couple of years for inclusion in his Newsletter.

You may remember that there was a considerable amount of re-organisation within the Company at the end of 2004. This effectively saw the creation of the Infrastructure Group, and since then the three internal sub-groups were consolidated in April this year. All of this focus has supported the introduction of the Health and Safety Management System on the 1st October.

My role as the Infrastructure Manager has mainly been to focus on various planning aspects, and though the Job description is comprehensive and wide ranging, it has never been my responsibility to technically direct work across the Group. Despite my remit, you may be aware that Martin Trott left the Swanage Station Manager’s post during the summer 2005, followed by Jeff Neale at Norden in January. Then in April we effectively lost Shaun Sharp, Dennis Gregory reduced his hours and Roger Orchard found full time employment; since then I have found it extremely difficult to cope with the gaps in those posts and a whole range of other peripheral, but important, responsibilities. Some of these have included the planning application for Norden P&R ticket machines and lighting (successfully received in Sep), Corfe Footbridge (which has seen excellent progress of late), waste management, clearing of Norden pad, development of a strategy for the stations with the Property Group. The combined result has been five months of intense 7 day a week pressure – whether on site or not.

Despite low-key success in many more mundane administrative matters, there have been some real wins over the past two years…. The project management process is now well in place; elements of the Group have commissioned Corfe signalbox, extended Corfe Up platform, dealt with trees at HX, installed the new BT systems for Swanage, installed further broadband facilities, tarmaced Swanage platform (and installed new lights). Or what about the full method statement (which any project would have been proud of) to link our rails with the national network at Motala or the success in the Swanage in Bloom competition this summer for not one, but two of our stations, or recent progress at the Pondarosa slip.

I am well aware that I have had my critics, but I am happy that in the context of what I have faced over the past two, I have done my best. I am sure that the tone I set was not correct for some, but I hope that some of the vision I have tried to instill will pass the test of time. Individuals will place different emphasis on the aim that we adopted, namely: “To build an integrated Infrastructure Group team through improved confidence, communication & planning” but some have given me invaluable support in my role. Jeff Gregory and John Bull have worked hard to improve communications; Terry Otter and Stuart Nutbeem have developed Telecom whilst Phillip Wycliffe-Jones, Don Partridge, Alan Knight and Bob Davis have quietly persisted in their own way. All too often the critics and cynics seem to have the loudest voice; I commend to you those who time and again build up their energy to support what we do, but especially when facing times of personal hardship, tend often to put their responsibilities at the railway first. To all who have genuinely supported me during a particularly difficult period I offer my most sincere thanks.

Nick has already indicated that he will oversee many of my former responsibilities and I have confirmed that I wish to continue at Herston both as the Halt and Bank Manager. By default I also hope to support our Army Link which has been successfully re-engaged after a break of two years. Staff Sergeant Steve Davis, from Taunton, has proved to be just that character we have been waiting for and has led two military visits over the summer; he is now planning for the 90 soldiers attending this year’s Remembrance Parade in Swanage.

I have been around the Railway for a substantial part of the last two and a half years overseeing work on the new facilities at Herston Halt, refurbishing the Scenery Van, a Tube wagon and then Infrastructure, but must not concentrate on other things. I am pleased to have been selected to attend the new BSc course in Railway Operation at Glasgow University, which I have already found inspirational, and look forward to a number of other personal opportunities – both on and off the Railway.

Frank Roberts
 

Working Parties

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.

Carriage Cleaning

Meet Thursdays in November from 9am at Swanage Station. Contact martin Trott (07921 726659)

Civil Engineering

Meets Tuesday and Wednesday. Check times and location with Dennis Gregory (01929 422792).

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:

Traffic

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.

Infrastructure

Infrastructure Manager – to assist the General Manager in the planning and programming of work across the Infrastructure Departments. Contact Nick Brown.
 

Training Courses

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

All courses are held at Swanage Motive Power Depot unless otherwise indicated.

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 28th October

Health and Safety

No specific report was tabled at the meeting.

The need for a more people to assist with the H&S function was reiterated.

Finance

The financial position was reported as good at the moment. The method of treating the profit was discussed and referred for further discussion by the SRT.

General Manager’s Report

Revenue has continued to grow in most areas to the end of September. There has been an overall increase of 7% in income compared with 2005. There is a more detailed analysis of individual areas below. This increase in revenue has not filtered through fully to increase profitability for three reasons:

1. Increases in expenditure due to overall inflation or statutory requirements (e.g. Waste management – increase of £8,841.92)
2. Increases in spending due to transfer of assets from SRT to SRCL (e.g. Permanent Way – increase of £11,470.10)
3. Increases required to improve maintenance standards
   (e.g. Locomotive repairs and maintenance – increase of £24,051.48)

Planning for 2007 is taking place on the basis of a stable income stream and continued containment of costs, taking into account a prediction of 2.5 to 3 % inflation.

Publicity and marketing

The Board discussed marketing and decided to spend a session (outside the normal meeting) discussing this in January.

Performance

To the end of September the respective figures are:

Train operating

Station Buffets

On Train Catering

Retail

Note: The ’Thomas’ week in February was £3,000 below budget, probably due to the enforced relocation of Thomas and the brake vans to Corfe Castle. An estimated £2,000 was lost due to the shop being closed for 4½ days in March because of a power failure and refurbishment.

Problems of capacity

During the peak summer period (late July and August) trains were running at, and above, capacity. This is a serious issue that needs tackling if we are to gain further growth during this period of the year. There are two broad solutions to the problem of capacity, each with two options:

1. Increasing the capacity of individual train sets. This will take place in a small way next year with the ability to replace the BG used this year with a BSK – an increase of 32 seats in one set.
   The only way to increase capacity in a meaningful way is to increase train lengths to six coaches – a task that would involve massive infrastructure work in the short term but should be borne in mind with ‘future-proofing’ projects.
2. Running more trains. The best way to increase capacity at peak periods is to utilise the third path to run additional trains at peak periods in the day. This is not possible until Platform 1 at Swanage is commissioned – allowing the use of the third path for a passenger service. At the moment we use this path for DMUs at a limited number of special events but the requirement for additional locomotives makes this uneconomical.

It would be possible to operate a half-hourly service using two trains but this would require an additional locomotive and would therefore increase the costs to a greater extent than the likely increase in revenue.

Key projects to support commercial activities

• Carriage servicing
• Commissioning of Platform 1 at Swanage
• Revising arrangements for the Birds Nest at Swanage
   

Swanage Town Council – Tourism

There was not a great deal that was new to discuss. A review of Brown Tourist signs is being undertaken and it is hoped that this will result in a more enlightened policy. The Folk Festival had been busy but the town had suffered due to the lack of visits by the Waverley. There were some concerns expressed about the parking charges at Norden dissuading people from using the train to travel to Swanage but rather parking in Corfe and not venturing further into Purbeck.

Bournemouth Tourism

I attended a meeting at which the new Bournemouth Tourism Management Board arrangements were explained. There are two groups in which we have an interest – Attractions and Transport – and I intend to go to the first meeting of each to see how relevant these bodies may be to our future development and involvement in Bournemouth as it develops its tourism strategy.

Purbeck Tourism

This group met in early October and was updated about the Enid Blyton leaflet (being produced by PDC with some sponsorship from businesses including ourselves), the Quality Assurance Information Day that takes place next week and the PT’s own Eating Out Guide which we advertise the Birds nest in.

Corfe Parish Council - Tourism

It was reported that due to a lack of support from local businesses the Farmers Market would not now be a regular event. The CCPC leaflets would be produced again for 2007.

Purbeck Rail Partnership

The PRP met and was updated on the situation now that the SWF has been awarded. SWT stated that they will make reasonable endeavours to work with the PRP to reintroduce a service from Wareham to Swanage. Re-signalling of the Worgret Junction is still the greatest hurdle to such a service but this may be incorporated into resignalling of the main line when this takes place. Options for the storage of DCC’s DMUs are being explored.

National Trust

The National Trust have approached us to talk about ways of transporting visitors to Studland – I await a further contact from their Wessex Group.

Car Parking Charges

Car Parking charges were discussed and it was agreed that the machines would be installed as requested by PDC but that, in the first instance, SRCL would not introduce charging but see whether the extended opening hours were justified by usage.

34072

The idea of setting up a long term lease for 34072 had been discussed by SLL and Steve Doughty, James Cox and I will be progressing this.

Infrastructure Plan

The Draft Infrastructure Plan was circulated for comment.

Projects

• CEXX – Bridge 17 – Urgent work involving replacement of rail timbers due to decay and splitting of the upside unit agreed.
• LCWXX – 1885 RMB – Completion of overhaul agreed for completion by February 2007 (not normally used for traffic in Dec/Jan)

Future Meetings

• Manager’s Meeting, 3:30pm 22nd November, Bar Car
• Board Meeting, 9:30am 25th November, Rectory Classroom
• SRT AGM, 2pm 25th November, Rectory Classroom

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