Flying Scotsman to visit Swanage Railway - 22nd March to 10th April

[Train Boy]

EVENT CONCLUDED: 60103 'Flying Scotsman' to visit the Swanage Railway for a total of 20 days during March and April


Operational Days - 22nd to 26th March
60103 'Flying Scotsman' will haul 5 return trips each day which run fast from Swanage to Norden. These trains depart Swanage at 10:05, 11:45, 13:25, 15:05 and 16:45 with the total journey being just short of an hour. This will be an entire round trip from Swanage to Norden totalling at 11 miles. The service will be formed of 7 coaches.

During the days of operation, a steam feeder service will run, to serve Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden to transport people to Swanage to allow people to board the Scotsman. Access to Swanage, Harmans Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden stations and associated viewing areas will be only permitted to those in possession of a valid travel ticket. There is no access to platform or viewing areas only. Herston Halt station will be closed.

Observation Car
Car 14 will be in use on all services, depending on the time of day, different refreshments will be available. Uniformed Pullman attendants will be serving a variety of food and drink to passengers through out the day.

Breakfast pastries will be served on the 10:05 service on each day. (£95 per person, including travel) SOLD OUT
Champagne & Canapés will be served on the 11:45 & 13:25 services on each day. (£85 per person, including travel) SOLD OUT
Afternoon tea will be served on the 15:05 & 16:45 services on each day. (£95 per person, including travel) SOLD OUT

Scotsman fares, including Feeder service
Round trip: £40
Round trip (premium): £45*
*Premium seat- in the Swanage end coach, or buffet coach.

Feeder service only
Adult: £20
Child: £15

Static Viewing Days - 27th March to 10th April
Following the five operational days, the iconic steam locomotive will then spend 15 days on display at Corfe Castle station, coupled to the Devon Belle Pullman observation carriage Car 14, between Wednesday 27th March and Wednesday 10th April, with ticket only access to view. Tickets to view are priced at £7.50 per person, or admission is included in a £20 round trip ticket operated by a resident locomotive.


Limited tickets available, book here to guarantee a ticket:
Round trip: https://swanagerailway.co.uk/events/detail/flying-scotsman-running-days

 

[Train Boy]

Timetable

Flying Scotsman - Runs non-stop from Swanage to Norden
Depart Swanage: 1005, 1145, 1325, 1505 and 1645
Depart Norden: 1045, 1225, 1405, 1545 and 1725

Feeder Services (formed of 30120 or 34072)
Depart Swanage: 1040, 1220, 1400, 1540, 1720 and 1821
Depart Norden: 0900, 1000, 1140, 1320, 1500 and 1640

PDF available here: https://swanagerailway.co.uk/userfiles/media/flying_scotsman_march_2019_timetable.pdf

 

[Bedpan]

£95 for a breakfast pastry? I think of a croissant as being a breakfast pastry. Add £40 for a train ticket and that is £135 for a trip 5.5 miles there and 5.5 miles back at 25mph max behind a large engine that isn’t going to have to work hard. 3 of the 5 days are weekdays, off season and outside school holidays. They must be having a laugh... or am I missing something.

 

[Train Boy]

£95 for a breakfast pastry? I think of a croissant as being a breakfast pastry. Add £40 for a train ticket and that is £135 for a trip 5.5 miles there and 5.5 miles back at 25mph max behind a large engine that isn’t going to have to work hard. 3 of the 5 days are weekdays, off season and outside school holidays. They must be having a laugh... or am I missing something.

The fares quoted for the breakfast pastries, champagne & canapés and afternoon tea already include the travel fare for a return trip in the observation car.

 

[AnthonyRail]

What’s the point of it sitting for 15 Days and only running for 5?

 

[sprinterguy]

£95 for a breakfast pastry? I think of a croissant as being a breakfast pastry. Add £40 for a train ticket and that is £135 for a trip 5.5 miles there and 5.5 miles back at 25mph max behind a large engine that isn’t going to have to work hard. 3 of the 5 days are weekdays, off season and outside school holidays. They must be having a laugh... or am I missing something.

It hardly seems to showcase the first authenticated 100mph steam loco, and it's not exactly on a line or even in an area synonymous with the locos heritage.

While I appreciate that enthusiasm for the Flying Scotsman transcends traditional regional boundaries and has a wider appeal, and I certainly don't begrudge the Swanage Railway a clear money making opportunity, £95 for the premium offer strains credulity when you can travel behind the loco at speed, on the main line, for hours at a time on railtour work for a similar price (In fact the lunchtime and evening circular mainline trips that the loco undertook in Surrey and Hampshire after it returned to the mainline in 2017 were cheaper).

What’s the point of it sitting for 15 Days and only running for 5?

Presumably the Swanage Railway have calculated that there is a finite demand for travel behind the loco at a premium price (Five return trips a day with seven carriages could equal circa 1750 - 2000 available seats per day depending on train formation), and the loco can do more good to attract additional custom to the lines 'normal' services as a static exhibit, especially over the course of the weekend when they seem to have some sort of steam gala taking place (Details of what the "Spring Steam Up" entails seem thin on the ground at this stage, but I assume that's what it is). However to have the loco working normal service trains would lessen demand for the premium trips and reduce their exclusivity.

 

[Bedpan]

Twice as many trips for half the profit per passenger would produce the same income and result in twice as many happy punters. Well, probably more than twice as many seeing that some people may well be coming away unhappy about what they have received for their £95.

 

[E759]

USA at Bluebell was £26
Tornado at Wensleydale is £17.50
NYM is £33 without any special engine
SMR is £39 without any special engine

So I'd say £40 in SE England isn't going to be an issue for your average heritage railway visitor

 

[Titfield]

The £95 Breakfast in Pullman Observation Car 14 includes travel so it is not £135 as has been suggested.

This is a unique opportunity to travel in style in Car 14 hauled by Flying Scotsman for the first time in nearly 50 years since the ill-fated North American Tour of the late 60s early 70s after which Car 14 was sold in the states not returning to the UK until the mid 2000s.

The proof of the pudding for the Swanage Railway will be in the eating: just how many customers are prepared to pay for this experience. Only time will tell.

I understand that limits are placed on the number of hours and operational days Flying Scotsman can be used hence the 5 trips per day / 5 days in March. The purpose of the 15 static days is to make best use of days that Flying Scotsman can not be in service thus bringing her to the widest possible audience and fulfilling the educational remit of the NRM.

 

[GarethW]

Yes it’s only £55 extra for the breakfast pastries.

Hope you get one each way

For that kind of dosh I’d be looking for smoked salmon bagels topped with caviar, a glass of Champage, followed by a full English and a Bloody Mary

 

[lancslad]

if you look at the bookings for the Pullman car you will note that almost all the seats have been sold, so if you want a seat get in there quick

 

[Train Boy]

if you look at the bookings for the Pullman car you will note that almost all the seats have been sold, so if you want a seat get in there quick

Have updated that on the main post. Hope this helps.

 

[341o2]

The Spring Steam Up is indeed a gala without any visiting locos (apart from Scotsman as a static exhibit). Hopefully, all the 5 resident servicible steam locos will be in action (the page on their site is not always up to date, 34072 is not even mentioned)

While Flying Scotsman is in display at Corfe Castle, access to the station and yard will be by ticket only. I've always felt that the railway should have a policy of paid access to its platforms, rather like the Bluebell or Great Central

 

[Titfield]

Paid access only to platforms on the Swanage Railway is quite challenging:

If you do that then every access point would have to be staffed to enforce the rule.

Norden has a public footpath along it - which is being diverted for the duration of the FS running days but this could not be permanent as this would require a costly legal process to be followed.

Corfe Castle and Swanage both have multiple entry points.

It is my understanding that during the FS static days at Corfe Castle, access to the goods yard and FS area will be chargeable. The station platforms will be open with free access.

 

[Train Boy]

Just in case anyone is interested, only 9 tickets remain for the observation car now- 7 for breakfast pastries and 2 for afternoon tea.


0545 12/02 Update

1 ticket remains for Breakfast Pastries, all other Observation car tickets sold out

 

[E759]

Will there be Purbeck Explorers to/from Ealing Broadway for the Diesel Gala this year/ Really appreciate the dates being published for the event and was amazed to find a lot of the cheap accommodation in Swanage already sold out. Fortunately was able to find somewhere.

Looking forward to riding behind Flying Scotsman 26/3 assuming the work being undertaken in York is completed Good that the ferry is now back in operation so can easily get to Swanage on the bus

 

[Train Boy]

Will there be Purbeck Explorers to/from Ealing Broadway for the Diesel Gala this year/ Really appreciate the dates being published for the event and was amazed to find a lot of the cheap accommodation in Swanage already sold out. Fortunately was able to find somewhere.

So far there has just been a single announcement in regards to the attendance of D7535, with driver experiences available too. It's just a matter of waiting for the next announcements to find out.

Looking forward to riding behind Flying Scotsman 26/3 assuming the work being undertaken in York is completed Good that the ferry is now back in operation so can easily get to Swanage on the bus

The ferry always makes life easier!

 

[Titfield]

Sales appear to be going well with Saturday virtually sold out and Sunday virtually sold out except the last train at 16:45.

Latest news is that Penny Vaudoyer (Penny Pegler as was) is going to perform the wave off on the first train (10:05) on Friday 22nd March.

More news of the static display days have been released. Flying Scotsman will be on display in light steam at Corfe Castle Goods Yard with her corridor tender and Pullman Devon Belle Observation Car 14. £7.50 admission or included in a £20 round trip ticket on the normal steam service.

 

[341o2]

Some more news. During the period of being at Corfe yard, Scotsman will travel le to and from Swanage at the start and end of the day

Some revision to the Spring Steam up, Caledonian 419 will be visiting and 33111 will be in action Sat/Sun (with the usual proviso). Neither 34053 or 34072 will be in action.

No details of the diesel gala as of yet. the 25 will offer driving experience on a daily basis throught the year, running from Norden to River Frome

EDIT surely "jan" on their website regarding dates for the 25 driving experience is a typo

Three questions 1. Status of 34053, any likelehood of returning to service soon?
2. Platform access during Spring Steam up without a ticket?
3. Things seem to have gone quiet over Wareham service. Brief mention of details to be announced under train times and fares

 

[E759]

I sincerely hope that entrance to any part of the Swanage Railway private property, platform included, requires purchase of a ticket. Would people be happy for twitchers to turn up at their house and demand free entry so they can stand in their garden to take pictures of a rare breed of bird or newt. Oh, and we’re going to use your toilet as well. Sit on your sofa. Make comments about your furnishings being inconsistent with the date of the property

 

[341o2]

Posts #13 and 14

 

[Train Boy]

2. Platform access during Spring Steam up without a ticket?
3. Things seem to have gone quiet over Wareham service. Brief mention of details to be announced under train times and fares

With a ticket at the Steam up, you will be able to access the viewing area at Corfe Castle. If not, a £7.50 viewing ticket must be purchased.

The Wareham service looks more like it will now be towards the second half of the year. It certainly will not be within the next 3 months unless anything major changes.

EDIT surely "jan" on their website regarding dates for the 25 driving experience is a typo

Yes, meant to say 4th to 9th May.

 

[Titfield]

For the sake of clarity
Flying Scotsman, Corridor Tender and Car 14 will be in the goods shed road by the cattle dock. Access to the area immediately adjacent will require ether the £7.50 admission ticket or the purchase of the £20 round trip ticket which includes admission. Admission will allow you access to the footplate, to walk through the corridor tender and to visit Car 14.
Access to the remainder of the station will be free.

34053 From the Southern Locomotives website. One fly in the ointment is Sir Keith Park which has had a knock in the bottom end which needed attention. Getting to the axle boxes is a major task, and as there's no point in doing half a job, we decided to undertake a complete bottom end overhaul now to make for a speedier overhaul in three years time. The loco moved to Tyseley at the end of December and all the driving wheelsets have been removed for examination and repair.

The Wareham service requires either:
a) Swanage Railway to contract a third party operator to run the service - as happened in 2017 and resulted in an estimated net loss of £70K
OR
b) Swanage Railway to 1) be granted a non mainline safety certificate and passenger operations license 2) receive the DMUS back from Arlington Fleet Services fit for mainline use 3) obtain crashworthiness derogation for one of the DMUs - off hand I cant remember which 4) carry out all the required crew training 5) sign a station access agreement for Wareham 6) obtain the paths . I am sure there are other actions required as well.

Given the above I would say that option b would be at best during the autumn. Option a could be earlier but at what cost?

 

[VEP3417]

any idea of times it will be passing stations on its way to and from swanage (on the mainline)

 

[Titfield]

This information isnt available yet but will be in due course.

It should go without saying but sadly has to be said, please do not trespass on private property or put yourself or anyone else at risk whilst viewing Flying Scotsman. or indeed any other train.

 

[Titfield]

I understand that 2/3rds of the Flying Scotsman tickets have now been sold.

The feeder service tickets will go on sale next week.

Hopefully the weather will play ball and it will be a great few days down in Sunny Swanage.

 

[Train Boy]

Remaining ticket summary (AS OF 15TH MARCH, UPDATED!)

Friday- 11:45 and 13:25 services are very full. Good availability on 10:05, 15:05 and 16:45.
Saturday- All services very nearly full. About 15 tickets remain all in all for Saturday.
Sunday- All services very nearly full. About 25 tickets remain all in all for Sunday.
Monday- 11:45 and 13:25 services very full. Good availability on 10:05, 15:05 and 16:45.
Tuesday- 11:45 and 13:25 services very full. Good availability on 10:05, 15:05 and 16:45.

 

[AnthonyRail]

When does it arrive on the line

 

[341o2]

Probably 21st, but timings will only be decided a few days in advance, don't expect to hear anything within the next 2 weeks.

As for Wareham could SWR run something similar to last year?

 

[Train Boy]

Probably 21st, but timings will only be decided a few days in advance, don't expect to hear anything within the next 2 weeks.

The timings have already been decided and it is currently displaying in RTT on the day it is coming down...

As for Wareham could SWR run something similar to last year?

The Swanage Railway have been in talks again with SWR to run this service for summer 2019.