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Swanage Railway Sunday service from London

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341o2

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On the four Sundays, 28 July to 18 August, special consisting of 4TC t&t GBrf 73 between Waterloo and Swanage. Organised by UK Railtours
 
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yorksrob

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The idea of travelling the South West mainline in a TC set sounds appealing. I couldn't find the cost on the website though.
 

Antman

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Stupid question, but it is an Allez et retour? Not just single haulage and SWR back ?
 

L&Y Robert

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What has happened to Swanage Railway's Class 117 and the 121 'Bubble car' heritage DMUs? The last I heard (last year it was) they were to have operated the Wareham service this (2019) year, but they didn't appear. I understand that a lot of effort and presumably some expense has gone into making them fit fit for the service (to run on the main line and so-on). Swanage Railway's website "News" of the matter is last year's news!
 

yorksrob

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What has happened to Swanage Railway's Class 117 and the 121 'Bubble car' heritage DMUs? The last I heard (last year it was) they were to have operated the Wareham service this (2019) year, but they didn't appear. I understand that a lot of effort and presumably some expense has gone into making them fit fit for the service (to run on the main line and so-on). Swanage Railway's website "News" of the matter is last year's news!

As far as I'm aware, they're still having the central door locking etc fitted.
 

Ben.A.98

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The 121 returned to Swanage a few months ago, photos on the SR facebook page from a few days ago show it sitting over the new diesel area built at Corfe.
 

E759

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Found an update on the SR site

https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/wareham-project-update


Wareham Project Update


Statement from Swanage Railway Company, 25th July 2019:

The Class 117/121 diesel multiple units (DMUs) to be used on our timetabled Swanage to Wareham services have been subject to an extensive overhaul and test programme by our contractors Arlington Fleet Services Ltd in Eastleigh in order to make sure that they meet all the requirements to safely and reliably operate on the mainline. Senior members of Swanage Railway Company staff are in regular contact with Arlington staff and frequent site meetings and inspections are taking place. The Class 121 (bubblecar) was returned to the Swanage Railway on 25th July. It is now undergoing further testing and commissioning by our engineering staff before being passed to the Operations Department to enable crew training to commence. We are awaiting a completion and delivery date for the three coach Class 117 DMU and will announce this as soon as we have received confirmation.

An interim maintenance pit and other facilities to service the DMUs are in the process of being constructed in the sidings at Corfe Castle station. These will remain in use until a long term lease of Furzebrook sidings is concluded with Perenco and Dorset Council, and funds become available for better facilities to be provided at that location.

Pending the granting of a mainline passenger licence to us by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), we have been holding discussions with a third party licensed train operating company on the possibility of operating the DMUs to Wareham on a limited number of days sometime later in 2019 using suitably qualified Swanage Railway drivers and guards. Any service will obviously be dependent on financial viability.

Agreement has been reached with South Western Railway on the operation of a summer Saturday service to Corfe Castle. This will be operated by them between 25th May and 7th September. On Sundays between 28th July and 18th August an excursion charter service will also be operated between London Waterloo and Swanage by UK Railtours in association with GB Railfreight.

The Swanage Railway Company remains fully committed to fulfilling its aims and commitments and to develop sustainable timetabled passenger train services between Swanage and Wareham. We anticipate the second (90 day) element of the trial service commencing at Easter 2020.

Mark Woolley Secretary Swanage Railway Trust Director Swanage Railway Company Project Wareham Director
 

STEVIEBOY1

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If all is well with this, could the 3 carriage CL117 DMU be coupled up with the one Carriage CL 121 Bubble car to form a 4 carriage train from Wareham to Swanage?
 

James H

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Yes that’s the idea of the two units - they have the flexibility to run one, three or four cars to match demand.
 

L&Y Robert

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Is there any possibility of establishing a west-facing bay platform for this service? Seems the obvious thing to do, and there seems to be plenty of room for the track, and a platform face ready and waiting. I measured it (from Google-E) at 113m long. I'm sure it has been thought of, and I suspect there have been posts on here about it.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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Is there any possibility of establishing a west-facing bay platform for this service? Seems the obvious thing to do, and there seems to be plenty of room for the track, and a platform face ready and waiting. I measured it (from Google-E) at 113m long. I'm sure it has been thought of, and I suspect there have been posts on here about it.

Are you talking about doing this at Wareham Railway Station? and if so, do you mean on the opposite side of the station to the existing Bay Platform. If you are and that was to happen, would it mean an independent track for the Swanage line from the mainline which would be advantageous as it may mean the Swanage railway line trains not having to use the main lines. Not sure if that could happen though as I think there is a road bridge in the way?
 

yorksrob

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Are you talking about doing this at Wareham Railway Station? and if so, do you mean on the opposite side of the station to the existing Bay Platform. If you are and that was to happen, would it mean an independent track for the Swanage line from the mainline which would be advantageous as it may mean the Swanage railway line trains not having to use the main lines. Not sure if that could happen though as I think there is a road bridge in the way?

I don't think Wareham still has a bay platform anymore (which is a shame as it would have made the project a lot easier).
 
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You could argue there is a bay platform on the up side, and it is west facing, but track was lifted long ago, and various electrical cabinets now occupy the space. There is no space for a third track from Wareham to Worgret junction.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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You could argue there is a bay platform on the up side, and it is west facing, but track was lifted long ago, and various electrical cabinets now occupy the space. There is no space for a third track from Wareham to Worgret junction.

Oh Right, I thought that was where the Swanage Railway through trains used. I presume then they use the existing main line platforms then. That would make things more complicated.
 
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Oh Right, I thought that was where the Swanage Railway through trains used. I presume then they use the existing main line platforms then. That would make things more complicated.
Yes they used platform 2 (down line) whenever I used it.
 

Purbeckboy

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Yes they used platform 2 (down line) whenever I used it.
Long term there is the Goods sidings are still available once the Foot level crossing problem has been sorted. They could provide a run around for Steam services and a waiting area off the main line.
 

STEVIEBOY1

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Long term there is the Goods sidings are still available once the Foot level crossing problem has been sorted. They could provide a run around for Steam services and a waiting area off the main line.
Sounds a good idea, they did something like that at Whitby on the NYMR until they rebuilt their own platform there.
 
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