Swanage Branch - NR resignalling

[pinkpanther]

Looks like it's on, folks:

http://www.purbeckgazette.co.uk/news/info.aspx?f=240

Purbeck District Council has confirmed its support for the reconnection of Swanage to the mainline rail network.

Following last week's commitment by Dorset County Council to the £3 million project for the reconnection, the District Council today gave its support as part of the Purbeck Transportation Strategy. This now gives the assurance that funding is in place to commence re-signalling works.

This is great news indeed, as this means the green light for scheduled services between Swanage and Wareham without all that tedious mucking about with the ground frame at Motala.

The SR have already commited to running the service, so presumably (unless other more suitable stock is identified) this means that the collection of 1st gen DMUs (117s IIRC) DCC have scattered around the country are likely to end up in the refurb queue before too long.

 

[GearJammer]

The SR have already commited to running the service, so presumably (unless other more suitable stock is identified) this means that the collection of 1st gen DMUs (117s IIRC) DCC have scattered around the country are likely to end up in the refurb queue before too long.

I thought they were gonna use a push/pull crompton and a 4TC set? ........was kinda hoping they might scrap that idea and use an M7 and push pull coaches!

It is good news tho!

 

[Chris125]

I'd be intrigued to see where the Swanage Railway committed to running it; i was under the impression any such service would be undertaken by the council, presumably paying for the DMU's refurbishment and a subsidy to whoever operated it.

Chris

 

[pinkpanther]

I thought they were gonna use a push/pull crompton and a 4TC set? ........was kinda hoping they might scrap that idea and use an M7 and push pull coaches!

It is good news tho!

There's at least one big hole in your plan - the SR don't have any push-pull coaches in running condition! (though I'm sure if we did the crews would be very happy to run 53 up to Wareham if they could).

I'd be intrigued to see where the Swanage Railway committed to running it; i was under the impression any such service would be undertaken by the council, presumably paying for the DMU's refurbishment and a subsidy to whoever operated it.

Chris

Hi Chris,

IIRC there was something about it in a recent mailshot to SR members.

I'll have to see if I can find it to confirm the detail, but from my recollection after it became apparent that central funding was not going to be made available the SR made a revised proposal to DCC (and presumably PDC) which does not require an operating subsidy from them.

Although DCC own stock already (the aforementioned DMUs) I doubt they have any staff trained in rail operations (unless they're already volunteering with us...), so the service would almost certainly have been run by SR staff anyway.

 

[GearJammer]

There's at least one big hole in your plan - the SR don't have any push-pull coaches in running condition!

lol, the M7 bit was more wishfull thinking to be honest but don't the Swanage have a 4TC being restored somewhere, i thought it was going to be used for the Wareham job? Or will it only be on special occasions?

 

[pinkpanther]

lol, the M7 bit was more wishfull thinking to be honest but don't the Swanage have a 4TC being restored somewhere, i thought it was going to be used for the Wareham job? Or will it only be on special occasions?

I must admit I wasn't aware of one, but after I heard the same thing from one of the other volunteers when I was on the MPD yesterday I did a bit of searching, and it turns out that there is a Swanage 4-TC:

http://www.4tc.org.uk/413/

As it is currently at the MRC awaiting restoration, that explains why I haven't seen it. Well, well. Interesting indeed.

Another little thing to bear in mind is mind that when 33012 returns from overhaul at Eastleigh one of the two 33/1s may well leave the line. If 33103 returns to Barrow Hill, 33111 definitely isn't mainline certified so probably couldn't operate to Wareham anyway.

 

[Metroland]

One thing I was interested in with this scheme is this: Will the Swanage railway be running into it's own platform at Wareham and will the be an additional running line from Worgret Junction?

Obviously if SR trains are running on NR metals you have the need to fit TPWS etc, in which case if some stock is having that fitted, will the linespeed be lifted on the Swanage line?

NR tend to be very secretive with resignalling plans, so I assume this is tied up with some sort of abolition of Poole, Hamworthy, Wool and Wareham boxes and putting Westcad in Bournemouth or Dorchester?

 

[Ploughman]

Very doubtful that any change will be made to speeds on the Swanage line as these will be subject to the 25mph limit of the LRO.
Just like all other lines in the country with the exception of the GCR which has a limited speed increase if certain conditions are in place.

 

[pinkpanther]

One thing I was interested in with this scheme is this: Will the Swanage railway be running into it's own platform at Wareham and will the be an additional running line from Worgret Junction?

Obviously if SR trains are running on NR metals you have the need to fit TPWS etc, in which case if some stock is having that fitted, will the linespeed be lifted on the Swanage line?

NR tend to be very secretive with resignalling plans, so I assume this is tied up with some sort of abolition of Poole, Hamworthy, Wool and Wareham boxes and putting Westcad in Bournemouth or Dorchester?

As I understand it the most likely arrangement is to use one the existing down line and platform (I don't believe there is sufficient space for another running line, and in any case the bay platform on that side is now occupied by the station car park). Although the bay platform on the other side of the station could be brought back into use, that would then entail crossing both main running lines anyway.

Linespeed on the branch will likely remain at 25mph as per the current LRO.

AFAIK Wareham box is closing as part of the resignalling; I don't however know what (if any) the plans are for Poole, Hamworthy and Wool.

 

[MrC]

AFAIK Wareham box is closing as part of the resignalling; I don't however know what (if any) the plans are for Poole, Hamworthy and Wool.

Last we heard all boxes (incl. East Stoke crossing) between Bournemouth ASC and Dorchester South would be closing, with Dorchester also having some form of upgrade (but staying TCB). The boundary between Bournemouth ASC and Dorchester South would be somewhere London side of the Moreton-Dorchester single line.

 

[pinkpanther]

Last we heard all boxes (incl. East Stoke crossing) between Bournemouth ASC and Dorchester South would be closing, with Dorchester also having some form of upgrade (but staying TCB). The boundary between Bournemouth ASC and Dorchester South would be somewhere London side of the Moreton-Dorchester single line.

Thanks for the info.