Swanage Diesel Gala 8-10th May 2009

[nippy1975]

Superb day out. I was there on the Friday! Many thanks to all involved in putting it together. Here's to next year.

http://www.james-hillman.fotopic.net/c1694949.html

Please take a look!

[Nathan]

Has been a great event so far. Well done to all

[D8069]

I could only attend the Saturday, but would like to say a very big thank you to all the team at Swanage for putting on such a show. I'd forgotten what a beautiful part of the world Dorset is, and will definitely be back again.

One thing that would be a huge bonus on gala days, especially with an intensive timetable like the one in operation this weekend would be a footbridge at Harmans Cross... I fully understand the need for slick working at the passing loops, but the ability to make a +3 there without bursting something on the sprint from Up to Down side would really be appreciated

[Hellooldchap]

...One thing that would be a huge bonus on gala days, especially with an intensive timetable like the one in operation this weekend would be a footbridge at Harmans Cross... I fully understand the need for slick working at the passing loops, but the ability to make a +3 there without bursting something on the sprint from Up to Down side would really be appreciated

That made up my daily fitness- twice I managed it!

Shame the 33 couldn't have been uptarped for pictures. Some good gradients on that line- what is the steepest?

[The very revd Flo]

.

[DorsetLad]

Brilliant event, many thanks to the organisers, really appreciated the diesel lineup.
Thanks also to those who came down here, nice to see so many visitors!!!!!

[D5621]

Awesome; finally we get a 31 at Swanage and she didn't disappoint! Nice chance to meet up with the roadshow on my doorstep too.

Many thanks for all involved.

And Rebecca still thinks Peaks are cute and now reckons the Deltic is too. I need to have words.

[D18-25]

Another excellent event down at Swanage. I was so busy enjoying the traction, I didn't have time to visit the beer tent!

Thanks to all those involved in organising and running the event. The numbers attending looked good. I hope they met expectations.

Over the years I've been able to experience haulage from the following classes down at Swanage - 07, 08, 14, 20, 25, 26, 27, 31, 33, 37, 45, 47, 50, 52, 55, 66 and 73. Here's looking forward to 2010 and hoping I'll be able to fill in one or two gaps in this list.

[DorsetLad]

More piccies now on the Swanage Railway website:

http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/news525.htm

Question is, how can any event so good be improved on.......

[33201]

A hellfire weekend down there as per usual, some quality thrash from 26007 on Saturday & Sunday .
Was nice to hear a noisy peak as well !!
Plenty of beer consumed both in the tent & in Swanage town

A bloody big WELL DONE TEAM SWANAGE

[31403]

Superb weekend,thanks to all who made the event happen and cheers for your hospitality.
The evening gatherings in the Red Lion were excellent,especially sunday night/monday morning!

[Captain M]

Another highly enjoyable, excellently organised event, blessed with fine weather once again. What more could one ask for! Many thanks to all involved. And what with the Peak and 31 still at Swanage and in service next Saturday (the 45) and Sunday (the 31), it isn't quite all over yet.

[Muffy]

Another highly enjoyable, excellently organised event, blessed with fine weather once again. What more could one ask for! Many thanks to all involved. And what with the Peak and 31 still at Swanage and in service next Saturday (the 45) and Sunday (the 31), it isn't quite all over yet.

And please remember your full name to the signature as per forum rules.

[deltic 22]

Well, I attended all three days & personnally, I thought the gala was absolute rubbish! .......Oops, sorry, I was just composing my review of the forthcoming Mad Hants Diesel Guffaw & got confused!

The Swanage bash was of course....

FAN BLOODY TASTIC!!!!!

[Buzby]

As the organising team are still in a darkened room with obligatory ice packs may I, on their behalf, say a very big THANK YOU to the thousands who attended
Trying to get some idea of how well the weekend went but believe it may have been the best ever.
The arrival of locos later than planned held up early services on Friday, and a temporary electrical problem with the 26 lost us a couple of trains I think, but elsewhere I believe our schedules held up well. I hope no one was inconvenienced by late running.
Another apology - we ran out of volunteers to 'man' the Brake Van rides [The 08 rostered Driver was really P****d Off !]. We're banging the drum for more volunteers. We needed over 40 each day purely to operate trains and then we needed more for the Beer Tent, etc.
As one of the Conductor Drivers it's always something special - not knowing which locos you'll be on until fairly close to the event.
Finally - answers to some questions .....
D8069 - We have two footbridges in store [ex-Croydon Tramlink retrieval] but either will need lengthening to widen their spans. The costs of this are substantial as we found with the bridge installed by us at Corfe Castle.
Hellooldchap - The steepest gradient on our line is 1 in 76 from the A351 road bridge at New Barn going up to Harmans Cross Station. [Something between 3/4 and 1 Mile long from memory].

[M.R.Bells]

Ladies, gents and Zontar.
Thanks for coming and thanks for your kind comments.

Appologies for the late running on the Friday.
Due to the guests arriving in Swanage just after 0100 we did not have time to shunt and put the loco's in the right position until later in the morning.
We started at 40+ late and we had worked it down to 15 minutes late and then the 26 decided not to play ball.
In the end i knocked out a Corfe - Harmans service leg, Harmans - Norden and a Norden to Corfe service leg.

Was good to meet some new faces....Yes Sunday evening in the Lion Rouge was a good way to round the weekend off.

As for next year...we have some ideas to raise the bar etc but all I would ask is that if you enjoyed last weekend pencil in Fri - Sunday 7/8 and 9 May 2010.

51 weeks and 2 days to go..........

Steve

[Captain M]

31108, 45060, 33103 and 55022 (heading the convoy) observed between Parkstone and Branksome at around 10.15 this morning (Monday). Does anyone know where "Swordfish" was destined? I had assumed it was remaining on the Swanage Railway until the return of 33012 from overhaul at Eastleigh.

[7lda]

33103 is an exhibit at Eastleigh 100. It will return to Swanage after the ZG event.

[Captain M]

Thanks for the info.

[Hydraulic_Beasts]

Sorry it took so long to post this.....

But many thanks to all the organisers and hard working staff at this event. Mrs Hydraulic Beast and I; thoroughly enjoyed it; and we've already pencilled in next years event

We could only make the Saturday; but what a fantastic day it was; we had a great camp site at Norden Farm; just a 10 min walk to Norden station; so no need to pay the car park rates on the day

My pics of the day are up on http://www.myspace.com/my_preserved_diesels with a full account of the day on my blog there

The event can be summed up in one word 'HELLFIRE'

[55 022]

And yet another Grand Do!! Thanks to all at Swanage for their superb hospitality and friendliness, bloody long way for us with RSG, but a truly enjoyable event. Be nice to return some time.....

[Buzby]

Many thanks for the compliments [Sorry for the long journey involved.]

I'm sure you will be invited for a repeat visit ( we've had many requests ).
May not be 2010, but a return will be most welcome