Long trains at Swanage

[Harry]

I’m enjoying a few days in Swanage and have spent most of the time platform side or travelling to and from Corfe Castle!

 

But I am puzzled how trains of longer than 5 or 6 coaches would have been handled when they arrived at Swanage. I have seen photos of summer specials of 10 coaches but the platform can only handle 5 or maybe 6 if the engine doesn’t use the space to run around. Would the bay have been used?

 

I’d be most interested if anyone knows how this was managed - and still is on occasion!

 

Thanks with interest,

[RFS]

I would have thought one engine would have brought the train in, and another then took the train out again - no need to run round.

 

There was an end of steam special on 18th June 1967 that went down the branch and back behind 34089, but had a second engine (4MT 80146) on the back to lead the whole train out again. Picture here - https://www.heritagerailway.co.uk/swanage-marks-50-years-since-last-br-steam-train/

Edited July 27, 2018 by RFS

[Harry]

Yes, there’s a few posts (one on here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97166-tender-locos-at-swanage-too-big-to-turn-so-how-was-this-handled/)about the engine movements and how they turned etc but I meant more about the coaches and passengers as only 5 of the 10 coaches would fit alongside the platform with the rear 5 projecting beyond the platform and back under the bridge.

 

So did passengers just have to walk through and disembark from the front 5 or was the train split so there were 6 in the main platform and 4 in the bay or was there a different solution?!

[Wild Boar Fell]

Yes, there’s a few posts (one on here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/97166-tender-locos-at-swanage-too-big-to-turn-so-how-was-this-handled/)about the engine movements and how they turned etc but I meant more about the coaches and passengers as only 5 of the 10 coaches would fit alongside the platform with the rear 5 projecting beyond the platform and back under the bridge.

 

So did passengers just have to walk through and disembark from the front 5 or was the train split so there were 6 in the main platform and 4 in the bay or was there a different solution?!

 

Can't say about it historically, but I believe that was the case when this charter visited last year, regular services used one platform and the charter (in full) in the other. A bit of walking involved.

[PaulRhB]

In BR days they berthed the coaches in the goods yard, shunt releasing the Pacific, which had run down tender first after a loco swap at Bournemouth, with a branch loco.

More in this topic

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/96022-light-pacifics-on-the-swanage-branch/