Swanage Railway Incident

[Chris116]

I was very sorry to see that the Swanage railway have had to stop running steam services. I understand that two steam locomotives had a coming together which will require repairs that will take a few days. My best wishes to all the staff and volunteers of a line that I have always enjoyed my trips to.

[gwrrob]

More details here http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/news/detail/diesel-trains-replace-steam-after-two-locomotives-collide

[Oldddudders]

So this in now the third mishap on preserved railways of one form or other in under 3 weeks, with the missing toilet floor on the SDR, the train splitting on the LLangollen Railway and now this.

But with such a cornucopia of presreved lines in the UK, now heading into high season, this is the peak risk period. Make no mistake, despite the largely volunteer workforce and the essentially 'friendly' and relaxed atmosphere we all enjoy, preserved railways are still required to meet all sorts of legislative and safety requirements. The fact that each of the incidents you mention has become public knowledge is surely a positive indicator of their concern for safety. Things are not being 'hushed up'.

 

There is no trend in these events. They are unconnected and isolated. Let's not try to suggest otherwise.

[avonside1563]

Accidents happen on even the best run railways, it is unfortunate that there seems to be a spate of incidents but that is often the nature of the beast. At least the incidents have all been free from injury.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Fortunately it appears that there were no injuries, hopefully the damage to the locos will not be too serious and they will be back in traffic soon.

Minor shunting mishaps in sheds and yards were common in BR times. I was working at Saltley in 1967 for 6 months on a district that covered Washwood Heat yard. There were over 100 incidents during that time and that's only the ones that the S&T found out about.

[Rivercider]

As has been said incidents of one sort or another are always likely to happen at some point, I remember a variety of different incidents

when I spent 18 months as an operations clerk in the early 1990s for Trainload Freight. 

What is important is how the incidents are followed up, lessons learned, training improved, equipment changed, method of work altered, etc,

rather than trying to hush things up,

 

cheers 

[Bert Cheese]

Fortunately it appears that there were no injuries, hopefully the damage to the locos will not be too serious and they will be back in traffic soon.

Minor shunting mishaps in sheds and yards were common in BR times. I was working at Saltley in 1967 for 6 months on a district that covered Washwood Heat yard. There were over 100 incidents during that time and that's only the ones that the S&T found out about.

Indeed so...a quick search will find loads of evidence of minor prangs which seemed fairly routine.

One of the best that springs to mind is a B&W shot of a derailed 47500 Great Western tilted over after splitting some points...the crew posing with massive grins on their faces for the camera!

[PrestburyJack]

I was very sorry to see that the Swanage railway have had to stop running steam services. I understand that two steam locomotives had a coming together which will require repairs that will take a few days. My best wishes to all the staff and volunteers of a line that I have always enjoyed my trips to.

 

Have steam services been restored - I can't see anything on the Swanage website relating to this incident any more, so presumably damage was minor and the locomotives are back running again?

[PaulRhB]

Yes the M7 and T9 are in service, I'm afraid the damage to Manston wasn't minor as the frames are bent so it's got to be overhauled. I don't know the extent of the damage to the Std tank.

[Red Fox]

When I visited on Wednesday only the U Class was in service. 33111 was operating the other Swanage-Norden services and 33025 and D6515 were top and tailing on the Swanage-Wareham services.

 

The T9 was on Swanage Shed turntable receiving some attention and the M7 was sat out of service further down in the sidings along with Manston and a West Coast Railways 37.

 

The Standard Tank was parked up near Swanage Station with a buffer missing and its pony truck detached and sat next to the fence, see picture

 

[john new]

When I visited on Wednesday only the U Class was in service. 33111 was operating the other Swanage-Norden services and 33025 and D6515 were top and tailing on the Swanage-Wareham services.

 

The T9 was on Swanage Shed turntable receiving some attention and the M7 was sat out of service further down in the sidings along with Manston and a West Coast Railways 37.

 

The Standard Tank was parked up near Swanage Station with a buffer missing and its pony truck detached and sat next to the fence, see picture

 

standard 090817.jpg

Now edited - I'd guessed the standard was in the naughty corner but it is actually in the sick bay (see follow up post from PaulRhB following) Edited August 11, 2017 by john new

[PaulRhB]

It was Manston that was moving the standard was on still on shed. I guess as the M7 was due work they want to get the standard back fast if they can.

[Dorsetmike]

I heard yesterday eveninng that the T9 may have a cracked cylinder, 31806 is sharing Swanage>Norden services with diesels weekdays, weekends the M7 and 31806. As the M7 approaches ticket expiry  they are not using it as much, hoping it keeps going until the Gala weekend.