Last updated: 15 January 2002
References:
BR Operating History SR Part 3 Wessex Working Timetable 1954
Railway Modeller January 1971 Working Timetable Swanage Branch Summer 1956
Passenger Services Timetable 17th June to 15th September 1957
Working Timetable of Passenger Trains 16th September 1957, until further notice
Passenger Services Timetable 12th June to 10th September 1961
The following table is based on train workings at Swanage in 1954 as described in BR Operating History SR Part 3
Wessex published by Xpress Publishing. Workings up to 1961 have been superimposed to provide more intensive services
and to show the changes over that period.
There are many outstanding questions and hypotheses indicated in italics. I would welcome further input on these or any other comments. Please send comments to John Walker (see bottom of page).
Main - platform 1
Bay - siding 1; goods shed - siding 2 ...
Where were push pull coaches and Waterloo coaches berthed overnight? I have pictures of the Royal Wessex coaches in the bay. Did they remain there overnight?
How Waterloo coaches detached from push pulls? I have assumed the train from Wareham would arrive in the main platform
with the Waterloo coaches on the Wareham end, then:
- M7 and pushpull push Waterloo coaches in front of signal box
- M7 and pushpull detach and set back into main platform
- M7 and pushpull run round Waterloo coaches
- M7 and pushpull push Waterloo coaches into main platform, or bay platform, or couple up and transfer to siding 3, 4 or 5
How did the goods run round? I have assumed the goods would arrive in front of signal box then:
- if goods does not fit in loop excess wagons pushed in to headshunt
- loco runs round wagons using loop from double slip to crossover in front of engine shed
- wagons shunted into yard
- similarly any remaining wagons in headshunt run round and shunted into yard
At what point in shunting did goods loco visit turntable?
How often did push pull locos need to visit shed? Presumably they uncoupled from coaches?
Did T9 from Salisbury stay on shed all day?
At start of day:
Shed - M7 (ex BM408) SWA421
Siding 2 (bay),3,4,5 - 2 coaches (ex 1030 Waterloo), 2 coaches (ex 1635 Waterloo), 2 Royal Wessex (ex 1830 Waterloo) + Pushpull (ex PP2) PP3
Bogie coaches were not allowed in siding 6.