On the 9th July 1967 the final fires were dropped and Merchant Navy No.35030 'Elder Dempster Lines' hauled the last steam hauled passenger train on the Southern region.
56 years later No.35018 'British India Line' had the honour of commemorating the anniversary, heading from London Victoria to Yeovil Junction, before returning from Weymouth to London Waterloo.
Our chase of this tour commenced at Farnborough.
Being booked to work down the fast line through the station, we set up to capture the spectacle.
Running around 15 minutes late, it was unfortunately moved over to the slow lines at Brookwood, allowing the chasing express to overtake.
As it happened, the express overtook at Farnborough and gave a nice comparison in the generations of motive power on the route.
Getting ahead, we next see BIL charging up Grateley bank, with some assistance to make up some time.
Finally we see the locomotive roaring through Sherborne on the up line, as approaches Yeovil Junction for servicing and turning.
For the return we headed to the Bincombe tunnels near the top of Upwey bank, where firstly 35018 is seen running light engine down to Weymouth, before we see and hear it making a great charge of the gradient, unassisted.
With the water stop at Eastleigh, we managed to get another shot, as it heads out of Southampton at St Deny's, catching up with the stopper ahead.
Having topped up at Eastleigh, we see it depart and head off to its next stop at Basingstoke.
Our last shot of the day say BIL back on the fast line at Potbridge, as it catches the last of setting sun.
9 июл 2023
