After an absence of over three years, the Swanage Railway have welcomed the return of a steam gala to their rails for the first time since the 2019 'Autumn Steam Gala'. As 2023 marks the 75th anniversary since the formation of British Railways during the nationalisation of 1948, the Swanage Railway would play host to a pair of visiting BR Standards for their 'Spring Steam Gala', held over the weekend of March 24th-26th.
The first locomotive to be built by British Railways to their own design, and therefore the pioneer of the BR Standards, 70000 "Britannia" made a welcome return to the Isle of Purbeck for the event, visiting courtesy of Locomotive Services Ltd. Joining "Britannia", 4MT - 76084 would make a visit to the Dorset branch line from its regular home of the North Norfolk Railway. To date, this is the furthest south the 4MT has made it during its preservation career. Running alongside the visiting duo, would be a trio of home-fleet locomotives. U Class - 31806 would be shouldered by the resident pair of Bulleid pacifics: 34028 "Eddystone" and 34070 "Manston", the latter looking wonderfully weathered.
For the duration of the gala, the railway worked passenger services beyond their usual limit of operations at Norden, going 'over the road' and onto the Wareham extension. Services would go as far as to the River Frome Viaduct, which serves as the current limit of SR metals. In order to acheive this, services from Swanage would gain a tail locomotive at Norden before before continuing west, due to the absence of a run around loop on the extension. Also woven into the timetable would be a demonstration freight service, consisting of a typical ballast set.
There is some fitting beauty in the pair of pacifics, 34070 "Manston" and 70000 "Britannia", rubbing shoulders for this event, given BR's 75th anniversary. "Manston", the final locomotive (and by extension, pacific) to be built by the Southern Railway before nationalisation. "Britannia", the first locomotive (and by similar extension, pacific) built after nationalisation by BR to their own design.
Locomotives:
Ex-SR 'Battle of Britain' Class - 34070 "Manston"
BR Standard Class 'Britannia' 7MT - 70000 "Britannia"
Ex-SR U Class - 31806
BR Standard Class 4MT - 76084
Ex-SR Rebuilt 'West Country' Class - 34028 "Eddystone"
All footage filmed on Friday the 24th, and Saturday the 25th, of March 2023.
25 мар 2023
