257 SQUADRON AT THE GREAT DORSET STEAM FAIR 2004 - PREPARATION

Photo Report from Andrew P.M. Wright
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
Photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright. To view a larger version of any photograph on this page, just click on the thumbnail photograph and subsequently use the Back button on your browser to return to this page.

Swanage Railway volunteers and the Great Dorset Steam Fair made history on Tuesday, 24th August, 2004, when a huge leviathan of steam - a 128 ton steam locomotive - visited the popular annual event north of Blandford.

In preparation for the first leg of the journey from Swanage to Norden on the Swanage Railway it was first necessary to reconnect the tender to the locomotive. This enabled the Swanage Railway's Class 08 Diesel Shunter to tow the locomotive to the road/rail interchange at Norden as a single unit. The photos of 257 Squadron being prepared and split from tender etc were taken on Sunday 22nd August, 2004.

For a selection of photographs on the preparation of 257 Squadron for the journey, please scroll down this page. For a series of Photo Reports and Press Release covering this historic event, please visit the following pages, either from the News Page or by clicking on these links:
Press Release - Preparation (This page) - By Rail to Norden - Road Trip - Arrival - On Show