RARE LOCOMOTIVE TO RETURN TO PURBECK AFTER 40 YEARS TO STAR IN 1967 END OF SOUTHERN STEAM CELEBRATIONS
7th-9th July 2007

News Item and Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 14th June 2007
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
Photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright unless otherwise acknowledged.
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.

Full visitor information for the 40th Anniversary event 7th-9th July 2007, click here

A rare class of steam locomotive not seen in Purbeck since the summer of 1967 is to return to Swanage and star in gala celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the end of steam trains running in southern England.

It was on Sunday, 9th July, 1967 – during the psychedelic ‘summer of love’ and the height of the Beatles – that the last steam trains ran on the main line between London Waterloo and Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth.

From the following day, Monday, 10th July, 1967, the service was replaced with ‘push-pull’ electric trains between London and Bournemouth and ‘push-pull’ diesel trains between Bournemouth and Weymouth.

Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers are marking the 40th anniversary of the end of steam trains in southern England with a special gala on the relaid Purbeck Line between Saturday and Monday, 7th and 9th July, 2007, inclusive.

Seven steam locomotives dating from the Edwardian period, the 1940s and the 1950s will be operating an intensive train service between Norden park and ride, Corfe Castle, Harman’s Cross, Herston and Swanage.

The three-day event will include two historic railway firsts – the first time since Sunday, 7th May, 1967, that a BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 wheel arrangement tender locomotive in the form of No. 76079 has run between Corfe Castle and Swanage – and the first time ever that a BR Standard Class 5 4-6-0 tender locomotive in the form of No. 73129 has run in the Isle of Purbeck.

Visiting Swanage for the special celebrations will be ex-BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 tender locomotive No. 76079 courtesy of Riley and Son, Caprotti Standard Class 5 4-6-0 tender locomotive No. 73129 from the Midland Railway Centre and Second World War USA ‘Yankee Tank’-look-alike No. 30075 from the East Somerset Railway.

The end of southern steam gala will also feature a mighty 1940s Bulleid Pacific in the form of ‘Battle of Britain’ class Bulleid Pacific No. 34081 ’92 Squadron’ which is visiting the Isle of Purbeck from the North Norfolk Railway.

Swanage Railway General Manager Nick Brown explained: “It is hoped that one of the visiting locomotives will be coming into Purbeck by rail via our new permanent connection with Network Rail between Furzebrook and Norden.

“If that historic event does happen, it will be the first time since Sunday, 18th June, 1967 – when the Arab-Israeli six-day war and the Beatles’ new ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album was in the headlines – that a steam locomotive has run on the line from Wareham to Swanage,” he explained.

The resident Swanage Railway steam locomotives operating during the three-day gala celebrations will be two ex-BR Standard Class 4 tanks No. 80078 and No. 80104 – built at Brighton in 1954 and 1955 respectively. They will be joined by Swanage-based Dugald Drummond M7 tank No. 30053 designed in 1897 and built at Nine Elms in London during 1905.

Nick Brown explained: “This will be a very nostalgic event with the public having the chance to delight in seven steam locomotives doing what they were designed and built for – hauling passenger trains. There will also be a special ‘Wessex Belle’ luxury dining train running on the Saturday evening.

“After the final steam trains rolled into Weymouth and London on Sunday 9th July, 1967, the locomotives were sent to scrapyards for cutting up and no-one ever thought that steam trains would permanently return to Dorset in the form of the Swanage Railway some 13 years later in 1980.

“On Friday and Saturday evenings of the celebration gala event, bar facilities will be available on all the steam trains. The 40-minute train timetable on the Saturday and Sunday will be supplemented by additional trains with varying steam locomotive permutations throughout the day,” explained Mr Brown.

One-day rover tickets for unlimited day and evening travel are £15 for adults with concessions £10 while evening rover tickets for unlimited travel after 5pm are £4 for adults and £3 for concessions.

Full visitor information for the 40th Anniversary event 7th-9th July 2007, click here