'POCKET ROCKET' RETURNS HOME AFTER MAKING DORSET RAILWAY HISTORY - 11th July 2007
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News Item and Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 14th July 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.

To see the full set of photos of over 110 photos of the departure of BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76079 on Wednesday 11th July, please scroll to the bottom of the page.

By Andrew P.M. Wright

The steam locomotive that has made Dorset railway history by being the first to run from Wareham down to Corfe Castle and Swanage since the summer of 1967 has returned home - to the north of England.

BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 tender locomotive No. 76079 - built at Horwich in 1957 - is owned by Ian Riley & Co Ltd and has spent ten days on the Swanage Railway, being one of seven main line steam locomotives in operation celebrating the 40th anniversary of the end of steam on the Southern Region of British Railways.

Known as the 'Pocket Rocket' for its turn of speed and quick footedness, newly restored No. 76079 was the first steam locomotive to run from the main line at Wareham down to Corfe Castle and Swanage since Sunday 18th June, 1967.

After being one of the stars of the Swanage Railway's successful 'end of steam' gala, No. 76079 returned by rail to its base on the East Lancashire Railway on Wednesday, 11th July, 2007.

It departed Swanage station at 8am - reaching the Swanage Railway's boundary with Network Rail at Motala, between Norden and Furzebrook, around 8.30am.

The honour of signalling the first steam locomotive to run from Swanage to Corfe Castle and Wareham since Sunday, 18th June, 1967, fell to Roger Pleasant who was on duty in Swanage signalbox and Roger Denning at Corfe Castle.

The groundframe for the gated connection, which is composed of two catch points, was operated by Swanage Railway General Manager Nick Brown and Alan Greatbatch of Network Rail who each had their own staffs which unlocked the groundframe so that the points could be changed to the through running position.

It was only the fourth time that the newly installed connection - replacing the stopblock set up in early September, 1972 after the seven miles of track to Swanage had been lifted for scrap - had been used. The first time was in May of this year so that four main line diesel locomotives and a 4VEP electric 'push-pull' unit could travel to Swanage for its beer festival.

Swanage Railway Operations Manager Steve Dyer drove the locomotive from Swanage to Motala, with Graham Froud undertaking the firing. Onwards from the boundary with the national railway network at Motala, the driving and firing was taken over by a main line passed driver and fireman.

At a sedate 20 mph, No. 76079 - with its Mark Two support coach in tow - proceeded along the half mile straight from Motala to passed the closed rail served BP Wytch Farm gas terminal at Furzebrook before running down the bank past Creech Bottom and Holme Lane to the River Frome, a distance of almost three miles.

After a brief climb, No. 76079 effortlessly steamed off the branch at Worgret Junction and ran 'wrong line' on the 'down' line into Wareham station where the Standard Class 4 was held for some eight minutes.

At Wareham, there were goodbyes to the driver and fireman - as well as the support crew - from Swanage Railway staff and volunteers. Then, the colour light signal under the station footbridge turned to green and the Standard 4 was off, heading for home.

During her time on the Swanage Railway, the 'Pocket Rocket' drew many compliments from both Purbeck Line footplate staff and public alike for the high standard of restoration and its ease of driving and firing - like a finely oiled sewing machine with quite a punch to boot.

The BR Class 4 2-6-0 tender locomotives were a regular sight on the Swanage branch from the early 1960s - on freight duties, both ball clay from Furzebrook and Norden as well as general freights to Corfe Castle and Swanage.

But, the locomotives were also used to haul the branch passenger service as well as some through trains from Bournemouth and Eastleigh.

Indeed, it was BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76010 that hauled the very last steam hauled branch train from Swanage to Corfe Castle and Wareham on the evening of Sunday 4th September, 1966.

The driver was the legendary William 'Johnny' Walker of Bournemouth motive power depot and from the next day, the Monday, the branch service was in the hands of three-coach 'Hampshire' class DEMUs.

The last BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 tender locomotive to run between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage in BR days was Sunday, 7th May, 1967, when No. 76026 - a regular Swanage branch performer in previous years - took up the Wareham end of the LCGB 'Dorset Coast Express' for the first of two trips down the branch that wet and windy day.

Now forward 40 years to Wareham on Wednesday, July 11th, 2007. As the Standard 4 and its Mark Two support coach accelerated away eastwards into the distance - past the goods yard and round the curve out of sight towards Keysworth and Holton Heath - the station returned to its normal state of clean 'turn of a key' electric trains.

As the disembodied voice of the computerised service announcement heralded the arrival of the next train at Wareham, it was hard to believe that steam had visited the Swanage Railway by rail from the national network for the first time in 40 years.

Here is to the next time. One thing is for sure though, it we will not have to wait another 40 years to enjoy such a spectacle.

Footnote:
Around 3.30pm on Wednesday, 11th July, 2007, unrebuilt 'Battle of Britain' class Bulleid Pacific No. 34081 '92 Squadron' departed Swanage en route for home and the North Norfolk Railway - passing the service train at Corfe Castle station thanks to signalman Roger Denning.

The Bulleid was towed 'dead' to the Norden park and ride road/rail interchange, where a road transporter was already waiting, by Class 33 diesel-electric No. D6515 'Stan Symes'.

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To visit the other pages featuring Andrew P.M. Wright's photos of BR 4 2-6-0 No.76079 leaving the Swanage Railway on 11th July 2007, please follow these links.
- To visit the second page of photos please click here.
- To visit the third page of photos please click here.
- To visit the fourth page of photos please click here.

All photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright unless otherwise acknowledged.
Photos on these pages are low resolution versions.
Full resolution photos are available for media use

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Last updated 16th July 2007 by Keith Morgan.
© Swanage Railway