Swanage Railway News Gallery

Swanage Railway News Gallery - Page 390

PREPARATION FOR PURBECK’S ANNUAL GRAND STEAM GALA & CLASSIC TRANSPORT RALLY - 7th to 9th September 2007

News Item and Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 5th Sept 2007
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
Photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright unless otherwise acknowledged.
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Locomotive preparation at Swanage on 5th Sept 2007 - Photograph copyright Andrew P.M. Wright

Swanage Railway's resident LSWR M7 0-4-4 tank No. 30053 at Swanage loco shed and turntable ready for its starring role in the 2007 steam gala.

For full visitor information for the Grand Steam Gala and Classic Transport Rally 7th-9th Sept 2007, click here

Swanage Railway’s Grand Steam Gala and Classic Transport Rally takes to the Purbeck Line from Friday to Sunday, September 7th to 9th, 2007.

As well as an intensive timetable of steam trains – and steam trains running on the Friday and Saturday evenings with a bar car – the annual event includes a classic transport rally at Harman’s Cross station, organised by the Bournemouth and Poole Preservation Club, as well as model railway displays.

Proceeds from the annual event staged by dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers are going towards the continuing development of the Purbeck Line which has been rebuilt from nothing since 1976 – including the aim of bringing back trains between Wareham and Swanage which ended in 1972 when the branch line was closed and lifted.

Full-time Swanage Railway locomotive department engineering staff Oliver Furnell (left) and Graham Froud (right) checking and preparing Standard Class 4 Tank No. 80104, built at Brighton in 1955, at Swanage for its starring role in the 2007 steam gala weekend 7th-9th September.

Three of the Swanage Railway’s resident steam locomotives – dating from 1905 to 1955 – will be in action during the Grand Steam Gala and Classic Transport Rally, hauling an intensive train service between Norden park and ride, Corfe Castle, Harman’s Cross, Herston and Swanage. Unfortunately, Ex-BR Standard class 4 No. 80078 will not be able to appear due to failure.

Branch Line Weekend at Swanage Railway on 31st March and 1st April 2007 - Photograph copyright Andrew P.M. Wright

Ex-BR Standard class 4 number 80104 seen at Harman's Cross will be starring in the Swanage Railway’s Grand Steam Gala and Classic Transport Rally from Friday to Sunday, September 7th to 9th, 2007.

The locos will include Ex-BR Standard class 4 No. 80104, LSWR M7 0-4-4 tank No. 30053 and ex-GWR Taffy Tank No. 6695 which arrived at a fledgling Swanage Railway from the Barry scrapyard in South Wales in the summer of 1979.

6695 at Swanage February 2007 - Photograph copyright Andrew P.M. Wright

Locomotive No. 6695 at Corfe Castle on the Swanage Railway 17th February, 2007.

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 details of the event are available from our dedicated information page here.

All photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright unless otherwise acknowledged.
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