CLASS 33 LOCOMOTIVE No. 33 111 RETURNS TO SWANAGE - FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1971!

Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 12th June 2008
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
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Sulzer-engined Class 33 No. 33 111 arrives at Swanage station for the first time in 36 years on 9th June 2008

The last Class 33 ‘push-pull’ diesel locomotive to haul a passenger train down to Swanage during the final summer of the doomed British Rail branch line has returned to the terminal station - 36 years later.

And this Friday evening, 13 June, 2008 - as well as on Saturday and Sunday, 14 and 15 June, 2008 - there is the chance to ride behind the newly restored locomotive which is resplendent in its BR blue livery with yellow ends.

Sulzer-engined Class 33 No. 33 111 will be replacing the diesel multiple unit (DMU) service on the Friday evening as well as the daytime second path service on the Saturday and Sunday between Norden park and ride, Corfe Castle, Harman’s Cross, Herston and Swanage.

No. 33 111 has come to the end of a meticulous 15-year restoration that has cost almost £100,000 and its visit to the Swanage Railway will see it undertake commissioning trials, technical checks and running in work.

The freshly restored Class 33 No. 33 111 arrives at Norden station on 9th June 2008

It was on 18 September, 1971, that Class 33 No. D6528 - in its BR blue livery with yellow ends - hauled the ‘Dorset Venturer’ rail tour with 4-TC carriage set No. 414 in tow. It pushed the 4-TC set down to Corfe Castle and Swanage before pulling it back to Wareham.

Leaving Bournemouth Central station at 9.40am, the rail tour also visited the Hamworthy branch, the ‘Old Road’ Castleman’s Corkscrew stub to Wimborne and West Moors as well as Maiden Newton which was the start of the Bridport branch.

On board as a youngster was Swanage Railway Trust Council of Management member Peter Sills of Wareham who is also the chairman of the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum Group.

Back in September, 1971 - the year of decimalisation and the end of good old fashioned pounds, shillings and pence - Peter was a 12-year old living in Wareham and going to school in Bournemouth by train; often behind No. D6528!

Although he was not to know it until more than 35 years later, one of young Peter's teachers was the late mother of Swanage Railway official photographer and press officer Andrew P.M. Wright. Now that is an amazing co-incidence.

Thirty-six years on from that 'Dorset Venturer' arrival at Swanage back in September 1971, just after 6.30pm on Monday 9 June, 2008, No. D6528 - now carrying the British Rail TOPS number 33 111 from the early 1970s - ran into the main platform at Swanage and under the long 1938 glass canopy.

Class 33 No. 33 111 passes the new distant signal outside Swanage station and runs into the main platform at Swanage and under the long 1938 glass canopy on 9th June 2008

Accompanying No. 33 111 on its journey from Norden down to Swanage on that sunny and warm evening was non-‘push-pull’ equipped Class 33 No. D6515 ‘Stan Symes’ which is owned by the 71A Group and based on the Swanage Railway.

D6515 had run from Swanage up to Norden park and ride station during the late afternoon that day after No. 33 111 had arrived at the road/rail interchange from its base at Barrow Hill in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, on a low-loader road transporter.

D6515 ‘Stan Symes’ being coupled to No. 33 111 for its first run to Swanage since 1971 was very apt because back in January, 1993, No. D6515 hauled No. 33 111 from Eastleigh to St Leonard’s in Kent where the locomotive had work carried out on it at the start of No. 33 111’s new life in preservation.

D6515 ‘Stan Symes’ (left) with freshly restored No. 33 111 for its first run to Swanage at Norden on 9th June 2008

Fresh out of traffic, No. 33 111 had been purchased for just a few thousand pounds - its scrap value - by the 33/1 Preservation Company Limited which is now based at the ex-BR Midland Region roundhouse engine shed at Barrow Hill.

Class 33/1 No. D6528 - British Rail TOPS number 33 111 - was built in 1960 at the Birmingham Railway and Carriage and Wagon Works, a site that is now a housing estate.

Resplendent in its green livery, the locomotive was delivered new to Hither Green and during the winter of 1962/1963 No. D6528 was part of the first batch of Class 33 locomotives to be delivered to Eastleigh depot in Hampshire. From this date, it is highly likely that No. D6528 hauled through London trains down to Corfe Castle and Swanage

In early 1967, the locomotive was converted for ‘push-pull’ working at Eastleigh Works in Hampshire.

D6515 ‘Stan Symes’ and No. 33 111 pass through Corfe Castle station en route to Swanage on 9th June 2008

From Monday 10 July, 1967, No. 33 111 hauled the new 4-TC and 3-TC ‘push-pull’ carriage stock between Bournemouth and Weymouth in connection with the final stage of the electrification of the London to Bournemouth line and the elimination of steam traction.

After the ‘push-pull’ Class 33s and their 4-TC carriage stock were ousted with the Bournemouth to Weymouth electrification and the arrival of the Class 442 ‘Wessex Electrics’, No. 33 111 was moved to Westbury in Wiltshire. There, it was used to haul weekend permanent way and other infrastructure trains - duties it carried out until withdrawn from traffic in 1991.

For the technically minded, No 33 111 weighs 76 tons, it is 50 feet nine inches long over the buffers and nine feet three inches wide over the cab handrails. The locomotive produces 1,550 brake horsepower and has a tractive effort of up to 45,000 lbs.

The meticulous restoration of No. 33 111 has taken some 15 years and cost almost £100,000. The work has included a fully overhauled power unit, a full bodywork overhaul, overhauled traction motors and generator as well as a full rewire.

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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 12th June 2008 © Swanage Railway