HISTORY FROM THE AIR - UNIQUE VIEWS OF THE FIRST LONDON TO SWANAGE STEAM TRAIN SINCE 1967 - 2nd May 2009

News Item and Photo Report from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 28th June 2009
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
Photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright.
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History is made on 2nd May 2009 as the first London to Swanage steam train since 1967 - hauled by Battle of Britain class Bulleid Pacific No 34067 Tangmere - enters the Swanage Branch from the main line at Worgret Junction.

By Andrew P.M. Wright

How on earth do you adequately and fully cover an important piece of railway history that you have been waiting to witness for almost 30 years - and which will only happen just once?

That was precisely the question that I asked myself after covering the first London to Swanage diesel train since January 1972 on Wednesday 1 April 2009.

While I had to concentrate on taking the all important stills photographs of the historic occasion to compile the definitive record - and luckily I had good friend and fellow Swanage Railway volunteer Frank Waddington to act as my driver between Wareham and Swanage so I could get the important shots - I also decided to cover that special charter train on broadcast quality Sony DV Cam video.

I managed to secure the services of four very experienced and hard-bitten regional and national TV news cameramen for the occasion - Steve Codling, Rick Child, Bob Stanyard and Mick Hopley. I was also helped by five other video cameramen, bringing the total number of cameras to eight, not to mention Swanage Railway director and volunteer Peter Sills who filmed on the train in both directions. There was also London TV news cameraman Andy Bell covering the departure from Victoria Station.

The results from the video coverage of the 1 April 2009 first diesel train from London to Swanage and return were so good that decided to add an extra element of video coverage to the all-important first steam train from London to Swanage and return since Sunday 18 June 1967, the month of the Arab-Israeli six day war.

Unique views of history being made on 2nd May 2009 as the first London to Swanage steam train since 1967 - hauled by Battle of Britain class Bulleid Pacific No 34067 Tangmere - moves down the Swanage Branch from the main line at Worgret Junction.

With streamlined unrebuilt Battle of Britain class Bulleid Pacific No. 34067 Tangmere to haul the train, I knew it would make a dramatic sight and sound that just had to be covered on video in addition to me covering the historic train with a stills camera.

But, I wanted to give the repeat of the 1 April 2009 first diesel through train video coverage a special twist.

So as well as three veteran TV news cameramen - Steve Codling, Rick Child and Mick Hopley - covering the occasion along with Roger Hardingham, and Peter Sills again filming on board the train, I also decided to secure the services of a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter and put veteran news and aerial cameraman Bob Stanyard on board.

Deputy chief pilot Shaun Byam of Fast Helicopters with the Bell Jet Ranger helicopter.

Thanks to Fast Helicopters, based at Thruxton airfield in Hampshire, and its operations manager Andy Pickervance, Bell Jet Ranger G-BXKL arrived at the landing site near Worgret Junction - thanks to local farmer Andy Baggs - just after 11am on Saturday 2 May 2009.

As I had to be photographing the train between Wareham and Swanage from the ground - thanks again to my chaffeur Frank Waddington, a Swanage Railway volunteer since the late 1970s - I had to find someone to take stills from the helicopter using my second back-up Canon digital single lens reflex camera.

Like myself, professional photographer Peter Sills could not be in two places at once so the stills photographer mantle fell to a good friend of mine who helped relay the Swanage Railway's tracks from Harman's Cross to Network Rail at Motala between 1987 and 2002.

Swanage Railway volunteer cameraman Barry Light

Swanage Railway volunteer fireman and leading light - no pun intended - in the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum Group, Barry Light had never flown in a helicopter before and he was not used to operating a camera either.

But, after my giving him a two-hour crash course in photography, Barry was up for the challenge of photographing the first steam train from London to Swanage from the air - and the impressive results do not give any clue as to Barry's lack of experience with a camera. He learns very quickly.

Barry would be sat in the front of the helicopter next to Fast Helicopters' deputy chief pilot Shaun Byam while Bob Stanyard - equipped with his Sony DV Cam camera and monitor - was sat in the back seat. To ensure that the best photographs and video footage was obtained, both doors on Barry's and Bob's side were taken off the helicopter.

The Bell Jet Ranger helicopter with veteran news and aerial cameraman Bob Stanyard at the rear doorway, and Swanage Railway volunteer Barry Light in the front seat on 2nd May 2009. Photo David Pearson.

Used to low level aerial filming and photography, Fast Helicopters operations manager Andy Pickervance obtained special permission from the Civil Aviation Authority for the gas turbine Bell Jet Ranger - a classic design dating from the mid-1960s and an excellent filming and photographic aerial platform - to fly low over and next to the steam train.

To ensure safety, Barry wore not only his helicopter safety belt but also a safety line so he didn't fall out of the Bell Jet Ranger when it did a banking turn. And in the back of the helicopter, Bob also wore his safety belt as well as a special safety line. There was also a safety line connecting Bob's heavy Sony DV Cam video camera.

Sadly, the flight was cut short just ten minutes and one and a half miles into the ten mile flight when an engine warning light and audio alarm went off in the Bell Jet Ranger just as Tangmere was tackling the 1 in 78 gradient between Holme Lane bridge and Creech Bottom - on its way to Furzebrook and the start of the Swanage Railway at Motala.

The first London to Swanage steam train since 1967 - hauled by Battle of Britain class Bulleid Pacific No 34067 Tangmere - on its way to Furzebrook and the start of the Swanage Railway at Motala.

For obvious safety reasons, the pilot immediately flew the helicopter back to the landing field at Worgret where it turned out that a £5,000 engine safety sensor unit had failed. The engine had been fine but when it's only the engine that's keeping you in the air, you cannot afford to take any chances!

Barry, Bob and Shaun were understandibly disappointed about the truncated flight because the weather conditions - full sun, clear blue sky and a good head wind for the helicopter - had been perfect for a photographic and filming flight. But, Barry and Bob had managed to obtain some excellent results.

Corfe Castle railway station seen from the air on 2nd May 2009.

All three knew that there was another chance to capture history from the air just two days later - on Bank Holiday Monday 4 May 2009 - when Tangmere was set to haul the first steam train from Swanage to London since Sunday 18 June 1967.

Thanks to Barry Light, news cameraman Bob Stanyard and deputy chief pilot Shaun Byam of Fast Helicopters for all their help and skill. The results that they managed to produce were certainly worth all the planning, effort and expense.

That is how you adequately and fully cover an important piece of railway history that you have been waiting to witness for almost 30 years - and which will only happen just once!

To see the full set of photos from 2nd May, please scroll down the page.