PREPARATIONS FOR THE RETURN OF EX-SWT DIESEL 'BUBBLE CAR' No W55028 TO THE SWANAGE RAILWAY FOLLOWING OVERHAUL AT RAMPARTS, DERBY

Photo Report from Nathan Au - dated 22nd July 2009
Photographs on this page are copyright Nathan Au
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Ex-SWT 'Bubble Car' No W55028 at Norden after being unloaded from the road transporter on 22nd July 2009.

Swanage Railway supporter and volunteer Nathan Au has supplied several photos showing the work at Norden in preparation for the arrival of ex-SWT BR class 121 'Bubble Car' No W55028 as it returns to Swanage from Ramparts, Derby, where it was overhauled and repainted.

To see a separate photo report on the journey from Norden to Swanage via Corfe Catle from Andrew P.M. Wright, please click here.

Nathan writes:

The Bubble Car diesel locomotive had initially arrived at Swanage in March 2009 and entered service very briefly before being moved to Ramparts at Derby for overhaul and repainting into Southern colours.

I was fortunate to be working at Norden on Wednesday 22nd July where the Bubble Car was due to arrive by road later in the day.

There were some shunting preparations beforehand to clear the pad to allow the Bubble Car to be offloaded from the road transporter.

Ex-SWT 'Bubble Car' No W55028 is removed from the road trailer onto the loading pad at Norden on 22nd July 2009.

I've attached some photos which outline the shunting procession.

In brief:

1) With the refurbished Bubblecar and 80104 due to return to Swanage by road in the following days, 33111 arrived at Norden with D3591 to clear the pad at Norden occupied by wagons.

2) The rake was shunted to Eldon sidings where, on return, a Queen Mary brake van was also brought back.

3) Shunting saw a temporary formation of a brake down train with the combination of the brake van and one of the cranes stationed at Norden, before being moved over the crossing towards Eldon Sidings to create space for the Crompton to shutdown in the Norden siding awaiting 80104's imminent return to the Swanage Railway.

'Crompton' No 33111 arrives at Norden with D3591 to clear the pad of wagons on 22nd July 2009.

Swanage Railway visitors get a close-up of the action from the Swanage Railway's Pullman Observation Car 14 windows on 22nd July 2009.

Shunting saw a temporary formation of a brake down train with the combination of the brake van and one of the cranes stationed at Norden, before being moved over the crossing towards Eldon Sidings to create space for the Crompton to shutdown in the Norden siding awaiting for 80104's imminent return to the Swanage Railway.

The Swanage Railway is dependent on the work of its volunteers and always welcomes new volunteers. If you would like to become involved in our work, please also visit the Swanage Railway Trust's Volunteer page here where you will find detailed information on all of the Railway's departments including our many Engineering and Operations departments.