Historic 80078 and 80104 together at Swanage

Photo report dated 3rd October 1999 - all photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright.

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Restored Brighton-built ex-BR Standard Class 4 Tank No. 80078 of 1954, which spent ten years in a Welsh scrapyard, has triumphantly returned to Swanage station where it was first brought by road transporter as a rusting wreck back in September, 1976.

After a protracted restoration of almost 20 years, the locomotive was moved from the Swanage Railway's Herston engineering works on the outskirts of Swanage to the Swanage Railway via its Norden station road and rail interchange on Friday, October 1st, 1999, in a delicate transfer operation.

Built at Brighton in February, 1954, for working commuter trains between the Essex coast and London, 80078's triumphant return to Swanage station coincided with the annual general meeting of its restorers - Southern Locomotives Ltd - in the town on Saturday, October 2nd, 1999.

The restoration of No. 80078 has been masterminded by Southern Locomotives Ltd's engineering chief Willie Bath. It's the second ex-BR Standard Class 4 tank to be restored by Southern Locomotives Ltd and Mr Bath, the first being No. 80104 of March, 1955, which left Herston Works in May, 1997.

No. 80078 was picked up at Norden station for its return to Swanage station by Southern Locomotives Ltd's other ex-BR Standard Class 4 Tank, No. 80104 which had just returned from a brief trip to the Severn Valley Railway to take part in a special weekend featuring five ex-BR Standard Class 4 tanks.

No. 80078 was sent to Barry scrapyard in Wales in 1966 where it rusted in the sea air until 1976 when purchased and moved to the Swanage Railway. It was put in storage with restoration starting a few years later but it was hampered by cramped conditions, a lack of equipment and no covered accommodation.

In 1991, No. 80078 was purchased from the Swanage Railway by the Project 78 Group which was later incorporated into Southern Locomotives Ltd.

In October, 1994, the restoration of No. 80078 accelerated when it moved into Herston Works, work becoming quicker from May, 1997, when sister Standard Class 4 Tank No. 80104 left Herston Works. No. 80078 made history when it was the first locomotive to move into the new works.

But Southern Locomotives Ltd is not resting on its laurels. As soon as No. 80078 was returned to the Swanage Railway's tracks at Norden, Southern Locomotives Ltd's partially restored rebuilt West Country Bulleid Pacific 'Eddystone' was transferred on to the low-loader for its road journey from the Swanage Railway to its Herston engineering works so restoration work can resume. See the separate news item for more indormation.

Footnote 19/11/99: No. 80078 was briefly in traffic at Swanage before departing for The Avon Valley Railway at Bitton until next spring.