2014 Swanage Railway Diesel Gala

The 2014 Swanage Diesel Gala is up and running. Pioneer class 37 D6700, owned by the National Railway Museum, stands in the loop at Norden waiting to work its first train. 9/5/2014

Also in the loop at Norden is resident type 3 D6515 and beyond is visiting type 4 50026. Pete Duncalfe stands in the door of 50026 as he is the rostered Swanage driver for the loco this day.

Moving onto the popular view point of the former narrow gauge clay line and Norden station and loop is seen.

The first up train approaches and passes over the foot crossing with a familiar formation, a push/pull fitted class 33 with a 4TC set.

Resident 33111 hauls London Transport's 4TC set with 1N02 0900 off Swanage to Norden. The 4TC is made up of various coaches from other units so this one does not carry a set number.

Once in the platform, 50026 comes out of the loop and will tie onto the 4TC and 33111 will uncouple.

The driver of 50026, named "Indomitable" looks back for the guards green flag for departure.

Some 18 minutes late 50026 gets away from Norden and makes a smokey exit as clag erupts from all four exhaust ports as the English Electric 2,700hp 16CVST power plant coughs into life as the drive notches up the power handle. This working is 1S01 0935 Norden to Swanage calling at Corfe Castle only.

And talking of clag, the second NRM owned loco crosses Corfe Viaduct and the driver of Deltic 55002 "The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry" opens it up and the usual Deltic two stroke reek blasts out from the exhaust port.

The 100mph rated type 5 brings its train, 2N04 0915 Swanage to Norden, to Norden station and journey's end for now. 55002 is mainline approved and I photographed this loco a few weeks previously back home in Fife on a York to Aberdeen and return railtour.

The train is safely inside at Norden and the road is set for D6515 to leave the loop so it can couple onto the Swanage end of the stock.

D6515 displays the Swanage branch headcode of 98 and it waits its departure time which should have been 1000 but was 12 minutes late. The train is 2S03 1000 Norden to Swanage.

The next up train is 2N06, 1000 off Swanage for Norden also running about 12 minutes late. Motive power is 73207 and 33202, a pair of pure Southern Region locos.

GBRf originally were sending 73141 in their livery but sent 73207 instead which in BR blue livery is more in keeping with the image. The electro-diesel is airbraked only so 33202 is acting as a translator for the brake

Now is the turn of D6700, the doyen of the ever popular class 37 class. This example has a split headcode and wears BR green livery with small yellow warning panels and late BR crest and it looks stunning.

The lateness is getting less as D6700 departs Norden 10 minutes down on its 1045 time with 2S05 Norden to Swanage. Two columns of exhaust rise from the twin exhaust ports as the power handle is opened.

The ubiquitous class 47 makes a welcome return in this year's lineup and former Freightliner 47292 represents the class. Here it crosses Corfe Viaduct with its first working of the day.

47292 has been repainted into BR blue with large logo. It works 1N04 1030 from Swanage for Norden with the 4TC set in tow.

Norden station has two fixed distant semaphores in the both the up and down directions. 55002 now has charge of the 4TC set and easily gets away with 1S03 to Swanage.

The mighty type 5 loco, albeit running on just one engine, approaches with a stop at Corfe Castle shortly. Here it will cross an up train then run fast to Swanage only.

The next train passing over the viaduct is 2N08 from Swanage to Norden. Providing the motive power is a first for Swanage, a class 24.

BRCW type 2 5081 is only the third class 24 I have photographed and all have been in preservation. 5081 is superbly turned out and a real credit to the owners, the 24081 Locomotive Group based on the Gloucester and Warwickshire Railway.

Moving to Corfe station and the popular spot at the entrance to the Bankes Arms carpark. 73207 and "slim Jim" 33202 power 2S07 1130 Norden to Swanage into the station loop. What is that white thing??

Unfortunately I didn't bring my ground to air missile set so I could shoot the drone out of the sky!! This was the only time Ross and I saw it all weekend.

Parked up at Corfe Castle is one confused locomotive. Class 50, 50031 "Hood" was the booked loco for the gala with 50026 not participating. But 50031 failed so 50026 was used instead. BUT all is not quite how it seems as 50031 is carrying the number 50001 "Dreadnought" on one side and 50011 "Centurion" on the other!! The loco beside it has no such identity issues!

41001 is the prototype HST powercar now part of the National Collection. Looking beyond the two locos and 50026 enters the station loop at Schools Crossing with 2N10 1130 Swanage to Norden.

The train is stopped short of the platform so some equipment could be placed into the rear cab. With everything on board, the train moves forward to enter the station.

A dark exhaust cloud rolls out of the two engine ports on 41001 which means someone has passed folding money across the palm of one of the loco team and pressed the engine start button!