Swanage Railway Railtours

The unfamiliar sight of a BR Standard pacific running tender first approaching Wareham station. This is the first of the Riddles design of standard locos, class 7P6F 4-6-2 No 70000 "Britannia" built in 1951.

The train is 1Z95 0844 London Victoria to Swanage, The Cathedrals Express. It was routed via Andover, Salisbury and the Laverstock Loop, Romsey and entered Southampton facing north. There it ran round and worked onwards tender first to be chimney facing for the return run. At Wareham it will stop for the token to Norden and a Swanage Railway pilotman.

A quick drive the short distance to Worgret and 70000 arrives and will take the junction onto the branch.

A Network Rail signaller is on site and has set the road and shows a "yellow" proceed with caution flag to the driver. The road is set and the shunting signal is off.

The loco takes the left hand turnout onto the branch and proceeds slowly. Worgret Junction signalbox stood in the "V" of the lines.

Another quick drive this time to Furzebrook and the train appears in the deep cutting with the loco working hard on the 1 in 78 climb to a summit at Furzebrook.

The loco is working hard at this point on the 1 in 78 climb. The road bridge provides a fine view point.

Crossing the road for the going away shot as "Britannia" passes the now disused Wytch Farm oil then gas sidings. The former ball clay siding was on the right.

Another spirited drive to Cats Eye near Norden. The then Network Rail/Swanage Railway interchange point was just out of sight round the bend and two catch points had to be opened to allow the movement. With that complete the train can continue onto Swanage Railway metals proper.

The driver looks back at the way ahead as the loco is about to pass below the A351 under a bridge that was rebuilt and extended when the road layout was improved several years ago.

70000 drifts away from Norden with the regulator just cracked and passes over the footpath from Norden to Corfe Castle.

Driving onto Corfe Castle and time at Norden station allowed me a heart busting climb part way up the castle mound to record the train passing over Corfe Viaduct as I gasped for breath and shook!!!

And another quick drive to the other side of Corfe and after crossing a Swanage Railway service train, the railtour gets away. Here it passes below the bridge at Town's End onto Corfe Common passing the fixed up distant signal.

Bringing the lens out to include the ruins of Corfe Castle into the shot.

The loco looked and sounded superb as it lifts its 12 coach train up the rising 1 in 80 gradient here at Afflington. I would chase it no more in the down direction but would come back later to get the return run.

The return run back to London was timed at 1700 from Swanage and by this time the rain was on and the light fading. The loco had made a laboured departure from Swanage and could be heard barking away and slipping virtually all the way to Harmans Cross on the ruling 1 in 76 climb.

With a very dark exhaust and possibly a fire that was still quite cold 70000 passes the field at Woodyhyde with 1Z95 1700 Swanage to London Victoria, The Cathedrals Express.

The loco had slipped numerous times on the climb from Swanage but was now making sure footed progress with the exhaust now much clearer.

This location is Cats Eye on the opposite side of the road from the inwards shot. The class 7P6F pacific is working against the 1 in 80 climb at this spot but will soon be braking for the interchange at Cats Eye.

This is a good shot providing the vegetation is kept in check but the A351 road is a busy one so care has to be taken.

Back at Worgret Junction in the rain and 70000 is about to leave the branch. In the days when the branch was open there was a crossover for up trains to gain the up road. When the 'box closed it was removed and trains travelled wrong road to Wareham before crossing over. This is still the case and remains so after the 2013 resignalling of the line to Weymouth.

A last shot of the train as it clears the branch for the fast run back to London.

The next day and it is much better with warm sunshine and another railtour is booked for the Swanage Branch.

DBS type 5 67024 approaches Wareham station passing the down side yard with 1Z91 0830 London Victoria to Swanage VSOE Pullman railtour.

As per the day before, a quick hoof up to Worgret Junction and the train slows for the turnout onto the branch.

The road is set and the signal is indicating a proceed aspect, the two angled white lights to the left of the visible red aspect. 67024 is about to enter the branch.

On the rear of the train is a second class 67 loco, there to negate the need to run the lead loco round. The trailing loco is 67005 "Queen's Messenger" in Royal Claret livery and one of the two Royal Train locos.

Moving onto Furzebrook for the train to pass under the bridge by the former gas sidings and the ball clay sheds.

Crossing the road for the going away shot of 67024 and the Pullmans. The first vehicle is a mkI support coach, the fourth one is a former 5PUL emu coach. The rake is made up of loco hauled and former emu vehicles. This is the first time the Pullmans has ventured to Swanage, a historical day.

67005 on the back passes the once busy freight hub.

Down at Cats Eye and the train has gained Swanage Railway metals just beyond the rear of the train.

The "Poshex" will pass below the A351 road in glorious sunshine.

The line runs to the right here and will enter the woods at Norden.

The sun brings out the colour of the Royal Claret livery better here.

Afflington now and 67024 comes over the common lifting the heavy Pullmans up the 1 in 80 gradient, the castle ruins dominate the scene to the left.

In perfect sunshine, 67024 leads the train to Swanage. It is a shame that DBS have not painted one of their class 67 loco into Pullman livery just as BR did with a class 73 in the 1980's.

The last coach is a mkI BG with a diesel generator which provides electric power to the train, essential when it is steam hauled.

67024 has the road past the inner home gantry.

Later in the afternoon and the sky had clouded over. Here at Swanage 67024 runs in with the empty stock 5Z92 which had run from Harmans Cross where it was stabled after arrival earlier. BR Standard 80104 stands on the shed turntable.

Crossing Northbrook Road bridge and the train slowly enters the station passing the signalbox on the left and one of the line's 08 shunter and 34070 Manston both on the goods shed road.

The train comes to a stand with the now leading 67005 just under Northbrook Road bridge, only half of the train will be at the platform. The driver will remove the tail lamp before departure back to London, 1Z92 1605 off for Victoria.

Ringwood, the shed cat, says hello on the viewing area opposite the loco shed.

Moving to Harmans Cross and the train approaches the station where it will cross a Swanage bound steam working.

The long and heavy train comes up to the up home gantry and the shorter left hand (as the driver views it) peg will be off for the train to run into the loop.

Turning round for the station shot and 34028 "Eddystone" is in the down platform as 67005 enters the up loop and will cross the down train. It will not stop but continue right through exchanging the token on the move.

The station here was built for five coach trains so this 12 coach monster completely fills it with the lead loco clear of the loop and the rear one just about to enter it.

Leaving Harmans Cross and driving through Corfe I subjected myself to another heart wrenching climb up the castle mound to view the train crossing the viaduct. Note the blue soft top car just turning onto the Studland road.

Dead on the back is 67024 and the car is still there having stopped so the female passenger could wave at the passing train.