Rodney’s return planned for Swanage diesel gala
A Class 50 will haul its first passenger trains in 20 years at the Swanage Railway diesel gala on April 24-26 when Paul Spracklen’s 50021 Rodney returns to traffic.
This will be subject to the event taking place on the dates planned, and not being moved in response to the COVID-19 situation.
Spracklen’s Rodney has undergone a thorough restoration at Eastleigh Works after it was bought from its previous owner, which had it stored at Tyseley Locomotive Works. It will operate at the event alongside Spracklen’s other locomotive, 50026
Indomitable, which has been out of traffic since it suffered a generator failure at the MNR in December 2017.
Also attending Swanage will be D4 Great Gable and 55019, while Locomotive Services Limited is supplying 37190, which it bought from preservation last year and which is currently being made main line-worthy by Harry Needle Railroad Company at Barrow Hill.
GB Railfreight is once again supporting the event by supplying a Class 73/1 while Direct
Rail Services will also send a locomotive.
Meanwhile, Pete Waterman’s Class 25 D7659 (25309) is the first visitor confirmed for the West Somerset Railway’s ‘Diesels to the Seaside 3’ event on June 4-7. Based at Peak Rail, D7659 has been out of traffic for more than a decade.
The Mid-Norfolk Railway will also host a Class 56 that has not hauled a passenger train since before it was exported to France almost 15 years ago when Colas Railfreight 56051 operates at the MNR gala. This was planned for April 3-5, but has been moved to July 3-5.
The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway event on March 27-29 was due to be headlined by 58023, but it was withdrawn from attending around a fortnight beforehand. Visiting the CPPR event will be 31128 Charybdis (currently the only main line-certified ‘31’), 33053 and 55019 Royal Highland
Fusilier. These will work alongside residents 97808 (08825) and 37227. Newly-arrived 08629 will also be used at the gala.
At the WSR celebration, D7659 will operate alongside residents D6566 (33048), D6575 (33057), D7018 and D9526, with more visitors are expected.
A week later, the ‘25’ will star at the North Norfolk Railway Mixed Traction Gala on June 12-14, where it will be joined by a visitor from DRS. Resident locomotives D6732 (37032) and 20227 Sherlock Holmes will also be in traffic.
As well as 56051, the MNR will host a Direct Rail Services locomotive and a GBRf ‘66’. These will work alongside the previously confirmed Boden Rail Engineering Limited 37240 and 50050 Fearless. This will be the first time the ‘37/0’ has hauled trains since BREL bought it from preservation.
DRS has not yet confirmed what it will send. Resident 47367 will be used, while Sonic Rail Services 03197 and 33202 Dennis G
Robinson, which are based at the MNR for contract work, will also be taking part. More visitors are expected.
The first five visitors for the Severn Valley Railway Spring
Diesel Festival have been confirmed, with LSL 37190 and 47712 Lady Diana Spencer attending the event, along with D4 and 55019. Also attending will be 5081 (24081) from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, which replaces 5343 (26043) which had to be removed following a failure. DRS and GBRf will supply locomotives for the May 14-17 event.
Examples of the home fleet will also be in action, while more visitors will be confirmed. Organisers plan to have examples of Class 08, ‘09’, ‘14’, ‘17’,
‘20’, ‘33’, ‘37’, ‘40’, ‘42’,
‘44’, ‘47’, ‘50’, ‘52’ and ‘55’.