S&D glory at Swanage and Mid-Hants

THE SPIRIT of the Somerset & Dorset was alive in Hampshire and Purbeck in October, as both the Swanage and Mid-Hants Railways hosted S&D-esque galas.

With a ‘7F’ and ‘Battle of Britain’, the latter days of the revered BathBournemouth line were recalled at the Swanage Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on October 14-16. The S&D atmosphere would have been even stronger, had BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80104 not been out of action. The locomotive, recently returned from Tyseley after a ‘bottom-end’ overhaul, required new cylinder liners, which are on order. Over 2,300 flocked to the six-mile railway where S&D stalwart ‘7F’ No. 53809 was the star of the show. Also in steam were the second visitor, unique Southern-built ‘8F’ No. 48624, ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34070 Manston, ‘U’ class 2-6-0 No. 31806 and ‘M7’ No. 30053. There was action on the Purbeck Line’s northern extension towards Wareham, with top-andtailed trains operating over the four-mile section from Norden to the River Frome. Swanage Railway General Manager Matt Green said: “We had a very successful Autumn Steam Gala. The two visiting steam locomotives performed well and were well liked by the crews.”

The ‘Alps’ of the Watercress Line was to have become the ‘Mendips’ on October 21-23 for the Mid-Hants Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala. The planned star attraction, ‘7F’ No. 53809, would have been ideally suited to the steep gradients - but was sidelined on the Thursday morning with a leaking superheater header and was unavailable for the duration of the event. Instead, it remained in light steam in Ropley yard, with its footplate open for visits. With No. 53809 out of action, the headline act at the LMS-themed gala was No. 46100 Royal Scot. Also lined up were ‘Flying Pig’ No. 43106 (courtesy of the Severn Valley Railway), ‘Black Five’ No. 45379, ‘9F’ No. 92212, Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T No. 41312 and BR Standard ‘4MT’ 2-6-0 No. 76017, the latter making its first gala appearance since returning to steam after its protracted overhaul. One of the highlights was a spectacular re-creation of the ‘Pines Express’, double-headed by Nos. 76017 and 92212.

Both visiting engines at the Swanage Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala, ‘8F’ No. 48624 and ‘7F’ No. 53809, run down-grade across Townsend Common between Harman’s Cross and Corfe Castle on October 15 with a demonstration freight train. STEPHEN A. GINN With...

Re-creating the glory days of the S&D, double-heading BR ‘4MT’ No. 76017 and ‘9F’ No. 92212 storm through Ropley on October 21 on the way to Alton with the ‘Pines Express’. JOHN BASINGER