SUITS ‘U’! SUCCESSFUL TRIAL FOR SWANAGE 2‑6‑0
Maunsell ‘Mogul’ gets ready for ‘Great Britain’ debut.
What could be better than a main line Southern ‘Mogul’? Well, perhaps two. It could happen, because the Swanage Railway is planning to put wiring conduits on ‘N’ No. 31874, preparing it for the electronic ‘gizmos’ it will need on the modern railway. Fitting the safety equipment itself won’t definitely happen, mind – this is a case of forward thinking. Indeed, at the moment the Swanage is rightly delighting in a successful trial run for ‘U’ No. 31806, which makes that particular Maunsell 2‑6‑0 a ‘main liner’ for the first time since 1964. The April 13 trip means the Brighton‑built engine is now ready for a starring role in this year’s ‘Great Britain’. Remarkably, the Railway Touring Company’s monster tour is on us once again; it will have started on April 19, before you even read these words. There was, Swanage General Manager Matt Green reports, nothing significant about the decision to push the ‘U’s’ trial run back slightly (it had been expected to take place just before the last issue came out). Rather that was simply about easing the work of train planners and fitting it into the easiest slot. Together with five green Swanage Mk 1s and top‑and‑tailed by Class 33 No. D6515, the former Guildford engine ran two circuits out to Yeovil. They included a pair of assaults on Bincombe Bank out of Weymouth – both with the ‘U’ on the front. “It got back, which makes me very happy,” quipped Matt when we spoke on April 16. “They’re really happy with it, over the moon, it’s a really strong performer.”
GRAnt FunDeD
Matt is keen to thank train operator West Coast Railways, as well as the Swanage’s Graham Froud and the people who oversaw the grant that made this possible – in addition to himself, that team included the line’s James Cox, Colin Morgan and Nick Coram. For the ‘U’s’ return to the main line has effectively been funded by none other than the Department for Transport, through a £75,000 heritage tourism grant. That’s centred on what this is really about –
THEY’RE REALLY HAPPY WITH IT, OVER THE MOON, IT’S A REALLY STRONG PERFORMER MATT GREEN, SWANAGE RAILWAY
reaching Wareham via Network Rail metals. The DfT money has paid not only for the electronic kit needed for the engine itself, but also main line‑related work on the coaches. Other than the ‘Great Britain’ Matt says there are currently no other charter bookings for the engine that started life as 2‑6‑4T River Torridge, but “we’re more than happy to talk.” As for a potential second ‘Mogul’ (wouldn’t that make a lovely double‑header…?), he says a decision to go ahead “wouldn’t surprise me” but reports there’s “no firm plan.” Matt describes the “big hurdle” as the cost of gauging the engine and what he calls “the acronyms” – electronic kit such as the Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS). Just now though, the Swanage is celebrating its success with No. 31806. As a happy Matt Green says: “It’s phenomenal. We’re over the moon.” ●● The expected programme for RTC’s ‘Great Britain’ as of April 18, the day before the off: April 19 No. 60103 King’s Cross‑ Scarborough. April 20 No. 60103 Scarborough‑York; No. 35018 York‑Carlisle; Nos. 45690 and 45699 Carlisle‑Edinburgh. April 21 Nos. 1264 and 60009 Edinburgh‑ Perth; Nos. 1264 and 45699 Perth‑Inverness. April 22 No. 1264 Inverness‑Kyle of Lochalsh return.
April 23 Nos. 1264 and 45699 Inverness Perth; No. 60009 Perth-Oxenholme. April 24 Free. April 25 No. 45690 Grange-over-Sands to Shrewsbury; No. 45212 Shrewsbury-Cardiff. April 26 No. 60009 Cardiff-Yeovil; Nos. 31806 and 60009 Yeovil-Weymouth. April 27 Nos .31806 and 60009 Swan age Southampton; No .60009 Southampton Victoria. Rebuilt ‘West Country’ No. 34046 Braunton, which was expected to have run with ‘U’ No. 31806 to make a Southern double-header, is instead acting as reserve to Royal Scot for Saphos Trains – Britannia being unavailable at Crewe.