Swanage toaStS ‘ScotSman’ SucceSS
…followed by a scottish theme for ‘Purbeck Line’s’ spring steam gala.
Flying Scotsman provided a “welcome revenue bounce” to the start of the Swanage Railway’s 2019 season during its spring visit to the ‘Purbeck Line’.
Over 8,600 passengers travelled behind the ‘A3’ during its five-day operational stint on the railway on March 22-26, during which it was coupled with the line’s former ‘Devon Belle’ Pullman observation car No. 14 – the vehicle with which the Gresley ‘Pacific’ travelled during its tour of the United States in 1969-72. A further 6,000-plus visitors took to No. 60103’s footplate and walked through its corridor tender while it was on static display at Corfe Castle station until April 10.
Swanage Railway Company Ltd director Mick Gould said: “With respect to the confidentiality agreement we have with Riley & Son (E) and the National Railway Museum, I am only at liberty to say that it has been a welcome revenue bounce for the Swanage Railway to start the year.
“In terms of income, it far outweighs anything we have done so far!”
During Flying Scotsman’s first visit to the railway since 1994, Penny Vaudoyer, the daughter of Alan Pegler – the man who
purchased the ‘A3’ from BR in 1963 – flew in from her home in Portugal to wave off the first train. It was the first time she had seen ‘Scotsman’ coupled to Car No. 14 since she participated in the American tour 50 years ago.
It was No. 60103’s first visit to a preserved railway this year. Its second, and likely final, visit will be a return trip to the Nene Valley Railway on September 28-30, repeating its sojourn over NVR metals on September 29-October 1 last year. ●● Flying Scotsman was not the only visiting locomotive with Scottish pedigree at Swanage in March, as the line hosted Bo’ness-based Caledonian Railway ‘439’ No. 419 during its ‘Scottish, Southern & Sulzer’ gala on March 29-31.
It was joined by visiting Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-0 No. 46521, courtesy of the Great Central Railway, while resident ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80104 was renumbered as Scottish-allocated example No. 80126 for the event, complete with appropriate bluebacked smokebox numberplates.