Mogul makes the grade!
SR ‘U’ No. 31806 made a welcome return to the main line on June 20 when it operated in top and tail formation with Thompson ‘B1’ 4-6-0 No. 61306 Mayflower as part of a Steam Dreams charter.
The 2-6-0, which is based at the Swanage Railway and owned by the Bunch family, last appeared on the main line in April 2018 on a trip from Cardiff to Swanage.
The June 20 diagram saw it work an excursion from Portsmouth & Southsea to Brockenhurst, which operated as an ‘add on’ to the main London Paddington to Portsmouth Harbour tour run earlier in the day hauled by No. 61306.
No. 31806 headed the train towards Southampton, before Mayflower hauled the train to follow the River Itchen to Eastleigh, where the train reversed once more, before retracing its steps to Portsmouth. David Buck, chairman of Steam Dreams, said: “We were extremely pleased to have been able to secure No. 31806 on this special tour alongside Mayflower and would like to thank the Swanage Railway for making it happen. “Having two steam locomotives on a tour always adds an extra dimension to the day.”
Kevin Potts, director of Swanage Railway, said: “We were delighted to work with Steam Dreams for the first time and indeed for the locomotive’s second ever trip on the main line since preservation.
“We were excited to have this opportunity to showcase the mogul over what would have been familiar territory for the locomotive in its Southern Region days.”