Countdown to July 9th: 10/5 to 9/6

With less than two months to go, the number of my journeys down the length of the SWML to Weymouth increased. They were always hit and miss from the time keeping and delay point of view; you never knew what to expect. I would try to avoid Bournemouth turns as some of their drivers seemed to be just working their ticket compared with the enthusiasm of those at Nine Elms and a few notable names at Eastleigh. There was also the ever dwindling supply of locomotives. That said, without any hint of bias, I have to say that generally the Merchants would give you a half decent run especially 35007 that always seemed to steam well and gave no excuses for the crew.

The line west of Bournemouth always had the potential excitement of the shorter load with a big engine, the opportunity to pull back some time that might have been dropped nearer to London and that final dash down the hill from Dorchester. I recall a Saturday service in May when all 10 coaches worked through to Weymouth from Waterloo with 35008. The train had been 20 late away from London and despite some spirited running, we were still as late away from Bournemouth and were then held approaching Branksome taking nearly twenty minutes to clear Gasworks Junction. Some time was progressively clawed back and this culminated in what can only be described as a somewhat hairy approach to Weymouth in the high seventies down the bank when we just about managed to stop at the signal against us outside of the station. On a previous occasion with Merchant 26 and the more conventional shorter load we were scheduled to stop at Upwey. Although we did manage to stop, it was with the whole train beyond the end of the platform. The loco had barely come to a stand when we immediately reversed back into the platform - an action that would cause all manner of difficulties nowadays.

Amidst all this imminent demise there was good news. Two groups were hoping to raise funds to purchase direct from service an example of an unrebuilt Light Pacific and a Merchant Navy. In the case of the Merchant Navy, I first became aware of the fund raising when I saw that deeply evocative leaflet showing 35004 after it was withdrawn following a high speed slip when its motion was destroyed because the sanders were applied. For me this was the trigger for action.