Swanage Railway 'Strictly Bulleid' Gala, 31 March - 2 April 2017

80104 (running as 80146) will be the station pilot at Swanage for the event, according to their Facebook event page for Strictly Bulleid.

Currently I only have one day off of work for this gala... I might need to look at visiting another day as well to see everything!

James

 

For those not signed up to Facebook, the full message is:
Southern Sunset Standard pilots ‘Strictly Bulleid’.
The Swanage Railway are thrilled to announce that our BR 4MT Standard Tank ‘80104’ will be the Swanage Station Pilot throughout ‘Strictly Bulleid’; recreating memories of similar duties from all over the Southern Region nearing the End of Steam in 1967.
Our Standard Tank will spend 2017 masquerading as ‘80146’, a scrapped ex-Bournemouth (71B) locomotive, famed for hauling the final steam-era passenger service over the Swanage Branch (on 18th June 1967) as part of R.C.T.S’ “Farewell to Southern Steam Rail Tour”.
80146 will be employed throughout ‘Strictly Bulleid’ shunt releasing passenger trains; with the majority of services arriving and departing from different platforms. Together this will recreate the timeless scene of our Bulleids sat ‘on the blocks’ at Swanage, whilst 80146 shunts the coaching stock to the next appropriate platform.
As such all passengers must disembark on arrival, allowing the movements to be completed, before re-boarding – providing maximum opportunities to observe long-forgotten steam shunts in full.
In addition, 80146 will help to shunt and release the freight, provide a steam spare and to help prepare services for departure; allowing the Bulleids to hook straight onto their services – as if it was London Waterloo, Bournemouth or Weymouth in the 1960’s.
The locomotives now confirmed for 'Strictly Bulleid' are as follows:
34046 ‘Braunton’ (Appearing as 34052 ‘Lord Dowding’)
34053 ‘Sir Keith Park’
34070 ‘Manston’
34081 ’92 Squadron’
34092 ‘City of Wells’
80146 BR 4MT Standard Tank (80104) – Courtesy of Southern Locomotives Ltd
The timetable for the event can be found from the link below. NB – Locomotive allocations will be added closer to the date.
http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/userfiles/downloads/spring_gala_ptt_2017_v3a_(19-01-2017).pdf
With Advance Day Rover tickets for just £25.00, 6 locomotives in steam each day, the Birds Nest/Norden Kiosk open throughout and the most intensive use of the whole Swanage Branch since the End of Southern Steam there will be plenty to see and do!
Click here to purchase tickets: https://www.myonlinebooking.co.uk/swana ... y/buy.aspx…
For more exciting updates, announcements and information on the Premier Gala event of 2017 visit the Swanage Railway’s website or watch this space!

 

If indeed there is another Bulleid in the pipeline, there's another five possibilities of varying likelihood:

34027 accompanies 34053, but always thought a low-loader was out of the question for this particular locomotive.
34072 might just make it after all, but maybe in light steam.
35006 might make a surprise visit.
35018 might make a surprise visit (April 1 comment in last issue of SR actually a veiled hint?).
35028 might be complete- probably about as likely as the previous contender, but one can but dream...

However, I think the sixth locomotive is actually the 4MT.

Regardless, a cracking lineup, and I'm now attending Saturday and Sunday, as I don't think the Tiger event at Bovington will quite be ready.

 

This is the first gala I am attending where I am going for more than one day, the Swanage Railway look to have a world class event on there hands

 

Wow it just gets better

 

Haven't a clue really but suspect the piggy bank might be somewhat low after paying out everything for those locos already announced.
But I could be wrong of course!

 

Well, all power to their elbow...

 

Maybe they borrow one or both of the miniature 'Merchant Navys' which are operational at the Eastleigh Lakeside Railway as a sort of 'token guester' of that class at the gala. Maybe on display at Swanage?

 

http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/userfiles/downloads/spring_gala_ptt_2017_v8_(02-02-2017).pdf

Timetable with loco allocations now available free to download

 

Taunton to wareham train tickets purchased, just to find way from wareham to norden

 

As a rule of thumb the buses leave at xx:04 and ask to alight at Norden Farm.
Or if you are with others a taxi would be about £10-12.

Or its a 20min bike ride...he says from experience

What time are you arriving at Wareham and on what day?

 

Breezer (More) bus number 40 from Poole collects at Wareham Station and stops near Norden.

Sent from my SM-T700 using Tapatalk

 

There is a possibility that Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum will be offering Driver for a Fiver on the Saturday and Sunday of the weekend dependent on a number of factors including the steam loco arriving and having a boiler ticket by then. It won't be a bullied (although we do have a Ruston with a very similar outline to a spamcan).

 

Timetable here: http://morebus.co.uk/service.shtml?serviceid=3920

PDF version: http://www.buscms.com/morebus/uploa..._Winter/preview_web_tt_Sept2016_Breezer40.pdf

 

Good to see that all 5 Bulleids are rostered for each of the 4 days of the Gala.

Those of us who can only attend one day have the opportunity to see and ride behind each of the locomotives.

Stef.

 

FOUR DAYS
You know something that we don't know about!!

 

Sorry, wishful thinking.

Probably confused myself as I've been finalising my plans for the West Somerset Spring Steam Gala this morning.

Stef.

 

Are all the trains top and tailed from Swanage or is the back loco added at Norden? Also any idea of loco facings yet?

Ta

 

The rear loco is added/detached at Norden.

James

 

Lovely stuff, thanks for confirming