The Swanage Railway would break preservation records with their "Strictly Bulleid II" Steam Gala, as they played host to 8 Bulleid pacifics; held over the weekend of June 7th-9th.
The original "Strictly Bulleid" took place back in 2017, with 5 pacifics descending on the Isle of Purbeck. For this second edition, the Swanage Railway managed to gather 8 Bulleid pacifics for the event. Representing the Rebuilt light pacifics would be 34028 "Eddystone" and 34053 "Sir Keith Park", both appearing courtesy of Southern Locomotives Ltd. Representing the Rebuilt 'Merchant Navy' Class, would be 35006 "Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co." and 35018 "British India Line"; visiting the Isle of Purbeck courtesy of the 35006 Locomotive Company Ltd, and West Coast Railways respectively. Finally, a quartet of original Bulleid power. 34070 "Manston" and 34072 "257 Squadron", another pair from the SLL stables, would be joined by 34081 "92 Squadron" and 34092 "City of Wells". 34081 and 34092 would be visiting courtesy of the Battle of Britain Locomotive Society and the East Lancashire Railway respectively.
The gala would feature a very intensive timetable, with services regularly going 'over the road' and onto the Wareham extension as far as River Frome Viaduct, which serves as the current limit of SR metals. As such, services from Swanage would gain a tail locomotive at Corfe Castle before before continuing west, due to the absence of a run-around loop on the extension. In addition, most double-headed services would also see the lead locomotive detatched at Norden. For the first time since 2003, the Swanage Railway would run trains through the night, with "The Knight Rider" service taking place from Saturday evening through into Sunday morning. Sunday would run with the theme "Named Train Sunday", with all services carrying headboards representing some of the prestigeous titled services that could once be seen across the southern region. Sunday evening would see a gala finale, as the four operational SLL pacifics would be lined up on display at Corfe Castle. Unfortunately, 34081 "92 Squadron" failed on the Saturday morning, with 34070 "Manston" taking over its duties.
Having 8 Bulleid pacifics in service together would result in breaking some preservation records:
- The largest gathering of Bulleid pacifics in steam since 1967.
- By all accounts, more Bulleid pacifics in steam than on the final day of steam on the southern region, 9th of July 1967.
-The largest gathering of Bulleid pacifics since the days of Woodhams Scrapyard in south Wales.
- The first time in preservation that any heritage railway has hosted two working 'Merchant Navy' pacifics simultaneously.
In addition, it was less than two weeks ago that SLL achieved the major milestone of having four of their pacifics in steam simultaneously. This event marked the first time those four have appeared in service together.
Locomotives:
Ex-SR Rebuilt 'Merchant Navy' Class - 35006 "Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co."
Ex-SR Rebuilt 'Merchant Navy' Class - 35018 "British India Line"
Ex-SR Rebuilt 'West Country' Class - 34028 "Eddystone"
Ex-SR Rebuilt 'Battle of Britain' Class - 34053 "Sir Keith Park"
BR(S) 'West Country' Class - 34092 "City of Wells"
BR(S) 'Battle of Britain' Class - 34072 "257 Squadron"
Ex-SR 'Battle of Britain' Class - 34070 "Manston"
BR(S) 'Battle of Britain' Class - 34081 "92 Squadron"
00:00 - On shed at Swanage
01:32 - 35006 & 35018 New Barn
03:00 - 35018 Arland House Campsite foot crossing
04:04 - 34053 Furzebrook
05:40 - 34092 New Barn
06:54 - 34092 Catseye Crossing
08:02 - 34072 Arland House Campsite foot crossing
09:21 - 34070 Quarr Farm
10:34 - 34081 Arland House Campsite foot crossing
11:30 - 34028 & 34053 Dickers Crossing
12:33 - 34053 Arland House Campsite foot crossing
13:42 - 34072 Furzebrook
15:16 - 35018 Dickers Crossing
16:32 - 35018 Catseye Crossing
17:34 - 35006 Dickers Crossing
18:41 - 35006 Catseye Crossing
19:45 - 34092 Corfe Viaduct
20:37 - 34092 Catseye Crossing
21:49 - 34072 Corfe Viaduct
22:47 - 34072 & 34070 Arland House Campsite foot crossing
23:57 - 35006 Furzebrook
26:03 - 34081 Norden Common
27:18 - 34053 & 34028 Woodyhyde
28:31 - 34053 & 34028 Norden Common
29:45 - 34070 Herston
30:56 - 34028 Sandy Hill Lane
32:02 - 34070 Sandy Hill Lane
33:12 - 34070 Haycrafts Lane
34:52 - 34070 Townsend Bridge
36:49 - 34070 Dickers Crossing
38:17 - 34070 Woodyhyde Crossing
39:13 - Corfe Castle
39:44 - 34053 Corfe Castle
41:59 - 34028 Castle View Crossing
43:11 - 35006 & 35018 Haycrafts Lane
44:32 - 34092 Dickers Crossing
45:34 - 34072 Dickers Crossing
46:46 - 34070 Dickers Crossing
47:46 - 34028 & 34053 Quarr Farm
48:47 - 35018 Dickers Crossing
50:13 - 35006 New Barn
51:27 - 34092 Quarr Farm
52:24 - 34072 Dickers Crossing
53:22 - 34053 & 34028 Dickers Crossing
54:22 - Line Up Corfe Castle
All footage filmed on Friday the 7th, Saturday the 8th, and Sunday the 9th of June 2024.
