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Swanage Rly Diesel Gala (10 May 2015).
19 Images
Now that services were finished for the day 45060 returned to Corfe Castle from Norden where it did a spot of shunting parking the carriage stock in the stabling siding south of the station.In the distance can be seen 50035 which came down from Norden along with the Peak.After the shunt duties were finished this pair then ran light-engine down to Swanage for overnight stabling.
..10 may 2015..
45060 rolls away from Corfe Castle on the final leg to Norden of the final northbound service of this years Diesel-Gala.It is seen crossing the viaduct that spans the B3351 road to Studland Bay just north of the station.
..10 may 2015..
The honour of hauling the final revenue earning working of the 2015-Swanage Railway-Diesel Gala fell to D5185.Here seen crossing the Common shortly after departing Corfe Castle.This working was to go non-stop all the way to Swanage having left Norden at 17:50.
..10 may 2015..
Just as the sunlight had finally picked up to a reasonable standard the Gala was drawing to a close! Here is the final northbound working the 17:30 from Swanage to Norden.Pictured coming under the occupation bridge on Corfe Common.Blue 'Peak' D100 or as represented here 45060 'Sherwood Forester' doing to duty.
..10 may 2015..
Now that its services as a 'translator-loco' was no longer needed 'Slim-Jim' 33201 managed to operate a service on its own.Here it is running over Corfe Common with the 17:30 from Norden going to Swanage.A very Southern looking working.
..10 may 2015..
50035 which is cosmetically restored to pre-refurbishment condition (Apart from the water-tank recess) rumbles past Corfe Common heading for Norden with the 17:16 off the Coast.
..10 may 2015..
The 16:45 from Swanage passes Corfe Common is headed by D5185 wearing its classic mid-60s green livery.It looked and sounded really nice.This 1963 built machine did 24 years in BR service being withdrawn in 1987.The loco has now been is preservation for 28 years (longer than in service).Its condition is a tribute to the owning society.
..10 may 2015..
45060 'Sherwood Forester' whose original BR number was D100 rolls over Corfe Common working the 16:45 away from Norden going to the Coast.By now (17:00) the skies were fairly clear and a few subsequent shots were made in sunshine.It was such a pity that the Gala had only another 55 minutes left to run! --Sod law again!
..10 may 2015..
GBRf's 66741 (Formally Freightliner-66581) is paired with 73107 working the 15:15 from Swanage heading inland to Norden here at Herston.Do not let the sky seen here fool you.The sun was actually in amongst a bunch of heavy cloudiness and this picture was pure luck! Gawd knows we needed some! Note the new 'Swanage Railway' nameplate affixed to 66741.It is just a pity it is actually too big for the location above the number.Perhaps a slightly smaller version would have been a better choice all round!
..10 may 2015..
Finally the sun managed to break through the 80% cloud cover to give me my first shot of the day in sunshine.Here is the immaculate (Painted last month by RVEL) 50035 'Ark Royal' slowing for the request stop at Herston-Halt.It was the 14:30 off Swanage which only takes a couple of minutes to pass this spot from there.Note the old 'Dogfish' in the siding along with an 'Out of Ticket' Bullied-Pacific 34028 which is awaiting overhaul alongside it.
..10 may 2015..
This was the closest I got to a 'sun-shot' all day! GBRf's 66741 which was newly named yesterday 'Swanage Railway' sits with 33201 which was acting as a translator between the 'air-brake' 66/7 and the 'vacuum' only carraiges.They are about to depart at 15:15 going to Norden.One of the S-Rly steam fleet Mogul 2-6-0 31806 sits in the siding here enjoying a couple of days off whilst the diesels did their stuff.
..08 may 2015..
56006 and its little grey-box buddy 73107 passes Victoria Avenue in the western outskirts of Swanage with the 13:20 from Norden.This once clear location is now not far short of being lost for photography as all the bushes etc in the foreground are in a private garden so there is no chance of the excess growth being removed.
..10 may 2015..
Romanian built 56006 is paired with 73107 (For brake translation purposes) as it slowly approaches Corfe Castle from the Norden direction working the 13:20 off there to Swanage.Hopes were high for the first 'full-sun' shot for me of the day as it drew up to the signal in the distance awaiting the arrival of a working in the station from Swanage.It sat there in full bling for about 3 minutes and then (Naturally) as the signal was pulled 'off' it all died leaving just a glimmer of light to aid contrast only.....Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...............
..10 may 2015..
Visiting 'Hymek' D7076 powers away from Corfe Castle going to Norden with the 12:46 from Swanage.This loco suffered a carden-shaft bearing failure early on Saturday morning but was able to be repaired in time to work faultlessly throughout this days (Sunday) booked diagrams.
..10 may 2015..
The first train of the day from Norden, the 09:15 to Swanage gets away from Harmans Cross with 50035 'Ark Royal' in charge.This loco looking immaculate having just been fully repainted.Its hard to believe that barely 4 weeks ago it was looking very secondhand having been partially prepared for repainting down at Eastleigh.Click HERE to see the condition of it then.
..10 may 2015..
D5185 was looking very '1960s' as it passes Herston on the 13:45 from Swanage going to Norden.Currently the yard here is playing host to just one 'Dogfish' ballast wagon and Bullied-Pacific 34028 'Eddystone' that is currently awaiting overhaul. Personally I would be very wary about leaving such a valuable piece of steel/copper/brass in such a remote place.A visit from the 'copper-fairies' would cause severe financial difficulties for the owners-----a bit of a worry?
..08 may 2015..
The 13:45 from Norden passes the Track-Workers Depot at Herston.All very manicured and tidy.The loco is D6757 again looking superb.Regretfully later that evening on one of the Beer-Ex's it suffered a problem with its main-generator causing its withdrawal from the remainder of the weekends Gala.That was a pity as for me it was the star of the event!
..08 may 2015..
D6757 or as it used to known -- 37057 'Viking' made its debut in fully restored BR-Green c/w round buffers and nose-end fairings here at the Swanage-Gala.The quality of the paintwork was superb with amazing attention the fine details.Here it is slowing for Harmons-Cross on the 12:46 from Swanage going north the Norden.This view here is now opened up as somebody has eventually removed a low hanging branch of a tree on the RHS of the track.That piece of woodwork has been a pain here for many years!
..08 may 2015..
This years Swanage Railway Diesel-Gala was a pretty sunless affair on the first day of operation.Typically, that was one of the days I had chosen for a visit! However here is 56006 coupled to 33201 which was acting as a translater between the 'air-brake' only 56 and the 'vacuum' only stock.Here that combination is seen creeping across Corfe-Common at about 3 mph.I assumed something was temporarily amiss with 56006.I think this was the 10:45 off Norden going to Swanage but it was hard to tell because the timetable was already shot to bits by the failure earlier of the Hymek D7076.