1968 veteran 'Black Five' joins Swanage 'Exchanges' gala

‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ veteran ‘Black Five’ No. 44871 is the latest visiting locomotive confirmed for the Swanage Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala.


Confirmed for the Swanage Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on October 12-14, ‘Black Five’ No. 44871 heads towards Harmans Cross on a previous visit to the railway in 2010. ANDREW P. M. WRIGHT

Held on October 12-14, the event will be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the 1948 Locomotive Exchange Trials, in which two ‘Black Fives’ participated – Nos. 44973 and 45253.

No. 44871 joins ‘Princess Coronation’ No. 6233 Duchess of Sutherland – fresh from its starring role at the Severn Valley Railway’s own Autumn Steam Gala on September 20-23 – and BR Standard ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T No. 80078, a former resident on the ‘Purbeck Line’.

The trio is expected to run alongside the Swanage Railway’s own BR ‘4MY’ No. 80104, ‘U’ class 2-6-0 No. 31806 and recently overhauled air-smoothed ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34072 257 Squadron, which will be making its gala debut following completion of its overhaul at the event.

Swanage Railway Company executive chairman Trevor Parsons said: “Our three-day Autumn Steam Gala will be an event not to be missed with Duchess of Sutherland, the ‘Fifteen Guinea Special’ ‘Black Five’ No. 44871 and Standard ‘Class 4’ tank No. 80078 being put through their paces along with the Swanage Railway’s own locomotives also hauling trains.

“There will also be an exciting and varied timetable, four nostalgic freight trains running each day between Swanage and Corfe Castle, some passenger trains running on our four-mile extension from Norden to the River Frome, within sight of Wareham, as well as evening dining trains on the Friday and Saturday.”

• Owing to a motive power shortage caused by the recent failure and temporary withdrawal of ‘T9’ No. 30120, No. 80104 will no longer be attending the West Somerset Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on September 27-30.

For more information, visit: https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/events/detail/autumn-steam-gala-2018

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