[Jun 7, 2024] Strictly Bulleid 2 7th-9th of June at Swanage Railway (Swanage Railway)

The flag from her nameplates was the clue released on the Swanage Facebook page....

Sent from my XQ-BT52 using Tapatalk

 

Hopefully 35018 will bring some friends down with her to increase the amount of available carriages.

Andrew

 

Well I'd certainly be happy with that as 35018 is the only working Bulleid that I haven't seen in action.

Last time I saw it, it was languishing in the "headshunt of doom" on the Mid-Hants. Long time ago!

 

Is this the first time 6 & 18 will have been together since those heady days by the seaside in South Wales?

 

Unbelievable line up. With the limitations on train length it’s difficult to see a profit. I hope I’m wrong and they make a bundle. Certainly deserve it.

 

I have never seen as many people at the railway for anything like Bulleid 1, either before or since.
I would expect this to be more popular. Costs of course will be far higher than in 2017 both due to all the economic pressures and three more locos. My yearly spreadsheet of "how much money I waste on railways" shows I paid £20.50 for a one day ticket.

 

Waste? Surely an investment. <BJ>

 

From Swanage Railway Facebook page...

"We are pleased to announce that our incredible lineup for Strictly Bulleid 2 just got even better…

Attending courtesy of our friends at West Coast Railways, Rebuilt Merchant Navy Class 35018 “British India Line” will be taking part in the 3 day event, in what will be it’s first visit to a preserved railway on it’s old stomping ground to operate public services. Let that just sink in for a second… EIGHT Bulleid Pacifics!

35018 will also be bringing 6 mark one coaches for us to use during the event and we would like to thank West Coast Railways for making this possible."

 

Presumably trains could be 6 coaches as no doubt a fresh engine will be attached each time at Swanage and there should be enough coaches as BIL is bringing 6.

 

It will be strange not to be behind BIL storming Grayrigg and Shap but creeping about at 25 mph but we will enjoy it anyway

 

It's bringing a 6 coach WCRC Mark 1 set with it.

 

Bearing in mind my post #34 back on April 4, perhaps I ought to go and buy a Euromillions ticket for tonight.

 

A good ticket option has appeared, presumably aimed at the local population, of £10 for the evening trains (and £5 for the overnight ones if you are that way inclined) for those that do not hold a gala rover ticket for that day.

 

Yes but unless that track machine at Corfe gets moved there won’t be a Gala

 

Is everything planned to face London still so they can be watered at Swanage,
Just thinking about a few photos between thursday and sunday got tickets booked throughout.

 

Worked out some train times to Wareham and had a look at the buses ready to go, just waiting to book up the train and gala tickets later in the week. The visit of 35018 really sealed it that this was a must not miss event (it was shaping up that way before 35018.

Haven't been to Swanage for nigh on 20 years and only been twice before.

 

From an enthusiast point of view I am looking forward to this one - who wouldn't? However there are a few unanswered questions in my mind......

1) Do they really need 8 Bulleids? I thought 6 was enough (5 worked fine last time) - does adding an extra 2 really make the event any better? I seriously hope the railway make some money on this as the transport costs must be astronomical when you consider that only 34028 was already running on the line. I assume that 35018 will come under its own steam but everything else will have to arrive by road.

2) If the event is well supported, does the railway really have the infrastructure to cope with the numbers? Hiring in an extra rake of coaches from WCRC is a great thing but is there really going to be enough parking? Do I have to arrive at about 5am to get a parking place at Norden? I remember last time arriving by 9am and the only spaces left were in some overflow field.

I'm not trying to pour cold water on the event - just more than a little curious as to how it's going to work!

 

34070 was due back anyway and I believe SLL always planned to run in SKP here before it heads off.

Based on last time your parking point is very valid, although there are a couple of fields that get used for parking these days for various events including the SR Road to Rails. Not sure what the plans may be however for this.

 

The bus connections aren’t very good at Wareham off early trains but don’t forget you can also catch a 50 from Bournemouth

 

Purbeck Breezer 40 - Swanage to Poole | morebus