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

Correct, everything facing London.

 

That's already been sorted and trains are running through the up platform as of today.

 

The train I was looking at to get to Wareham gets in just after 10:45 and returning around half 6, but that could all change when I have a proper look at the gala timetable.

 

In the highly unlikely event of SWR running to time there is a 30 to Norden Station and Swanage at 10:44 which may be a bit late having come from Weymouth. As you would need to rush over the footbridge at Wareham to get it, I suggest you are at the rear of the train. For info buses going both ways use the same bus stop at Wareham Station.
Or as other suggest try the 50 from Bournemouth Station. But your train would arrive at 10:20 and the bus leaves at 10:20, next one 10:50 which gets you to Swanage at 12:10, just before the 12:15 departure.
If you end up on the 40 from Wareham it does not go into to Norden Station so you either need to ask the driver for the Norden Farm stop and a short walk, or probably better get off in Corfe Castle.
Welcome to Purbeck's buses

 

Certainly sounds a bit of a faff working out the correct buses. I might have to consider leaving even earlier to get more of a day out of it. When looking at buses I was considering Norden Farm to get off at and I don't mind a walk but that seemed the best way of getting a full day out of it, no idea about getting back but I'll look at the gala timetable and work out when to consider leaving before I book everything up.

I did try to sweet talk my Dad to drive down so he could go to the Tank Museum, but he doesn't quite trust his car to do the trip there and back.

 

Any idea when 35018 is expected to arrive?

 

Complete with loco allocations https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/uploads/version_6_strictly_bulleid_ptt_6_24_28_05_24.pdf

 

Note that the locos on the rear are added and removed at Corfe Castle.

Also, most double-headed workings in the Up direction will have the pilot loco removed at Norden due to platform length restrictions at Corfe in the Down direction. These locos will return to Corfe light engine.

 

First run of Sir Keith Park to Corfe just completed photo Graham Froud

Sent from my SM-P610 using Tapatalk

 

Just to clarify I read that as the pilot loco up, being the rear loco in the down direction being removed at Norden.

 

The pilot loco will be removed at Norden in the Up direction, so the trip over the road will only have 1 loco on the London end. By doing it that way, if uncoupling the loco takes longer than planned there is the time for the rest of the train at the River Bridge and at Norden on the return to recover any time lost, rather than doing it on the Down and having no recovery time.

The loco will run light engine from Norden Loop to Corfe Up sidings, and then couple up again with the loco it was with to Norden for it's next working.

 

Awful image, into the sun, as I had only gone down the station to drop a repeat prescription into the surgery, and did not have time to go elsewhere.
Manston also in steam for the first time since its return, still looking magnificent in its 1960's appearance. So a B & W image to go with the era.

 

Can see on the webcams that Manston has also just gone out under its own steam.

 

I guess it will either be T/F from Southampton or maybe the loco and coaches be behind a 47.
Any T/F running is 45 mph I believe, where as on the DCE with the loco on the back it is far faster than that, 60 MPH I think.
Cannot see it coming via Pen Mill, but would be nice if it did, which would give BIL a run up the bank out of Weymouth.

 

FYI Updated Swanage timetable link for Bulleid fest. https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/uploads/final_strictly_bulleid_ptt_8_24_29_05_24.pdf

 

Have to admit. I was scrolling through this thread, without reading the text tol closely, and thought you'd posted one of those photos from recently amd the other from steam days as a comparison!

 

Attracted buy what seemed to be a shiny unreuilt,mMy new hobby of Bulleid (rather than Bird) watching seems to show, with the use of my binoculars, 257 Squadron is now across the park from our lounge.
The numbers grow.

 

So, for those still undecided:
On Thursday 6th June - a Preview Day to the main gala. This will be called 'Strictly D-Day' to mark the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings. To fit this theme, a three-train service will feature “Battle of Britain” Class locomotives No. 34081 “92 Squadron” and No. 34072 “257 Squadron”, plus LSWR 'T3' Class No. 563. The Adams 4-4-0 was involved in hauling troop trains to the south coast during the war, so very much fits in with this theme!
The Swanage Railway will be playing host to 8 Bulleid Pacifics during "Strictly Bulleid II" which runs between Friday 7th and Sunday 9th June. The full line up is now (subject to the usual caveats of availability, etc.):
Rebuilt Merchant Navy No.35006 “Peninsular & Oriental S. N. Co.”
Rebuilt Merchant Navy No.35018 “British India Line”
Rebuilt West Country No. 34028 “Eddystone”
Rebuilt Battle of Britain No.34053 “Sir Keith Park”
Original Battle of Britain No.34070 “Manston”
Original Battle of Britain No.34072 “257 Squadron”
Original Battle of Britain No.34081 “92 Squadron”
Original West Country No.34092 “City of Wells”
- On all 3 days of the event, there will be a three-train service running along the full length of the line between Swanage and the Network Rail boundary at the River Frome bridge near Wareham.
- Real Ale Train on both Friday and Saturday nights (with two cask beers and one cider available)
- Overnight running on Saturday night into Sunday Morning for the first time since 2003. The “Knight Rider” will feature Battle of Britain Class No. 34070 “Manston” hauling four overnight services between Swanage and Corfe Castle. These will depart Swanage at 23:30, 01:00, 03:00, 05:00 and 07:00.
- Opportunity to see the largest gathering of Bulleid Pacifics since 1967
- Largest gathering of Original (i.e. NOT rebuilt) Bulleid Pacifics since 1967
- First time since 1967 that two Merchant Navy Pacifics have been in service together at the same railway
- Beer Festival and Catering at Corfe Castle [Purbeck Kitchens (who organise the Diesel Gala Beer Festivals) will be holding a small Beer Festival at Corfe Castle Station across all three days of the event. There will be ten cask beers and five ciders on offer plus hot food in the form of burgers. The Beer Festival is open 11:00 – 19:00 each day but may stay open later if demand justifies!]
- Strictly Bulleid 2 merchandise available to purchase from the shop at Swanage Station
- Visiting locomotive/owning group stands at stations along the line
- 'Named Train Sunday' when all locomotives will be carrying heritage Southern headboards
- The Swanage Railway Museum's Book Van will be open Friday to Sunday selling a wide range of secondhand railway related items. Leaflets from 50p, Books from £1 and DVDs from £3.

Discounted Rover and Evening travel tickets available at the Railway's website. This also includes travel on the "Strictly D Day" Preview Day on Thursday 6th of June. Click here to visit this website and find out more -
https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/.../strictly-bulleid-ii Online advanced tickets are available until 5th June after which only pay-on-the-day tickets will be available.

Incidentally, 35006’s 'holiday to the south' is being extended slightly as the loco will now also be running between Monday 10th and Friday 14th of June. 35006 is scheduled to be in service on the Green timetable running alongside one of the resident Class 33 Diesels. This offers a taste of what railway travel in the south was like as diesels rubbed shoulders with express steam passenger locomotives.
Hope all this has whetted your appetite.

 

Cheers, had a feeling that would be the case.

 

34081 is ready for loading at Wansford. Transport booked to arrive on Sunday.