A regular passenger service is to return between Norden and Motala, in Dorset, for the first time in 40 years as part of the Swanage Railway Grand Steam Gala.
Bagnall-manufactured saddle tanks ‘Judy’ and ‘Alfred’ – which date back to 1936 and 1953 respectively – will be topping and tailing a special shuttle train service on a rarely used line between Norden Park & Ride and Motala near Furzebrook, which is the boundary with the Network Rail and the national railway system.
Swanage Railway Company chairman Peter Sills said: “The shuttle trains will be historic because it will be the first time that regular timetabled passenger trains have operated between Norden and Motala since Saturday, January 1, 1972.
“That was the day that the last British Rail trains controversially ran between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage before the line was officially closed on Monday, January 3, 1972, and lifted for scrap during that summer.”
Judy and Alfred will be joined by a steam locomotive inspired by the man who designed the Ivatt tanks which hauled trains between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage for British Railways between 1964 and 1966.
Ex-British Railways Class ‘2’ Standard 2-6-0 wheel arrangement tender locomotive No. 78019 will replace steam locomotive ‘Duke of Gloucester’ which is unable to appear because of a mechanical problem.
The three-day Grand Steam Gala will kick off on the relaid Purbeck Line on Friday, September 7.
Pull and push with two flying bufferbeams! I didn’t realiase two of these bizarre Bagnall’s had survived!
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