Swanage Railway Winter Warm Up 2024.

The Swanage Railway held their Winter Warm Up event on 06/01/2024 and 07/01/2024. During this event, 4 of the railways fleet were in action hauling Passenger Trains and Freight Trains between Swanage and Norden.
Day 1
0:00 We begin at Swanage Station, the southern terminus of The Swanage Railway. Opened in 1885, it was closed in 1972 and was reopened by Preservationists a decade later.
0:12 The first locomotive we see is LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563. Built at Nine Elms in 1893, she lasted in service until 1945 when she was withdrawn from service. She has spent the majority of her preserved life as a member of The National Collection. However, in 2017. She was gifted to The Swanage Railway who restored her to full operational condition by 2023.
0:24 From the first Carriage, we see LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 depart Swanage with a service for Norden. As we depart, we pass BR Class 08 No 08436 Beighton which has brought the Demostration Freight into the platform and SR U 2-6-0 No 31806 which wasn't operation that weekend.
2:55 At Harmans Cross, we catch BR Class 33 No D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN with a service from Norden. She was named after a Royal Navy Air Observer who passed away in the HMS Richmond Helicopter Crash.
3:30 We next catch LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 at Corfe Castle running tender first back to Swanage with her train. She waits for SR Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone to pass with the Ballast Wagons. After the Bulleid passes by, the T3 departs for Swanage.
6:23 Arriving at Corfe Castle next is the line's other Class 33. No 33111 with a Passenger turn. From the coach, we see SR Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone head back towards Swanage with its freight.
8:14 With the Ruins of Corfe Castle in the background, LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 departs towards Norden with a Stopping Service. The train is comprised of 3 BR MK1 Coaches and a SR Maunsell Coach.
9:30 2 generations of LSWR Express motive power as LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 and LSWR T9 4-4-0 No 30120 are seen at Swanage. The Drummond 4-4-0 is owned by The National Railway Museum and is currently awaiting its turn for Overhaul.
9:42 SR Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone departs Harmans Cross with a service for Norden. Built in 1946, she was rebuilt into her current form in 1958 and was withdrawn in 1964. She like many of her sisters is an ex Barry Scrapyard locomotive where she languished until 1986. She was restored to operational condition in 2003 and is in her 2nd stint in operation.
10:38 From the roadbridge at Harmans Cross station, we see LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 pass by with the Ballast Wagons on its way to Norden.
12:44 Day 1 ends with SR Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone arriving with a train to Swanage. Class 33 No D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN is seen on the other platform with a train for Norden.
Day 2
13:30 Day 2 begins with LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 backing down onto her train at Swanage. We next see her depart to Norden. The Railway has lengthened the train to 5 carriages with the addition of another SR Maunsell Coach.
16:57 SR Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone departs Swanage with the Ballast Wagons for Norden.
18:05 At Harmans Cross, we see LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 arrive from Norden with a train for Swanage. Waiting in the loop is Class 33 No 33111 which departs the station when the line is clear for Swanage.
19:39 From the footpath leading to the station, we get a good shot of SR Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone on its train of Ballast Wagons. She is one of 7 Bulleid Pacifics under the care of Southern Locomotives Limited (The others being 34010 Sidmouth, 34053 Sir Keith Park, 34058 Sir Frederick Pile, 34070 Manston, 34072 257 Squadron and No 35025 Brocklebank Line)
20:38 Arriving at Harmans Cross from Swanage is LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 with a Passenger Train to Norden.
22:29 We jump to Corfe Castle as BR Class 33 No D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN departs with the Ballast Wagons for Norden.
23:30 LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 steams into Corfe Castle with the Ballast Wagons where it waits for SR Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone to arrive from Norden with its Passenger Train.
25:25 From the roadbridge at Harmans Cross, we see SR Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone depart towards Swanage.
26:15 LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 runs tender first through Harmans Cross with the Ballast Wagona bound for Swanage.
27:14 SR Rebuilt Light Pacific 4-6-2 No 34028 Eddystone enters Harmans Cross with a train for Norden.
28:32 After being released from the bay platform with the removal of the Ballast Wagons. LSWR T3 4-4-0 No 563 heads off to prepare for the last train of the event.
29:43 We bid farewell to the Isle Of Purbeck as we use the bus and the Sandbanks Ferry to cross back into Poole and Bournemouth.

[@AllensTrains]

You had a good day for it. You captured some brilliant shots witht the cold weather accentuating the steam! There was good visibility with Corfe Castle shown in the background to stunning effect! Thanks for uploading.

[@Mister_H.]

Possibly the best view from any station! 9:10

[@andrewhotston983]

Five coaches for the T3? That's brave!
Lovely scenes. Thanks for posting.

[@iankemp1131]

The T3 has been tuned significantly since the October launch, when she'd only just arrived from the Flour Mill after restoration, and is now steaming much better. So she now handles five coaches comfortably - and makes a nice sound too!

[@brianbunn3604]

Excellent filming, and interesting notes, thanks for sharing 👍 A nice winter event by Swanage Railway 😊 No shots of the best part though - the final train of each day double-headed by 34028 and 563 ? 🤔

[@carribob1992]

Glad you enjoyed the video.
I didn't get any footage of the Double Header as I returned to Bournemouth when it happened. Its about an hour away on the bus and I wanted to get back to my Hotel before it got dark.
If I ever head back down to Bournemouth and Swanage, it would most likely be during the Summer when its much lighter (And warmer) in the evening.

[@johnlunnun9769]

563 is a beauty! How much better it would have been to see the T9 alongside her in the same livery, that would have been glorious!

[@carribob1992]

That sounds like a pretty interesting idea. I've seen images and videos of the T9 in LSWR livery when it ran railtours in the 60s.
Although, seeing both the T9 and T3 in Southern Olive Green would also be an interesting idea too.

[@williamtacey7770]

Manston coming back to swanage railway residents in Dorset after visiting on MHR for Christmas service since late 2023

[@iankemp1131]

Hopefully the restoration of the T9 to running order can be the next project given the success of the T3, especially as the T9 is owned by the NRM. Hopefully a repaint into some sort of LSWR/Southern green livery would be included, the BR black is looking a bit faded now.

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Nice.Cheers from overseas the United States

[@annajeannettedixon2453]

what beauityful little engine nothing like the edwardians had some real style