Despite an early start in the darkness, I'd been looking forward to this trip for a while. Something about the simple 'there and back again' nature of it appealed after some complicated tours lately with plenty of drama and excitement. I was also very keen to visit the Swanage Railway - and what better way than to cover the entire branch from the connection at Worgret Junction? The advantage of the Crewe Arms Hotel is needing to get up only a short time before the train. Arrived at the station to find the Up Sleeper still in the platform and not a sign of coffee. Lingered on the overbridge until the sleeper departed, and soon afterwards our train could be heard approaching - unusually for a charter using platform 6. Descended to see 37706 leading 37516 - an old stalwart and a winning engine for me respectively. Indeed, I'd wanted a ride behind 37516 since seeing it gleaming in the sunshine at Eastleigh in may. Soon seated and away on time, with a tiny glint of light beginning to appear in a cloudy sky. Given the amazingly good weather over the past few days, I had to admit that this didn't look promising for our day at the seaside...
The route was pretty simple today - along the WCML, then Wolverhampton, a diversion through Bescot and into Birmingham New Street picking up along the way. From here, the train snaked over the tracks to use the curve to St Andrew's Junction, then took the connection at Bordesley Junction to access the former Great Western lines to Tyseley. Nothing much close enough to see at Tyseley depot, disappointingly - despite a number of preserved locos clearly being on the shed. At Banbury, our coach filled up and I found myself chatting to a veteran of the Cumbrian trips over the last month. I'd also been spotted at Shackerstone last week it seems - a small world indeed this railway business. Along with the party from Sheffield and Cheshire across the bay, there was quite a lively atmosphere as we sped around the avoiding curve at Didcot, then took the rarely used Reading West curve past the depot and onto the Basingstoke line. With a clear run, and having missed some of our passing stops on the way down, we were running consistently early, with both locos performing superbly. Blasted through Eastleigh - a good number of photographers out on Campbell Road bridge - and unusally passed non-stop through Southampton.
After setting down briefly at Bournemouth, we headed west through Poole - I calculated I haven't done this bit of line for about 13 years. Somewhere along the way, the sun had broken through and the south coast was apparently enjoying a pretty blistering indian summer. Slowed to a stop at Worgret Junction before curving away from the mainline. A very slow trundle down the branch after our speedy trip so far, passing the site of the Furzebrook Oil Depot and pausing at Motala Ground Frame to access the Swanage Railway. Soon underway again, passing the striking ruins of Corfe Castle and the nearby village, which looks equally ancient and ramshackle. Amazed at the feel of remoteness on the Isle of Purbeck, as I always think of the south coast as being one long strip of populous resorts. After passing a huge amount of stored stock and engines, finally slowed for Swanage station - our destination. Alighted at the wonderfully preserved Southern Region terminus to find crowds enjoying the late summer sunshine. Fought my way to the front of the train for a picture, but couldn't quite get a decent angle as the platforms end right on the pavement of the main street! Resorted to the picnic area beside the tracks for a few shots before wandering in to the town to explore.
Swanage was busy - perhaps a little frustratingly so, because it proved quite difficult to get around. What surprised me, having lived in some of the less successful seaside resorts in the country, was how mixed the demographic was - sizeable groups of retired people mingling with young families and a few hen and stag type revellers in a fair approximation of harmony. It also struck me that the economic downturn has yet to bite hard here, and there were few closed shops in the busy main streets. Got a bite to eat, and found a shady spot near the floral clock - did all seaside towns once have these? Watched boats on the sea and families on the beach. Wandered back to the station with the sense that Swanage was something of a lost gem. The presence of a good preserved railway right at the heart of the town just added to this. Wandered up onto the picnic area again to watch the resident 08 shunting stock out of the bay platform to free this up for a DMU service and thus allow our train back into the station. Realised that the entire bank on this side of the station was alive with thousands of rather docile wasps! Beat a hasty retreat to a safe distance to watch operations. Next, our stock was hauled back into the station by 33103. It would have been good to have had this on a service - but it wasn't to be this time. Soon back on board with the crowds drifting back from town, the beach or the pubs. Departure was a few minutes down, and we started our lazy progress back to the mainline.
The return journey was very entertaining - aside from a check at Southcote Junction due to signal failure and a further snarl up near Didcot, we made steady progress. However these delays set us back, and catching up on a tight timescale was tricky. Much merriment in the coach as people speculated on the identity of various prominent members of the WNXX forum to varying degrees of accuracy. With 37516 at the front, the noise from outside was pretty impressive at times. No need to guess at our lateness either, as for some obscure reason we were showing on National Rail Enquiries as a service train!
Finally rolled into platform 12 at Crewe around 30 minutes late, after a very good day out. There are, it seems, some very ambitious plans afoot for next years trips. I can only hope there are a few simple ones like this too - a chance to just enjoy the trip and end up somewhere interesting, with a few laughs along the way.
Lost::MikeGTN
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.
