Swanage Diesel Gala 2018

On Friday we made our annual pilgrimage to the Swanage Railway Diesel Gala and Beer Festival. As always it was a great day out spent riding behind various vintage diesels and sampling various excellent ales!

Below are some of the photos taken on the day, featuring some of the diesels that we travelled behind.

We arrived at Norden just before 8:00 am and decided to walk to Corfe Castle to catch the 08:30 train to Wareham, having never travelled on this stretch of line before. The photo above was taken at Norden, as we commenced our walk to Corfe Castle.

This photograph was taken in Corfe Castle and anyone who knows the village will appreciate just how difficult it can be to take a photograph here with the road devoid of any traffic, especially in the summer months. Maybe the fact that it was only 08:00 am helped!

At Corfe Castle station, the first Wareham shuttle service of the day arrives on time at 08:30 - headed by D6515 ...

... and tailed by 20007.

50049 'Defiance' was one of two Class 50s used during the gala. The second one, 50031 'Hood' was actually a replacement for Class 37 37521, which was unfortunately unavailable. Here we glimpse Defiance through the trees at Norden as she backs onto her train to form the 10:00 from Norden to Swanage.

 Now we see her on Platform 1 at Swanage having arrived and been released from her train.

 Meanwhile, on Platform 2, is Class 45 45041 'Royal Tank Regiment'.

Also on duty during the weekend was this Class 35 Diesel Hydraulic 'Hymek' - D7017. This provided me with my first ride behind one of these lovely locos and doesn't she look great in her BR Green livery?

A head-on photograph of D7017, standing on Platform 1 at Swanage.

A couple of photographs showing inside the engine compartment of D7017.

The Class 45 arrives at Norden with the 12:46 from Swanage.

... while 'Hood' and 'Defiance' await their next turn of duty. Of course, the Class 50s never did carry this rather striking Inter-City livery during their working lives, although they did come very close during the late 1980s! Personally, I think the colour scheme suits them extremely well!

A close-up of Hood's nameplate and crest.

A final shot of Hood, at Norden, having arrived with the 18:15 from Swanage. This should have been hauled by 20142, in its London Transport livery, but, sadly, had to be replaced by Hood when, apparently, its brakes failed.