The 'ROYAL WESSEX' with Nos.44932 & D6515 "Lt. Jenny Lewis RN" - 05/07/2014

July marks the start of the Railway Touring Company's Summer Season of excursion trains from London along the Dorset Coast line to Weymouth during 2014. The weekly 'DORSET COAST EXPRESS' will commence on Wednesday 9th July and run until Wednesday 10th September. But before the 'DCEs' commenced, another tour by the RTC ran on Saturday 5th July. This was the 'ROYAL WESSEX' from Three Bridges to Weymouth and became the first tour to run over the section of Main Line between Fareham and Southampton for many years. The motive power was LMSR 'Black 5'-class 4-6-0 No.44932, which replaced the booked SR rebuilt 'West Country'-class 4-6-2 No.34046 "Braunton" & SR 'Battle of Britain'-class 4-6-2 No.34067 "Tangmere" as both were unavailable and quite possibly out-of-gauge for the Fareham-Southampton section. Because only one steam loco was available, the return section of the excursion was changed to be diesel-hauled from Weymouth to Eastleigh before the 'Black 5' once again took control for the run back to Three Bridges. As with the 'SWANAGE BELLE' runs in June, the diesel used was the Swanage Railway's BR Class 33 'Crompton' Bo-Bo No.D6515 "Lt. Jenny Lewis RN". In the video, the tour is seen on the outskirts of Totton, at the Redbridge Causeway-end on the outward run and then the West Totton Suburbs on the return. Later, after detaching from the train at Eastleigh, the Class 33 is seen passing over the Totton Level Crossing running 'Light-Engine' back to Swanage. It is very possible that both No.44932 and the Class 33 will be used regularly on the 'DORSET COAST EXPRESS' runs along with BR 'Britannia'-class 4-6-2 No.70013 "Oliver Cromwell" which is also due to work a Steam Dreams 'CATHEDRAL'S EXPRESS' from London Victoria to Swanage and return on Thursday 10th July.