The 'SWANAGE BELLE' with Nos.70013 "Oliver Cromwell" + 34067 "Tangmere" - 21/06/2012

Thursday 16th June saw a re-run of the last run of the Railway Touring Company's 'Swanage Belle' excursions from London to the Swanage Railway on Saturday 15th October 2011. With both the October 15th 2011 and June 21st 2012 tours, the motive power for these two 'Swanage Belle' trips saw BR 'Britannia'-class 4-6-2 No.70013 "Oliver Cromwell" working the outward run from London Victoria to Swanage with SR unrebuilt 'Battle of Britain'-class 4-6-2 No.34067 "Tangmere" on the return. Both outward and return runs are seen passing through Totton Station. The run by "Oliver Cromwell" marked a full-house with all three of British Railway's big preserved express locomotives having worked trips on the Dorset Coast line in the past three weeks following 8P-class 4-6-2 No.71000 "Duke of Gloucester" working the Torbay Express Ltd.'s 'Diamond Jubilee Express' on Wednesday 6th June from Poole to Windsor, and also "Cromwell's" classmate No.70000 "Britannia" having worked a Steam Dreams 'Cathedral's Express' from London to Swanage on Thursday 14th June.