The 'ROYAL WESSEX' with Nos.44871 + 30777 "Sir Lamiel" - 22/05/2010

The 'Railway Touring Company' ran a trip from London Paddington to Weymouth on Saturday 22nd May 2010. The outward run went to Yeovil and then down to Weymouth before returning back to London via Wareham, Bournemouth and Southampton. The motive power for the trip was not as originally planned. The original plan was for the train to be double-headed from Paddington to Yeovil behind SR N15-class 'King Arthur' 4-6-0 No.30777 "Sir Lamiel" and unrebuilt 'Battle of Britain'-class 4-6-2 No.34067 "Tangmere". Unfortunately, "Tangmere" was having an intermediate overhaul at Carnforth so its place was instead to be given to BR 'Britannia'-class 4-6-2 No.70013 "Oliver Cromwell". But to make matters worse, "Oliver Cromwell" had been side-lined due to firebox problems. So "Sir Lamiel" was joined by Ian Riley's LMSR 'Black 5'-class 4-6-0 No.44871. This video shows the train pausing at Wareham on the return run back to London. No.44871 was at the head of the train whilst "Sir Lamiel" had 'banked' the train up from Weymouth. At Wareham, "Sir Lamiel" and its Support Coach were taken off the back of the train and the 'Black 5' continued on back to London. Finally, "Sir Lamiel" and its Support Coach headed back a mile down the line where they turned off onto the Swanage branch. On May 31st, the two locomotives worked the first 'Swanage Belle' railtour. No.44871 worked the outward run before remaining at the Swanage Railway and working trains there for a few days; "Sir Lamiel" had been to Eastleigh to turn around beforehand and took charge of the return trip.