swanage railway steam working to warehm

[341o2]

Questions have been asked regarding running steam hauled trains to wareham, which I did not think would happen in the foreseeable future due to costs in upgrading stock to main line standards.

now it does appear that 31874 plus a carriage set have been awarded funding for just that

From the Dorset Echo
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/newS/14515898.Four_year_project_to_restore_scrapped_steam_engine_gets___75_000_funding_boost/?action=success#comment_16255966

SWANAGE steam railway volunteers have received a welcome £75,000 boost from the Department for Transport.

The government grant will pay for mainline safety and communications equipment, which will be installed on Southern Railway 'N' class 'Mogul' steam locomotive.

Withdrawn for scrap by British Railways in 1964, it is hoped that No. 31874 will haul its first passenger train since 1998 during late 2016 or early 2017 – and be ready for mainline running to Wareham in late 2017 or early 2018.

good news, though as been commented, the locomotive was not scrapped as per headline, or there would be nothing left to restore!

 

[SpacePhoenix]

afaik they're using a DMU for their services into Swanage. There's no facility for a steam engine to run round it's train

 

[paul1609]

afaik they're using a DMU for their services into Swanage. There's no facility for a steam engine to run round it's train

I think they are thinking that the train will be topn tailed by a class 33 diesel as an assurance against failure on the mainline.