A STEAM gala will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the rebuilt and reopened Purbeck railway line.

Swanage Railway volunteers are staging their annual steam gala tomorrow (September 11) and Sunday (September 12).

It was in the summer of 1979 that a dedicated band of volunteers ran their very first passenger train over a few hundred yards of hand-laid track at Swanage station. At that time the locomotive was a small industrial diesel hauling just one carriage.

This weekend the volunteers hope to have four ex-BR locomotives in steam. There will be an intensive passenger train service throughout the weekend with steam services leaving Swanage and Norden park and ride stations every 35 minutes. There will also be a special evening service between Swanage and Corfe Castle.

The gala weekend features special combinations and workings including nostalgic freight trains and light engine movements.

Starring in the gala will be the latest Swanage Railway steam locomotive to return to the rails after being restored from a rusting hulk - West Country class Bulleid Pacific Number 34038 Eddystone, built in the late 1940s.

David Green, Swanage Railway passenger services manager, said: "This weekend's steam gala is not only celebrating that first fledgling train from 25 years ago, it is also a chance for enthusiasts and the public to travel behind a rare Victorian-designed steam engine for the last time.

"After being rescued from the USA in 1987, M7 tank Number 30053 has been running on the Swanage Railway's relaid Purbeck Line for 12 years after being restored.

"After the steam gala it will be going out of traffic for a major year-long overhaul that involves the engine being taken apart and rebuilt."

Railway leaders hope the 30053 will be back in traffic at Swanage in time for its centenary in December 2005.

Steam gala tickets per day, allowing all day travel, are priced £10 for adults, £7 for children, and include access to a classic vehicle rally next to Harman's Cross station staged by the Bournemouth and Poole Preservation Club.

The steam gala coincides with Swanage Folk Festival which begins tonight. Details of the event appeared in Tuesday's Daily Echo.

First published: September 10