Based at the Bluebell Railway in Sussex, O1 Class - 65 has touched down on the Swanage Railway, as the loco is set to star in their forthcoming ‘Victorian Weekend’; being held over the weekend of March 22nd-24th.
This sole surviving O1 first emerged from Ashford works in 1896 as a South Eastern Railway O Class. In 1899, the SER amalgamated with the London, Dover & Chatham Railway to form the South Eastern & Chatham Railway, and it was under their ownership that 28 members of the O Class were rebuilt with larger boilers to form the O1 Class. 65 was rebuilt as such in 1908, and would go on to provide a total of 65 years’ service before withdrawal in 1961 by British Railways. Bought for preservation in 1963, the O1 arrived at the Bluebell Railway in the late 1990’s; which is home to a further 5 SE&CR locomotives. 65 remains the only surviving Ex-SER locomotive.
Once 65 had been unloaded onto Swanage metals, resident Class 33 - 33111 would tow the Victorian veteran to Swanage where 65 would be shunted onto shed road, line astern with T3 Class - 563. The pair share over a combined 250 years of history between them, with 65 at 128 years old in various guises, and 563 celebrating its 131st birthday during March.
Locomotives:
SE&CR O1 Class - 65
BR Class 33 - 33111
LSWR T3 Class - 563
00:00 65 unloading at Norden
02:41 33111 Norden Common
04:10 563 & 65 on shed at Swanage
All footage filmed on Wednesday the 20th of March 2024.