For the first time in at least 60 years, historic steam locomotive Repton returned to Dorset to star in Swanage Railway’s autumn steam gala, which also showcased five other locos dating from the 1890s to the 1940s.
The special event weekend, which took place from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th September 2025, was declared a commercial success by the heritage railway, attracting visitors from across the UK to see all the trains in action.
Repton travelled along the old branch line, passing Corfe Castle on its way
Repton, the name of a public school, and the ‘Schools Class’ steam locomotive
Showpiece special events
Since the months of closure due to the Covid pandemic in 2020, and the spiralling cost of coal due to the war in Ukraine, the railway has fought hard to put its finances back on a firmer footing.
However focussing on showpiece special events has proved popular, pulling in the crowds of train enthusiasts who rarely need much of an excuse to come to Swanage.
This time, the big attraction was the 1930s steam locomotive No. 926 Repton, which first entered service on the Bournemouth route, spending time operating between Waterloo and Portsmouth before that line was electrified.
After it was withdrawn from service in the 1960s, it spent time in the US and Canada, before returning to the UK and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in 1989. So seeing Repton back down south was a bit of an overdue homecoming for the Schools Class loco.
The other visitor was freight engine No. 30506, a 1920s S15 class locomotive on loan from the Watercress Line in Hampshire. This was the first time a S15 had visited the Isle of Purbeck in more than 20 years.
The S15 class No. 30506 visiting Purbeck for the first time in about 20 years
“Excellent line-up”
The Swanage Railway’s volunteer commercial director Alexander Atkins said:
“It was fantastic to see such an excellent line-up of southern traction back on the Swanage branch with the Schools class No. 926 Repton and S15 class No. 30506 operating flawlessly throughout the weekend and proving very popular with our customers alongside our home fleet of steam locomotives dating from the 1890s to the 1940s.
“My sincere thanks goes out to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway and Urie Locomotive Society for loaning us their fantastic engines, while a special mention goes out to our dedicated staff and volunteers for their hard work and efforts in putting on yet another excellent show.”
Repton in the distance, passes Manston heading in the opposite direction
Action packed timetable
The autumn steam gala saw an action packed timetable with three passenger trains operating along the full nine mile length of the Swanage Railway, from Swanage to Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle, Norden and beyond to the River Frome – within sight of Wareham – along with a freight train.
Joining the visiting locos were Swanage Railway’s home fleet of four preserved steam locomotives – the T3 No. 563, the U class No. 31806, and the two Battle of Britain class Pacifics: No. 34070 Manston and No. 34072 257 Squadron.
Locomotives T3 563 and 926 Repton forming a train, travelling through the Purbeck countryside
“A job well done!”
Alexander Atkins added:
“This is the first time that we have run a timetable of this intensity and complexity so we were pleased to see that, aside from a couple of delays of no more than a few minutes, the entire three days of the autumn steam gala ran like clockwork – really capturing the feel of a railway hard at work.
“Our autumn steam gala was also a weekend of firsts for Southern Railway Schools class No. 926 Repton. As far as we are aware, this is the first time that Repton has operated in Dorset since she ran on the main line to Bournemouth in the early 1960s.
“It was also the furthest south that Repton has operated since returning to this country from the United States with our own resident London and South Western Railway M7 tank No. 30053 in the late 1980s.
“It was a shame not to be able to put these two fine and historic locomotives together on this occasion so our fingers are crossed for a reunion on the Swanage Railway in the future.
“There is much to celebrate about the autumn steam gala and while the dust is settling on the event and we await the final numbers, early indicators are that the gala was a commercial success, so we can sign the three-day weekend off as a job well done!”
Always the star of Swanage Railway, the Victorian T3 loco drew admiring glances throughout the weekend
Further information
- More Swanage Railway events
