Apologies for Camera Snake, all hand held and no Tripod Used.
To mark 45 years since the end of steam on Southern Region of the then nationalised British Railway Network, 35028 'Clan Line' with the Steam Dreams Cathedrals Express retrace the steps of sister Merchant Navy 35030 'Elder Dempster Lines' which operated the last Steam hauled train into Waterloo on the evening of the 9th July 1967, having operated a service from South West England.
I took abit of a Lottery in choosing Clapham Junction to film at as South West Trains occupy a good 9 Platforms, I knew it wouldnt be 3-6 as they are the Reading and Windsor Line, so it could only be on Plaforms 7-11, as 'Clan Line' was on the Down Fast going out and the Steam Dreams Brochure claiming that the train would recreate the exact 1967 train, i went for Platform 8 which is one, if not the only platforms which is completly unused with roughly 3 train stopping there a day (most fast/express stopping services using the loop on platform 7 or using the slow platform 10).
Many of the SWT staff at Clapham where very friendly (even through the didnt believe me at first).
The South West Mainline between Clapham Jnc and Waterloo is one of the only sections where your able to get ahead of a railtour as most railtours undergo numerous signal checks in the Battersea and Vauxhall Areas and as Clan Line had to snake across to Platform 19 this gave me just enough time to catch her arriving into Waterloo (although with a gentle sprint from Waterloo's Platform 7)
The Merchant Navy Class Locomotive where one of the last batch of steam locomotives built for the Southern Railways (and then the nationalised British Railways) being designed in the mid 1940's by engineer Oliver Vaughan Snell Bulleid.
A total of 30 Merchant Navy's where built, all primarly used on express passenger services across the Southern Region, the locomotives all take names from the various Shipping Companies that once served Southampton Docks and the Southern Boat Trains.
The Merchant Navy's also have the fame of being the last Steam Locomotive Class to break the 100mph mark in the UK, with 35003 'Royal Mail' acheiving 105mph between Winchfield and Fleet on the South Western Mainline on 26th June 1967.
A total of 11 Merchant Navy Class locomotive are preserved in the UK however only 3 are in full working order.
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