Steam around Salisbury

Steam haulage on Southern Region main lines had been tried in the early 1970's but concerns over trespass on the third rail electrified lines had soon put a stop to that and the SR had become something of a no-go area.
However, the then recently appointed Salisbury Area Manager, Gerald Daniels, saw no reason why steam hauled trains should not be run west of Salisbury and after a successful steam event earlier in the year at Andover had planned on 3 weekends in October 1986 to run steam hauled trains from Salisbury to Yeovil Jc. running twice each day. These trains proved so popular that a fourth weekend had to be added.
Planned motive power for these trains was Bullied Merchant Navy Pacific 35028 'Clan Line' and King Arthur 4-6-0 777 'Sir Lamiel' but, unfortunately, the later was out of action suffering from a cracked frame. The substitute provided was GWR Hall 4-6-0 6998 'Burton Agnes Hall' and a later addition was LNER A4 Pacific 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley'.

Over the coming years the Salisbury crews who worked these trains were to prove most enthusiastic and on this occasion as you can hear in this recording made during the return journey from Yeovil Jc. on 2nd October 1986 35028 makes a fine sound departing from departing from Gillingham and starting on the gradient to the summit at Semley.

The afternoon train was worked by GWR Hall 4-6-0 6998 'Burton Agnes Hall' which is heard in this recording departing from Salisbury exchanging whistles with 35028.

Stopping at Templecombe for photographs we were able to have a couple of runs past and in this recording 6998 is heard starting out of the station on the first of these.

The third of four weekends of steam hauled trains between Salisbury and Yeovil took place on the 18/19th October 1986.
6998 was once again in use during this weekend but instead of 'Clan Line', the other locomotive was LNER A4 Pacific 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley'.
On 19th October 1986 4498 'Sir Nigel Gresley' worked the afternoon train and sounded like this departing from Templecombe on the outward journey to Yeovil Jc.

Gerald Daniels' presence at Salisbury made it possible for us to have two further years of similar, excellent steam events based on Salisbury, the last one being in 1988 which preceded his departure to pastures new caused by a management restructuring.
The July 1988 was to celebrate the 21st Anniversary of the end of steam on the Southern Region and saw some of the most remarkable running that it has been my privilege to witness. You can be sure that recordings from that final weekend will appear in these pages in the not too distant future!