The Swanage Railway has announced that 4953 Pitchford Hall is set to visit them for the first time as part of their Spring Steam Gala.

The three-day gala, taking place between the 28th and 30th March 2025, will see a busy timetable with both passenger and freight trains running between Swanage and Norden via Harman’s Cross and Corfe Castle.

4953 visits thanks to the Epping Ongar Railway and joins other visiting locomotive, 41313, which is visiting thanks to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

Other locomotives from the resident fleet include T3 No. 563, U Class No. 31806, Battle of Britain No. 34070 Manston and Battle of Britain No. 34072 257 Squadron.

With a wide range of steam locomotives in operation on passenger and demonstration freight trains – from the 1890s to the 1950s – as well as bracing brake van rides, this year’s Spring Steam Gala will be an exciting spectacular not to be missed.

“It will be thrilling to watch and ride behind a 1920s Great Western Railway express ‘Hall’ class locomotive running on the Swanage Railway for the first time while the Ivatt tank will take passengers back to the 1960s and the final years of Swanage branch line steam trains,” added Alex who is a volunteer Swanage Railway driver and a director of the Swanage Railway Trust.

Swanage Railway volunteer commercial director Alex Atkins