The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has begun an investigation into a derailment on the Swanage Railway yesterday, 11th May 2024.
The incident involved BR Class 50 No. 50026 Indomitable at around 18:30 and saw evening trains at the Beer and Diesel Festival cancelled.
No passengers were injured in the incident and no damage was caused to the carriages, which were being hauled by another locomotive with the Class 50 on the rear of the train.
Specialist contractors visited the railway overnight to re-rail the locomotive and inspections are underway to determine if any damage has been caused to the locomotive.
Whilst the investigation by the RAIB is completed, a revised timetable is in place today, with the BLS Charter continuing as planned.
“The Government’s Rail Accident Investigation Branch has been advised of the incident and we liaised with the RAIB regarding the recovery of the diesel locomotive and the RAIB’s investigation into what caused the partial derailment of the diesel locomotive.
“While the RAIB is investigating the incident – and after discussions with the RAIB – our planned train services for Sunday, 12 May, 2024, have been altered.
“There will be 11 trains operating but they will only be running on the five and a half miles of line between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Norden – not beyond Norden on the four miles of line to the River Frome, within sight of Wareham, as our train services were during the first two days of our annual diesel gala and beer festival.
“The return of the ‘Jurassic Crompton’ rail tour from Swanage to Eastleigh and London Waterloo, via our main line connection near the River Frome, will still be taking place on the afternoon of Sunday, 12 May, 2024.
“Carrying passengers attending our diesel gala and beer festival – and operated by the Branch Line Society and the main line train operating company GB Railfreight – the rail tour arrived in Swanage on Thursday, 9 May, 2024,”
Swanage Railway Company chairman Gavin Johns
Responses
It is not the class 50’s fault it derailed. And look what happened to DP2 ! Incongrous end for a nice machine but then we had the Deltics ….so everything worked out well in the end. Class 50’s were quite good loco’s I believe…maybe you should ask loco crews what they thought.
The class “50’s” always were useless heaps of junk ( Though not as bad as the “Warships”
They should have just ordered more “DP2’s” instead, but some idiot decided to be clever.