2004

Special Services

This year the London Waterloo – Weymouth line has played host on several occasions to the Sunny South Specials. These services have been run by Steam Dreams – a company providing special day trips on steam trains. Over the next few pages you will find a diary of the different visits the steam trains have made along the line.

Sunny South Special

Steam Train At Moreton

On the 26.5.2004 a Steam train went down the London Waterloo – Weymouth line. Apparently there are going to be a number of trips this summer.

For a long time many onlookers waited for the train. By 6PM there must have been 20 people on a normally desolate platform
	Suddenly a speedy train raced from round the corner going at 70-80mph considerably faster than what was expected
	“Sunny South Special” 73096 approaches Moreton
With ¼ second the train had disappeared at the other end of the platform
“Sunny South Special” 73096 passes Moreton

Sunny South Special

Steam Train At Wareham

On the 09.07.2004 a Steam train went down the London Waterloo – Weymouth line. There are going to be a number of trips this summer.

For a long time many onlookers waited for the train. By 6.30PM there must have been 50 people on a platform used to 10
	Four minuets earlier than expected the train raced along the embankment by West Mills and comes into sight
	“Sunny South Special” 73096 at Wareham
Also, Much to our surprise there was a diesel loco that went through. I had been reliably told that this loco accompanied the Sunny South Special should it have difficulties!

Sunny South Special

Steam Train At Weymouth

On the 21.07.2004 a Steam train went down the London Waterloo – Weymouth line. There are going to be a number of trips this summer.

Once Again there were many crowds of people waiting to see the train
	Disaster!! Train comes down line whilst batteries out camera!
	“Sunny South Special” 73096 at Weymouth
Once again there was the diesel loco that accompanies the Sunny South Special
		The Logo on the side of the diesel train.
Also, this time, I had the chance to notice that there was a buffet and kitchen car!

Sunny South Special

Steam Train at Wool

	Slowly but surely we began to hear noises and see smoke in the distance
The Noises Got Louder!
	Todays Sunny South Special was in sight!
The Sunny South Special raced towards Wool
	Later that day I went to Wool itself to see the return journey. No thanks to non rechargeable batteries I only took three photos!
Shortly followed by the relief train – there just in case.
	No time for stopping though!

Sunny South Special

Holton Heath

	Holton Heath is usually a quiet station, much like the majority of other stations I have chosen. But, As you can see there are already onlookers arriving at one of the standard passenger services passes by.
After a long wait (reasons unknown) we started to see smoke on the horizon. Unsure of it being a large bonfire someone gets their binoculars out!
	The dot of smoke gets bigger, we can see that it is, after all, the much awaited Sunny South Special! Hooray!!!
The Sunny South Special enters the platform at Holton Heath, Cameras At The Ready!
	Intentionally the driver makes a lot of very black smoke come out! But you can see that this train was passing at speed and a rare sight.
12 minuets on the support train passes by. This is there just so that should the steam train have any problems it doesn’t hold up other services.