Taken 25/03/18 at the Swanage Spring Gala; 'Sir Keith Park' was restored from ex-Barry condition at Herston by Southern Locomotives Limited and was initially based at the Severn Valley Railway. The loco did guest at last year's Swanage Railway 'Strictly Bulleid' Gala, but is now based at Swanage for the foreseeable future,.
As I saw this loco twice last year, I have some notes I can repeat about Sir Keith Park. known to Germans as 'the Defender of London', New Zealander Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Rodney Park, GCB, KBE, MC & Bar, DFC, who was a veteran of both Gallipoli and the Somme, a First World War flying ace and a Second World War Royal Air Force commander. He was in operational command during two of the most significant air battles in the European theatre in the Second World War, the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Malta.
Taken 25/03/18 at the Swanage Railway Spring Gala; in addition to the Mark Ones the consist included a van (a PMV?) and a tanker.
Taken 25/03/18 at the Swanage Spring Gala; after spending last year running as No. 80146, the loco is now back running with its correct number, 80104.
Taken 25/03/18 at the Swanage Spring Gala; the Gala's theme was 'Works Outing' which seemed a little tenuous to me. However, with the U Class, the 4MT tank, the T9 and 'Sir Keith Park' all running it was well worth the cycle over to Swanage.
Taken 25/03/18 at the Swanage Spring Gala; I'm not sure for how long (to me it seems the loco flits about between Swanage and the Mid-Hants) but the T9 is currently on loan from the National Railway Museum to the Swanage Railway.