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{{Short description|United Kingdom passenger train (1931-1967)}}
{{italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Bournemouth Belle.jpg|thumb|right|1931 advert for the Bournemouth Belle Pullman service between London Waterloo and Bournemouth]] -->
{{Use British English|date=November 2016}}
{{Italic title}}
[[File:Farnborough Down 'Bournemouth Belle' geograph-2620910-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|thumb|[[SR Merchant Navy class|Merchant Navy class]] 35012 ''United States Lines'' hauling the ''Bournemouth Belle'' in 1950]]


The '''''[[Bournemouth]] Belle''''' was a named train run by the [[Southern Railway (Great Britain)]] from 1931 until [[nationalisation]] in 1948 (with a break for the war until 1947) and subsequently by [[British Railways]] until it was withdrawn on 9 July 1967.
The '''''Bournemouth Belle''''' was a British named train run by the [[Southern Railway (UK)|Southern Railway]] from 1931 until [[nationalisation]] in 1948 (with a break for the war until 1947) and subsequently by [[British Railways]] until it was withdrawn on 9 July 1967.


The train, composed of [[Pullman train (UK)|Pullman]] stock, first ran on Sunday 5 July 1931.<ref>Kidner, R W (1958). The Southern Railway. South Godstone, Surrey: The Oakwood Press.</ref> It initially ran direct from {{Stnlink|London Waterloo}}, leaving at 10:30, to [[Bournemouth Central railway station|Bournemouth Central]], returning at 19:18. The service was later amended to call at [[Southampton Central railway station|Southampton]], and extended from Bournemouth Central to [[Bournemouth West railway station|Bournemouth West]]. Journey time was between two hours one minute and two hours twenty minutes, depending on direction, configuration and motive power.
The train, composed of [[Pullman train (UK)|Pullman]] stock, first ran on Sunday 5 July 1931.<ref>{{cite book |last=Kidner |first=R. W. |date=1958 |title=The Southern Railway |location=South Godstone, Surrey |publisher=The Oakwood Press}}</ref> It initially ran non-stop from {{Stnlink|London Waterloo}}, leaving at 10:30, to [[Bournemouth Central railway station|Bournemouth Central]], returning at 19:18. The service was later amended to call at [[Southampton Central railway station|Southampton]], and extended from Bournemouth Central to [[Bournemouth West railway station|Bournemouth West]]. Journey time was between two hours one minute and two hours twenty minutes, depending on direction, configuration and motive power.


At first the train ran on summer Sundays. It was sufficiently successful to be run on all weekends and summer weekdays until in 1936 it was a daily working.
At first the train ran on summer Sundays. It was sufficiently successful to be run on all weekends and summer weekdays until in 1936 it was a daily working.


Before the war the train was usually hauled by [[SR Lord Nelson Class]] locomotives. On its reintroduction on 7 October 1947 the superior [[SR Merchant Navy class]] provided motive power. The weight of the ''Belle'' and other express trains on the London–[[Bournemouth]] route meant a decision was made to continue with steam in the early 1960s until electrification was completed.<ref>{{cite book |first=Sean Day |last=Lewis |title=Bulleid: last giant of steam |publisher=Allen Unwin |location=London |date=1994}}</ref> In the mid-1960s, heavy trains like the ''Belle'' needed fast acceleration, at which the Bulleid Pacifics excelled, due to delays during third-rail electrification work, the ''Bournemouth Belle'' was the last great named steam train with a patronage of rock stars and aristocrats as well as ferry and ocean liner passengers from Southampton and tourists visiting Bournemouth.<ref>{{cite AV media |first1=T. |last1=Ferris |first2=R. |last2=Hendry |title=Waterloo Sunset, British Rail, V1 |type=DVD |publisher=Midland Publishing}}</ref> The ''Bournemouth Belle'' was steam-hauled almost daily until January 1967, and steam often relieved broken-down diesels until the last week.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} The final trains in 1967 were hauled by [[British Rail Class 47]] diesels. D1924 (now 47810) worked the last run on 9 July 1967.
Before the war the train was usually hauled by [[SR Lord Nelson Class]] locomotives. On its reintroduction on 7 October 1947 the superior [[SR Merchant Navy class]] provided motive power. The final trains in 1967 were hauled by [[British Rail Class 47]] diesels.


The Southern Railway ran three Pullman trains with the suffix ''Belle''. The others were the ''[[Brighton Belle]]'' (originally the ''Southern Belle'') and the ''[[Devon Belle]]''. British Railways introduced the ''[[Thanet Belle]]'' (later renamed the ''Kentish Belle'') in 1948.<ref>{{cite web |title=Southern Named Trains – "Thanet/Kentish Belle" |url=https://sremg.org.uk/misc/named_05.html |website=sremg.org.uk |access-date=19 January 2021}}</ref>
[[File:SE-Bournemouth-map.jpg||right|SE England showing London and Bournemouth]]


On 5 July 2017, to mark 50 years since the ''Bournemouth Belle'' steamed to the coast, the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society put on a re-creation service using its locomotive [[SR Merchant Navy Class 35028 Clan Line|35028 Clan Line]].<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/15390995.Full_steam_ahead__The_Bournemouth_Belle_to_make_special_visit_to_Dorset_today/ |title=Full steam ahead! The Bournemouth Belle to make special visit to Dorset today |newspaper=Daily Echo |location= Bournemouth |date=5 July 2017 |first=Jason |last=Lewis |access-date=6 July 2017}}</ref>
The Southern ran three Pullman trains with the suffix ''Belle''. The others were the ''[[Brighton Belle]]'' (originally the ''Southern Belle'') and the ''[[Devon Belle]]''. British Railways introduced the ''[[Thanet Belle]]'' (later renamed the ''Kentish Belle'') in 1948.<ref>http://www.semgonline.com/misc/named_05.html</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
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== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>

==Further reading==
*{{cite magazine|title=The Bournemouth Belle|first=Colin|last=Boocock|magazine=Hornby Magazine|pages=70–75|issue=36|date=June 2010|location=Hersham|publisher=Ian Allan Publishing|issn=1753-2469|oclc=226087101}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
*[http://www.semgonline.com/misc/named_02.html SEMG Bournemouth Belle page]
*[http://www.sremg.org.uk/misc/named_02.html SREmG Bournemouth Belle page]
*[http://www.southernposters.co.uk/famoustrains-sou.html Southern Posters famous trains page]
*[http://www.southernposters.co.uk/famoustrains-sou.html Southern Posters famous trains page]


{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Named passenger trains of the United Kingdom|Bournemouth Belle]]

[[Category:Named passenger trains of the Southern Railway]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of British Rail]]
[[Category:Pullman Car Company (UK)]]
[[Category:Pullman Car Company (UK)]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1931]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 1931]]
[[Category:1931 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Railway services discontinued in 1967]]
[[Category:1967 disestablishments in England]]

Latest revision as of 17:21, 22 August 2024

Merchant Navy class 35012 United States Lines hauling the Bournemouth Belle in 1950

The Bournemouth Belle was a British named train run by the Southern Railway from 1931 until nationalisation in 1948 (with a break for the war until 1947) and subsequently by British Railways until it was withdrawn on 9 July 1967.

The train, composed of Pullman stock, first ran on Sunday 5 July 1931.[1] It initially ran non-stop from London Waterloo, leaving at 10:30, to Bournemouth Central, returning at 19:18. The service was later amended to call at Southampton, and extended from Bournemouth Central to Bournemouth West. Journey time was between two hours one minute and two hours twenty minutes, depending on direction, configuration and motive power.

At first the train ran on summer Sundays. It was sufficiently successful to be run on all weekends and summer weekdays until in 1936 it was a daily working.

Before the war the train was usually hauled by SR Lord Nelson Class locomotives. On its reintroduction on 7 October 1947 the superior SR Merchant Navy class provided motive power. The weight of the Belle and other express trains on the London–Bournemouth route meant a decision was made to continue with steam in the early 1960s until electrification was completed.[2] In the mid-1960s, heavy trains like the Belle needed fast acceleration, at which the Bulleid Pacifics excelled, due to delays during third-rail electrification work, the Bournemouth Belle was the last great named steam train with a patronage of rock stars and aristocrats as well as ferry and ocean liner passengers from Southampton and tourists visiting Bournemouth.[3] The Bournemouth Belle was steam-hauled almost daily until January 1967, and steam often relieved broken-down diesels until the last week.[citation needed] The final trains in 1967 were hauled by British Rail Class 47 diesels. D1924 (now 47810) worked the last run on 9 July 1967.

The Southern Railway ran three Pullman trains with the suffix Belle. The others were the Brighton Belle (originally the Southern Belle) and the Devon Belle. British Railways introduced the Thanet Belle (later renamed the Kentish Belle) in 1948.[4]

On 5 July 2017, to mark 50 years since the Bournemouth Belle steamed to the coast, the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society put on a re-creation service using its locomotive 35028 Clan Line.[5]

See also

[edit]

List of named passenger trains of the United Kingdom

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kidner, R. W. (1958). The Southern Railway. South Godstone, Surrey: The Oakwood Press.
  2. ^ Lewis, Sean Day (1994). Bulleid: last giant of steam. London: Allen Unwin.
  3. ^ Ferris, T.; Hendry, R. Waterloo Sunset, British Rail, V1 (DVD). Midland Publishing.
  4. ^ "Southern Named Trains – "Thanet/Kentish Belle"". sremg.org.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  5. ^ Lewis, Jason (5 July 2017). "Full steam ahead! The Bournemouth Belle to make special visit to Dorset today". Daily Echo. Bournemouth. Retrieved 6 July 2017.

Further reading

[edit]
  • Boocock, Colin (June 2010). "The Bournemouth Belle". Hornby Magazine. No. 36. Hersham: Ian Allan Publishing. pp. 70–75. ISSN 1753-2469. OCLC 226087101.
[edit]