EYE catching locomotives will be steaming into Purbeck for Swanage Railway's three-day Autumn Steam Gala.

The six locomotives starring at the event will include a classic Southern Railway N15 King Arthur class Sir Lamiel, built in 1925, which has not visited the Swanage Railway for more than five years.

The event runs from Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18 and will see a frequent train service between Norden, Corfe Castle, Harman's Cross and Swanage.

The Autumn Steam Gala will also be the first time that two Southern Railway steam locomotives designed by the company's chief mechanical engineer Richard Maunsell have worked together on the Swanage Railway – Sir Lamiel and fellow tender locomotive U class locomotive No. 31806.

Also being put through their paces during the Gala will be Victorian-designed T9 class locomotive No. 30120, dating from 1899, an M7 tank No. 30053 built in 1905, Battle of Britain class Bulleid Pacific No. 34070 Manston dating from the mid-1940s and British Railways Class 4 Tank No. 80104 built in 1955.

Swanage Railway general manager Matt Green said: "It will be great to see 'Sir Lamiel' back at Swanage and everyone is very much looking forward to welcoming the locomotive back to the Isle of Purbeck.

"Our Autumn Steam Gala will be an event not to be missed with six locomotives spanning more than half a century hauling trains from Norden to Corfe Castle, Harman's Cross and Swanage.

"It will also be a first for the Swanage Railway to have two Richard Maunsell-designed locomotives – Sir Lamiel and our U class No. 31806 – hauling trains on the relaid Purbeck Line."

Sir Lamiel is part of the National Railway Museum's national collection based in York.
It was one of 30 N15 class locomotives built and was named after a fictional Knight of the Round Table in the 12th century legend of King Arthur,
The N15 King Arthurs were based at Bournemouth for main line work for more than 40 years through to the early 1960s.

In the early 1950s there were 12 of the class on the books at Bournemouth but by 1960 there were just four, the locomotives having been eclipsed by the Bulleid Pacifics.

The last King Arthur locomotive was withdrawn by British Railways in 1961.

For Swanage Railway train times and event details visit swanagerailway.co.uk or call 01929 425800.