Swanage Railway

Swanage station is decorated with railway memorabilia.

Swanage station

Introduction

The Swanage Railway is a six mile-long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. The railway follows the route of the Purbeck branch line (Norden Park & Ride - Corfe Castle - Harmans Cross - Herston - Swanage), and is now connected to the mainline at Wareham along a stretch of the branch line that remained open to freight.

History

The branch was built in 1885 and operated by the London and South Western Railway Company until it was closed in 1972 despite being omitted from the Beeching Axe of uneconomic railways. It was bought in 1975 by a group of local enthusiasts who formed a charity with the aim of relaying and reopening the railway both as a public transport link to Wareham, and as a museum of steam and railway technology.

In 1995 the railway reopened from Swanage to Corfe Castle, and on January 3 2002 the track was joined with the Furzebrook freight line and the Purbeck branch line was once again complete, thirty years to the day after it was closed. On September 8 a brand new Virgin Trains Class 220 "Voyager" diesel multiple unit, no. 220018, became the first mainline train to use the new track when it made a special journey for a ceremony where it was named Dorset Voyager and began its first passenger journey.

Aims of Swanage Railway

* The restoration of the rail link between Swanage and Wareham and the re-establishment of a daily service to connect with main line trains.
* The creation of a comprehensive historical record of steam railways and steam technology in Southern England.

Norden - Wareham restoration

There are currently no regular timetabled trains to Wareham due to Network Rail not considering the establishment of such services as a high priority. As of 2003 Network Rail believed no such connection would be made in "the foreseeable future". Click here for Press Statement regarding Network Rail's decision on Norden-Wareham Service

Steam loco 80078 pulls into Corfe Castle station. The castle is visible in the background

Locomotives

*Steam Locomotives
**BR 2-6-4T Class 4MT nos. 80078 and 80104
**GWR 0-6-2T 5600 Class no. 6695
**LSWR 0-4-4T Class M7 no. 30053
**SR 4-6-0 Class S15 no. 30828
**SR 4-6-2 "West Country" Class no. 34028 "Eddystone" - Now at NYMR
**SR 4-6-2 "Battle of Britain" Class nos. 34070 "Manston" and 34072 "257 Squadron"
**SR 4-6-2 "Merchant Navy" Class no. 35027 "Port Line"
*Diesel Locomotives
**BR 0-6-0 Class 08 no. D3591
**BR Bo-Bo Class 20 no. D8188
**BR Bo-Bo Class 33 nos. D6515, D6552 and 33108
**BR Co-Co Class 37 no. 37324 "Clydesbridge" (on loan from G&WR)
*Diesel Multiple Units
**BR Class 108 unit 51933+56504
**BR Class 117 unit 51346+59516+51388

Stations

* Swanage
* Herston (request stop only)
* Harmans Cross
* Corfe Castle
* Norden Park & Ride (Park & Ride for Corfe Castle and Swanage)

Reading

Railways of Dorset J.H.Lucking Railway Correspondence and Travel Society 1968 (No ISBN)

External links

Official Swanage Railway links

*Swanage Railway website
*Swanage Railway Trust website
*Press Statement regarding Railtrack's decision on Wareham Service

Other Swanage Railway links

*Photographs of the Swanage Railway
*Pictures of the Swanage Railway at Corfe Castle

Other local transport links

*Local bus information

Other local area links