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    Unique Victorian steam locomotive re-wheeled towards return to steam for first time since 1948
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • 3 days ago
    • 3 min

    Unique Victorian steam locomotive re-wheeled towards return to steam for first time since 1948

    A unique Victorian steam locomotive has been re-wheeled in “a hugely significant milestone” towards restoring the historic engine to full...
    Nostalgic ‘Roads to Rail’ steam rally to take place next to Norden Station near Corfe Castle
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Jun 12
    • 3 min

    Nostalgic ‘Roads to Rail’ steam rally to take place next to Norden Station near Corfe Castle

    Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers are to stage a nostalgic fund-raising steam rally in a field next to Norden station near the village...
    Come and join us! Swanage Railway volunteer appeal as part of National Volunteer Week
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Jun 4
    • 3 min

    Come and join us! Swanage Railway volunteer appeal as part of National Volunteer Week

    An appeal for volunteers with a wide range of interests, and from varied backgrounds, is being made by the Swanage Railway as part of the...
    Volunteer crafts special headboards marking Queen's Platinum Jubilee to grace steam locomotives
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • May 29
    • 2 min

    Volunteer crafts special headboards marking Queen's Platinum Jubilee to grace steam locomotives

    A dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer has crafted two special headboards marking the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee that will grace the front...
    Convoy of heritage locomotives arrives for first 'Diesel Gala and Beer Festival' since 2019
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • May 3
    • 3 min

    Convoy of heritage locomotives arrives for first 'Diesel Gala and Beer Festival' since 2019

    A convoy of four classic 1960s main line heritage diesel locomotives - from across the country - has arrived on the Swanage Railway to...
    Eagerly awaited 'Diesel Gala & Beer Festival' returns with eight heritage locomotives
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Apr 27
    • 3 min

    Eagerly awaited 'Diesel Gala & Beer Festival' returns with eight heritage locomotives

    Eight heritage diesel locomotives – that help to tell the fascinating story of Britain’s railways during the transition from steam to...
    Wareham trial train service postponed to summer 2023
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Mar 17
    • 3 min

    Wareham trial train service postponed to summer 2023

    Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers have postponed their planned trial diesel train service to the main line at Wareham until the summer...
    Great Western Railway steam locomotive brings a taste of the west country to the Swanage Railway
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Feb 17
    • 2 min

    Great Western Railway steam locomotive brings a taste of the west country to the Swanage Railway

    An evocative taste of the West Country has come to the Swanage Railway with the visit of a 1920s Great Western Railway 2-6-2 tank wheel...
    £5,000 needed to reach £25,000 appeal total to restore tender of unique Victorian steam locomotive
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Feb 9
    • 3 min

    £5,000 needed to reach £25,000 appeal total to restore tender of unique Victorian steam locomotive

    A £25,000 appeal by the Swanage Railway Trust to help fund the restoration of the tender belonging to a unique Victorian T3 class steam...
    Last Corfe Castle signalman from 1972 welcomes 50th anniversary train to Swanage
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Jan 3
    • 3 min

    Last Corfe Castle signalman from 1972 welcomes 50th anniversary train to Swanage

    A retired Corfe Castle railwayman who signalled the last British Rail train from Wareham to Swanage through the picture postcard village...
    Teenage passenger on last train to Swanage in 1972 to drive 50th anniversary heritage diesel service
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Dec 22, 2021
    • 3 min

    Teenage passenger on last train to Swanage in 1972 to drive 50th anniversary heritage diesel service

    A dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer who rode on the last British Rail train from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage as a young...
    Special heritage diesel service to mark 50th anniversary of last British Rail train to Swanage
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Dec 1, 2021
    • 3 min

    Special heritage diesel service to mark 50th anniversary of last British Rail train to Swanage

    A special three-day New Year heritage diesel service is to operate on the Swanage Railway to mark the 50th anniversary of the last...
    Dedicated museum volunteers at Corfe Castle station win first grant to improve visitor experience
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Nov 15, 2021
    • 3 min

    Dedicated museum volunteers at Corfe Castle station win first grant to improve visitor experience

    Dedicated Swanage Railway museum volunteers at Corfe Castle station are celebrating after winning their first grants – the money being...
    Volunteers to stage Christmas ‘Steam and Lights’ trains after last year's sold out success
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Oct 16, 2021
    • 3 min

    Volunteers to stage Christmas ‘Steam and Lights’ trains after last year's sold out success

    Evocative Christmas ‘Steam and Lights’ trains – featuring more operating days together with refreshed lineside and station lighting...
    London Transport Museum: Hidden Hangouts
    Andy Vincent
    • Aug 18, 2021
    • 2 min

    London Transport Museum: Hidden Hangouts

    Based in Covent Garden, the London Transport Museum hosts exhibits relating to the heritage of London's transport, as well as conserving...
    Swanage Railway gets on board national ‘Love Your Railway’ campaign to raise heritage line awareness
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Aug 2, 2021
    • 3 min

    Swanage Railway gets on board national ‘Love Your Railway’ campaign to raise heritage line awareness

    Swanage Railway volunteers are joining organisations across the United Kingdom in a new ‘Love Your Railway’ campaign to raise awareness...
    August bank holiday weekend ‘Roads to Rail’ mini steam rally to take place near Corfe Castle
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Jul 7, 2021
    • 3 min

    August bank holiday weekend ‘Roads to Rail’ mini steam rally to take place near Corfe Castle

    Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers are to stage a nostalgic fund-raising mini steam rally in a field next to Norden station near the...
    'New' 130 year old coach body arrives at the Swanage Railway
    Andy Vincent
    • Jul 2, 2021
    • 2 min

    'New' 130 year old coach body arrives at the Swanage Railway

    The body of a former London and South Western Railway coach dating from 1890 has arrived on the Swanage Railway. Starting around 1886,...
    Herston carriage shed appeal update
    Andy Vincent
    • Jul 1, 2021
    • 1 min

    Herston carriage shed appeal update

    An update from Randy Coldham, Chairman SRT Fundraising Group On 12th March 2021 we launched an appeal to raise £65,000 by the 30th June....
    Match funding pledge to help public donate £9,210 so work can resume on new carriage shed
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Jun 20, 2021
    • 3 min

    Match funding pledge to help public donate £9,210 so work can resume on new carriage shed

    A match funding pledge is being made by the Swanage Railway Trust to encourage the public to donate £9,210 in ten days and reach a target...
    Real time train information for passengers in a heritage railway first
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • May 23, 2021
    • 3 min

    Real time train information for passengers in a heritage railway first

    In an attractive and engaging heritage style, constantly updated live train information has come to the Swanage Railway in a first for a...
    New volunteer recruitment officer for Swanage Railway and main line station support groups
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • May 17, 2021
    • 3 min

    New volunteer recruitment officer for Swanage Railway and main line station support groups

    A new recruitment and retention officer has been appointed to attract volunteers to the Swanage Railway – as well as the Wareham and Wool...
    1940s express steam locomotive  ‘Eddystone’ returns after a three-year £350,000 overhaul
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Apr 26, 2021
    • 3 min

    1940s express steam locomotive ‘Eddystone’ returns after a three-year £350,000 overhaul

    A classic 1940s express steam locomotive has returned to the Swanage Railway after an extensive three year £350,000 overhaul by its...
    Covid-safe steam train service resumes between Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Apr 13, 2021
    • 3 min

    Covid-safe steam train service resumes between Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage

    Featuring assigned and socially distanced seating, Covid-safe steam trains have resumed between Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage – after...
    Members Update: Members Forum April 2021
    Andy Vincent
    • Apr 11, 2021
    • 1 min

    Members Update: Members Forum April 2021

    Members Forum As announced in the new issue of the Swanage Railway Magazine, there will be a Member's Forum this week. This is scheduled...
    Covid-safe Swanage Railway steam train service to resume on Monday 12 April 2021
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Apr 9, 2021
    • 3 min

    Covid-safe Swanage Railway steam train service to resume on Monday 12 April 2021

    Covid-safe steam trains – featuring assigned and socially distanced seating – are to resume between Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage on...
    New video launched to boost £65,000 appeal so work can resume on new carriage shed
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Apr 5, 2021
    • 3 min

    New video launched to boost £65,000 appeal so work can resume on new carriage shed

    Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers have produced a new fund-raising video explaining why they are battling to raise £65,000 so that...
    Swanage Railway wins government grant to help with Covid-safe transition to full re-opening
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Apr 2, 2021
    • 2 min

    Swanage Railway wins government grant to help with Covid-safe transition to full re-opening

    The Swanage Railway has been awarded a £189,200 Government grant from the Culture Recovery Fund for Heritage to help the popular Isle of...
    Double Your Donation! Match funding helps accelerate Swanage carriage shed appeal
    Andy Vincent
    • Mar 16, 2021
    • 1 min

    Double Your Donation! Match funding helps accelerate Swanage carriage shed appeal

    Last week we launched our Herston Carraige shed appeal, which aims to raise £65,000 by the end of June, to enable the steel girders to be...
    Appeal launched to raise £65,000 so work can resume on a new carriage storage shed
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Mar 12, 2021
    • 3 min

    Appeal launched to raise £65,000 so work can resume on a new carriage storage shed

    An appeal has been launched by Swanage Railway volunteers to raise £65,000 so that work can resume on building a much-needed £240,000...
    Purbeck Railway Circle Premiere: Signalling the Wareham link
    Andy Vincent
    • Mar 9, 2021
    • 1 min

    Purbeck Railway Circle Premiere: Signalling the Wareham link

    The Purbeck Railway Circle is holding their third virtual meeting of 2021 on Thursday 18th March at 7:30pm where "Upgrading and...
    Volunteers plan for resumption of Covid-safe steam service – subject to government confirmation
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Mar 4, 2021
    • 3 min

    Volunteers plan for resumption of Covid-safe steam service – subject to government confirmation

    Dedicated volunteers are planning for a re-opening of the Swanage Railway with Covid-safe steam trains resuming between Norden, Corfe...
    SOS Appeal reaches important milestone
    Andy Vincent
    • Feb 19, 2021
    • 2 min

    SOS Appeal reaches important milestone

    We are delighted to announce the success of our ‘Save Our Service Appeal’, to help assist the Swanage Railway's survival as we all...
    Purbeck Railway Circle Premiere: Southern Coaches for the Swanage Railway
    Andy Vincent
    • Feb 9, 2021
    • 1 min

    Purbeck Railway Circle Premiere: Southern Coaches for the Swanage Railway

    The Purbeck Railway Circle is holding their second virtual meeting of 2021 on Thursday 11th February at 7:30pm where "Southern Coaches...
    Victorian T9 locomotive to remain at the Swanage Railway
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Feb 1, 2021
    • 3 min

    Victorian T9 locomotive to remain at the Swanage Railway

    The National Collection’s historic T9 class steam locomotive No. 30120 is to remain on the Swanage Railway – after an agreement was...
    Purbeck Railway Circle Premiere: History of Wareham Station
    Andy Vincent
    • Jan 14, 2021
    • 1 min

    Purbeck Railway Circle Premiere: History of Wareham Station

    The Purbeck Railway Circle is holding their first virtual meeting of 2021 on Friday 15th January at 7:30pm where "A History of Wareham...
    Finance team stages festive ‘Steam and Lights’ trains Christmas hamper raffles in aid of SOS appeal
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Dec 23, 2020
    • 3 min

    Finance team stages festive ‘Steam and Lights’ trains Christmas hamper raffles in aid of SOS appeal

    Enterprising members of the Swanage Railway finance team are staging festive ‘Steam and Lights’ trains Christmas hamper raffles to raise...
    Two extra ‘Steam and Lights’ trains to operate on Thursday, 31st December, 2020
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Dec 16, 2020
    • 3 min

    Two extra ‘Steam and Lights’ trains to operate on Thursday, 31st December, 2020

    Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers are to operate two extra evocative ‘Steam and Lights’ trains on Thursday, 31 December, 2020 – due to...
    Swanage Railway wins government grant for updated feasibility study into Wareham train service
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Dec 2, 2020
    • 3 min

    Swanage Railway wins government grant for updated feasibility study into Wareham train service

    Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers have won a Government grant of up to £50,000 to pay for an updated feasibility study and business...
    Help with your Christmas shopping!
    Andy Vincent
    • Nov 19, 2020
    • 1 min

    Help with your Christmas shopping!

    There are several ways that you can help raise money for the Swanage Railway through your normal shopping Our Giving page provides...
    We are having a raffle - and we need your help!
    Andy Vincent
    • Nov 13, 2020
    • 1 min

    We are having a raffle - and we need your help!

    To help our SOS Appeal reach its £360,000 target, our finance team is organising festive hampers to be raffled to the passengers on the...
    Purbeck Railway Circle: Brian Jackson
    Andy Vincent
    • Nov 12, 2020
    • 3 min

    Purbeck Railway Circle: Brian Jackson

    The Committee of The Purbeck Railway Circle have learnt of the sad news that one of our regular speakers, Brian Jackson, has passed away...
    Help to donate £5,000 in five days and boost Coronavirus survival appeal by £10,000
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Oct 14, 2020
    • 3 min

    Help to donate £5,000 in five days and boost Coronavirus survival appeal by £10,000

    Dedicated volunteers are appealing to the public to help them raise £5,000 in five days – between Friday, 16 October, and Tuesday, 20...
    Swanage Railway receives substantial grant from government's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Oct 9, 2020
    • 4 min

    Swanage Railway receives substantial grant from government's £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund

    The Swanage Railway is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country set to receive a life-saving financial boost from the...
    New ‘Steam and Lights’ trains to be Coronavirus safe pre-Christmas first for Swanage Railway
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Oct 6, 2020
    • 3 min

    New ‘Steam and Lights’ trains to be Coronavirus safe pre-Christmas first for Swanage Railway

    A new and evocative Coronavirus safe ‘Steam and Lights’ festive train service is to operate on the Swanage Railway during the run-up to...
    Purbeck Railway Circle: October 2020 update
    Andy Vincent
    • Sep 30, 2020
    • 2 min

    Purbeck Railway Circle: October 2020 update

    Like many Railway societies The Purbeck Railway Circle is unable to hold Public Meetings because of the Covid-19 restrictions. We had...
    Paintings by talented artist help raise money for ‘Save Our Service’ Coronavirus appeal
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Sep 13, 2020
    • 3 min

    Paintings by talented artist help raise money for ‘Save Our Service’ Coronavirus appeal

    Evocative paintings by a talented West Sussex artist are helping to raise money for the Swanage Railway’s ‘Save Our Service’ appeal to...
    Coronavirus appeal reaches £261,809 on 25th anniversary of Corfe Castle steam train return
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Aug 16, 2020
    • 3 min

    Coronavirus appeal reaches £261,809 on 25th anniversary of Corfe Castle steam train return

    An urgent £360,000 ‘Save Our Service’ appeal to help the award-winning Swanage Railway survive in the wake of the economic effects of...
    Steam to resume and Norden station to reopen
    Andrew P.M. Wright
    • Jul 15, 2020
    • 3 min

    Steam to resume and Norden station to reopen

    Steam trains are to resume on the award-winning Swanage Railway for the first time since mid-March – with Norden station re-opening to...
    Members Update: July 2020
    Andy Vincent
    • Jul 11, 2020
    • 1 min

    Members Update: July 2020

    Resumption of Services The Railway’s special public summer train service commenced on Saturday 11th July 2020, fully compliant with the...

    All photographs are by and copyright Andrew P.M. Wright unless otherwise indicated

    All material on this web site is copyright Swanage Railway Trust (SRT), its subsidiaries or contributors. All rights reserved.
    Station House, Swanage, Dorset. BH19 1HB. Telephone: 01929 425800. Email: info@swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk.

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