News | swanagerailwaytrust

Latest News

This page provides a list of all news items published on the Swanage Railway Trust web site. The most recent story story is shown first. Each story is assigned to a particular category - for example. Heritage Coaches. The category is shown as a link in the footer of each story. Clicking on that link will show all stories in the same category.

News items are also split into two further categories as described below. Selecting either of these categories gives access to older items than are shown on this page.

General News

News of general interest about the Trust, appeals and major announcements.

Around the Railway

News of projects, volunteer activities and daily happenings around the railway.

£85,000 appeal to complete restoration so unique locomotive can steam for the first time since 1948

Andrew P.M. Wright

4 days ago
3 min

£85,000 appeal to complete restoration so unique locomotive can steam for the first time since 1948

A An £85,000 appeal has been launched to complete the ambitious and meticulous restoration of a unique and iconic Victorian locomotive to...

Public invited to enjoy Swanage Railway ‘Behind the Scenes’ community engagement weekend

Andrew P.M. Wright

Jan 28
3 min

Public invited to enjoy Swanage Railway ‘Behind the Scenes’ community engagement weekend

The Swanage Railway has been rebuilt from nothing by dedicated volunteers since 1976 after the ten-mile branch line from Wareham to...

Volunteer who set up Swanage Railway signalling school retires after 31 years of dedicated service

Andrew P.M. Wright

Jan 24
3 min

Volunteer who set up Swanage Railway signalling school retires after 31 years of dedicated service

A volunteer who set up the Swanage Railway’s first signalling school – and helped ensure the safe operation of its trains as a signaller...

‘Winter Warm Up’ steam & diesel event includes nostalgic re-creation of 1950s & 1960s freight train

Andrew P.M. Wright

Jan 1
3 min

‘Winter Warm Up’ steam & diesel event includes nostalgic re-creation of 1950s & 1960s freight train

An evocative weekend ‘Winter Warm Up’ event is to bring a mixture of steam and diesel passenger trains – as well as a nostalgic...

Explore the Isle Of Purbeck thanks to a restored 1950s heritage diesel train

Andrew P.M. Wright

Dec 25, 2022
2 min

Explore the Isle Of Purbeck thanks to a restored 1950s heritage diesel train

A restored 1950s heritage diesel train – of the same type that ran on Dorset’s last branch line between Maiden Newton and Bridport for a...

Steam and Lights trains to bring festive cheer to young and old thanks to dedicated volunteers

Andrew P.M. Wright

Nov 29, 2022
3 min

Steam and Lights trains to bring festive cheer to young and old thanks to dedicated volunteers

Ten days of evocative Christmas Steam and Lights trains – featuring refreshed lineside and station lighting displays – will be bringing...

Daughter of ‘Flying Scotsman’ saviour waves off world famous steam loco on first train from Swanage

Andrew P.M. Wright

Oct 22, 2022
3 min

Daughter of ‘Flying Scotsman’ saviour waves off world famous steam loco on first train from Swanage

Making the emotional pilgrimage to Dorset’s Isle of Purbeck from her home in Portugal for the special occasion on the morning of...

World’s most famous steam locomotive ‘Flying Scotsman’ arrives for three-week visit

Andrew P.M. Wright

Oct 17, 2022
3 min

World’s most famous steam locomotive ‘Flying Scotsman’ arrives for three-week visit

The world’s most famous steam locomotive ‘Flying Scotsman’ has arrived on the Swanage Railway for an historic visit with the...

Swanage Railway founders from 1972 return to lay flowers at heritage line’s volunteer memorial

Andrew P.M. Wright

Oct 11, 2022
3 min

Swanage Railway founders from 1972 return to lay flowers at heritage line’s volunteer memorial

Two pioneering Swanage Railway founders who started the battle to rebuild the Dorset heritage line as university students in 1972 – just...

Daughter of man who saved ‘Flying Scotsman’ to make pilgrimage to ride behind the iconic locomotive

Andrew P.M. Wright

Oct 9, 2022
4 min

Daughter of man who saved ‘Flying Scotsman’ to make pilgrimage to ride behind the iconic locomotive

The daughter of the man who saved the record-breaking ‘Flying Scotsman’ from being cut up for scrap is to make a pilgrimage to Dorset’s...