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.

Nine 1960s heritage diesel locomotives to star in annual Diesel Gala & Dorset Beer Festival

Andrew P.M. Wright

May 2
3 min

Nine 1960s heritage diesel locomotives to star in annual Diesel Gala & Dorset Beer Festival

Nine heritage diesel locomotives – that help to tell the fascinating story of Britain’s railways during the transition from steam to...

Swanage Railway starts first DMU heritage train service to main line at Wareham since 1972

Andrew P.M. Wright

Apr 5
4 min

Swanage Railway starts first DMU heritage train service to main line at Wareham since 1972

The first diesel multiple unit train service to the main line at Wareham since 1972 has been started by the Swanage Railway – with a...

Child on last British Rail train to Wareham is conductor driver on first heritage train to return

Andrew P.M. Wright

Apr 2
5 min

Child on last British Rail train to Wareham is conductor driver on first heritage train to return

A dedicated volunteer who was one of the first to start rebuilding the Swanage Railway – and who travelled on the last British Rail train...

Historic locomotive that hauled King George VI funeral train to star in Spring Steam Gala

Andrew P.M. Wright

Mar 19
4 min

Historic locomotive that hauled King George VI funeral train to star in Spring Steam Gala

An historic locomotive that hauled the funeral train of King George VI is to star in the Swanage Railway’s Spring Steam Gala along with a...

Trial train service from Wareham into the heart of Purbeck - thanks to working in partnership

Andrew P.M. Wright

Mar 8
4 min

Trial train service from Wareham into the heart of Purbeck - thanks to working in partnership

Leave your car at home and travel by rail is the message from the Swanage Railway which is to operate a trial heritage diesel train...

Chance for public to drive historic steam locomotive that hauled King George VI funeral train

Andrew P.M. Wright

Feb 10
3 min

Chance for public to drive historic steam locomotive that hauled King George VI funeral train

She is an impressive and historic leviathan of steam – an iconic and powerful 95-ton express locomotive that had the honour of hauling...

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

Andrew P.M. Wright

Feb 6
3 min

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

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...