2 days Ago
On January 1, the crew of the Swanage Railway Trust’s unique Victorian T3 class steam locomotive No. 563 blew its whistle as the engine departed Swanage station hauling a passenger train to Corfe Castle and Norden. In 1885, the ten-mile branch line railway linking Swanage and Corfe Castle with Wareham, on the main railway line to London, was first opened to the public.
It was in 1885 that a ten-mile branch line railway linking Swanage and Corfe Castle with Wareham, on the main railway line to London, was opened – a historic move that turned Swanage from a fishing and quarrying town into a popular seaside resort and Corfe Castle into a popular day-trip destination. Volunteer fireman Aidan Strand said: “The Swanage Railway means a lot to me as it provides the incredible privilege of operating steam locomotives preserved by groups of hopeful enthusiasts decades ago. I consider myself extremely lucky to have such an opportunity.
"When I first started volunteering, the main appeal to me was working with various steam and diesel locomotives. "However, the more time I've spent volunteering at the Swanage Railway, the more the other benefits have made themselves clear - such as being surrounded by a large number of like-minded people who share the same interests and the friends, banter, and feeling of camaraderie which results. "It was great to participate in the Railway 200 whistle-off as part of history and the legacy of railways as a whole.
"I doubt that two centuries ago, those initial entrepreneurs, or the public, would have even considered railways powered by steam locomotives, which are still around 200 years old.” Frank Roberts, Swanage Railway Trust chair, said: “The Swanage Railway was proud to mark the start of the Railway 200 celebrations highlighting the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway which changed Britain and the world. “Railway 200 celebrates the past, present, and future of rail and we are delighted that our two museums – the museum in the restored goods shed at Corfe Castle station and the Purbeck Mining Museum next to Norden station - showcase the important contributions that railways, both standard gauge and narrow gauge, have made to the Isle of Purbeck across almost two centuries.
” The Swanage Railway celebrates the 140th anniversary of its opening on Tuesday, May 20, 2025..
