Swanage Railway (Book)

By Don Bishop

The branch line from Wareham on the Southampton - Bournemouth - Weymouth mainline through Corfe Castle to Swanage was opened in 1885 by the London & South Western Railway, later to become part of the Southern Railway and British Railways Southern Region. The line closed to all traffic in January 1972 and the track was quickly lifted. However, a group of enthusiasts got together with the aim of reopening the line as tourist attraction and in 1975 were granted a licence to occupy the vacant Swanage Station.

Track was re-laid and restoration work commenced with the line being opened in stages from Swanage, reaching Corfe Castle and a new Park & Ride station at Norden by 1995. The line has since been reconnected to the national rail network for the occasional passage of special trains and it is hoped soon to reintroduce a regular service between Swanage and Wareham.

The Park & Ride facility at Norden has proved very popular for helping to get holiday-makers and day trippers into Swanage, without the parking problems that would otherwise occur, and the line today carries around 200,000 passengers per year. Using mainly appropriate Southern Region motive power and green coaches the Swanage Railway today recreates very well an authentic Southern Railway/BR Southern Region branch line.

Through this book Don Bishop shows the line in action today through mainly "trains in the landscape" type images which also show how the line blends very well into the Purbeck scenery. Through around 150 magnificent pictures included in the book Don portrays the Swanage Railway at its best - a striking reminder for those who know the line, and an enticement to those who have yet to visit to do so and contribute towards its ongoing success.

Don Bishop has been a keen railway photographer for over 20 years and travels widely around the UK looking for that seemingly elusive "master shot". Since 2006 Don has worked as professional freelance photographer concentrating on UK landscapes and his steam images. Don has an extensive collection of good quality images of the UK steam scene and regularly has work published in magazines including a number of features exclusively featuring his work.

Don also runs photo workshop days for people to learn about his techniques in getting quality shots, UK landscapes and steam at work in the landscape. Through his Steam Recreations brand he has organised many private photographic charter events at steam railways around the UK, including the Swanage Railway, in an attempt to recreate scenes from the past with a particular emphasis on the 1950/60s. Full details are available on his website www.donbishop.co.uk. Away from his photography Don knows the heritage railway industry well, having been involved with his local line, the West Somerset Railway, as a volunteer for 22 years including special event planning and as Heritage Director for West Somerset Railway Association.

Don is also author of The South Devon Railway, West Somerset Railway, West Somerset Railway Revisited and Spirit of theWest Somerset Railway also for Halsgrove.

144 pages. 150 photographs.

Price: £14.99

Swanage: 125 Years of Railways (Book)

Written by Brian Jackson.

The opening of the railway in May 1885 transformed Swanage into a respectable seaside resort with through coaches from Waterloo, it also saw the seaborne trade in Purbeck stone transferred to rail as was a large quantity of the clay traffic. Many military specials serving the summer camps in the area ensured that the Swanage branch was busy during the golden age of railways. This was to change during the 1920s and 1930s with the increase in motor transport and the opening of the Sandbanks chain ferry. World War II and the years of austerity that followed allowed the branch to retain much traffic including through trains from Waterloo until the proliferation in road transport saw a decline. Although not included in the Beeching Report, British Railways were determined to close the branch and after much resistance from the local community it closed to passenger traffic in 1972 and the track lifted except for the section to Furzebrook, retained for clay and later oil and gas traffic. Following closure enthusiasts rebuilt the dismantled section over a 30 year period adding three additional stations and today the Swanage Railway is a much acclaimed heritage line.

This work, the first to cover the complete history of the branch from the first scheme in 1847 through the failed schemes of the 1860s, its rise and decline in a changing world and subsequent preservation are all told within 288 pages, supported by more than 240 photographs, maps and illustrations.

288 pages. 240 photographs, maps and illustrations.

Price: £16.95

Swanage Diesels - The Best of Five Years (DVD)

The Swanage Railway staged its first diesel gala in 2006. Although the debut event featured a just single visiting locomotive, the four subsequent galas produced around 25 visiting diesel locos, many of them making their class debuts on the line. Some were even hauling their first passenger trains in many years following extensive restoration. This 75 minute DVD features the best of the action from the first five events and showcases 15 different types of diesels hard at work in the scenic surrounds of the Dorset countryside.

Available for the first time on DVD, an exclusive cab ride from Wareham to Norden. Filmed on board 47580, the views include the rarely used track between Worgret Junction and Norden.

Features loco classes: 07/08/ 20/26/31/33/37/45/47/50/52/55/56/66/73 Available as soon as possible after the 2010 event. Make sure of your copy by ordering now.

Price: £16.95

Swanage Railway - A Decade of Steam (DVD)

A superb DVD that shows steam power on Swanage Railway between 2000 and 2009.

Price: £15.00