Swanage Railway News Gallery

Here are our illustrated news pages each devoted to a particular aspect of recent activity on the Swanage Railway.

The pages include Press Releases and photographs from Andrew P.M. Wright, the Swanage Railway Press Officer.

All photographs used on these pages are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright or the Swanage Railway unless otherwise acknowledged.

If you would like to join our E-Newsletter to be the first to know details of forthcoming events, please sign up here on our new Booking Page.

This page contains news items from the most recent activities on the Swanage Railway. For older news items visit the Swanage Railway News Archive page by clicking here.

You may also like to see our selection of Swanage Railway YouTube videos, which include extracts from several of our popular full-length DVDs which are available from the Swanage Railway Shop.

Project Wareham Appeal information here.

  Swanage Railway announces first details of May 2012 Diesel Gala event which will take place between Friday 11th May and Sunday 13th May 2012. Full details here.
(4 photos) - 31/01/12

  Photo Report from the £100,000 drainage works at Swanage station over the weekend of 21st & 22nd January 2012. Full details here.
(100 photos) - 26/01/12

  Viewers across the south of England are to gain a fascinating insight into the £100,000 drainage works at Swanage station - thanks to a visit from a news team from BBC South Today based in Southampton. Video Link plus Full details here.
(30 photos) - 23/01/12

  The latest Behind The Scenes - Engineering at the Swanage Railway articles are now available, covering the vital Permanent Way work at Swanage Station, plus other work on Carriage & Wagon and locomotive maintenance. Full details here.
(10 photos) - 22/01/12

  Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers and staff are carrying out major £100,000 drainage system replacement work at Swanage station - the first time such extensive work has been carried out at the Victorian terminus since the steam days of British Railways almost 50 years ago. Full details here.
(20 photos) - 20/01/12

  The man who signalled the last British Rail train from Swanage to Corfe Castle and Wareham on New Year's Day, 1972 - as well as some of its passengers - have gathered on the Swanage Railway to mark the 40th anniversary, to the day, of that historic but very sad occasion. Full details here.
(20 photos) - 03/01/12

  New Year's Day 2012 commemorations at Swanage on the 40th anniversary of the last British Rail train from Swanage to Corfe Castle and Wareham on 1st January 1972 - plus downloadable souvenir poster for New Year's Day 2012. Full details here.
(20 photos) - 30/12/11

  Almost 8,000 people rode on the Swanage Railway's Christmas 'Santa Special' steam trains during December 2011 - with passengers being highly satisfied. Full details here.
(4 photos) - 29/12/11

  WINTER SHUTTLE SERVICE FOR WEEKENDS IN JANUARY & FEBRUARY 2012 with a Norden to Corfe Castle shuttle on special timetable. Full details here.
(2 photos) - 20/12/11

  The award-winning Swanage Railway is to feature in Michael Portillo's popular 'Great British Railway Journeys' BBC documentary series. Full details here.
(2 photos) - 20/12/11

  Pullman Observation Car 14 to be in service between 26th December and 2nd January 2012. Full details here.
(2 photos) - 20/12/11

  Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers have announced the dates of their special events for 2012 - providing not just great family days out but also important income for the development and extension of the award-winning Purbeck Line. Full details here.
(10 photos) - 09/12/11

  A Swanage man has made history by driving a classic Bulleid Pacific express steam locomotive into London's Euston station on Saturday 26th November 2011 - for the first time since 1948, when the last Olympic Games was staged in the Capital. Full details here.
(80 photos) - 29/11/11

  History is to be made on Saturday 26th November 2011, when a Bulleid Pacific express steam locomotive runs into London's Euston station for the first time since 1948. Full details here.
(20 photos) - 26/11/11

  Determined soldiers from the Royal Corps of Signals based at Blandford Forum in Dorset have raised £1,006 for the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal - thanks to a sponsored run, row and cycle at Swanage station. Full details here.
(90 photos) - 17/11/11

  Swanage Railway 'Santa Special' and 'Wessex Belle' Christmas lunch steam train tickets are selling fast - with the first of the festive trains run by dedicated Purbeck Line volunteers just a few weeks away. Full details here.
(5 photos) - 14/11/11

  In a repeat of the historic railtour in November 2009, the Railway Touring Company's 2011 Capital Christmas Express Swanage to London railtour will be hauled by Battle of Britain Bulleid Pacific 34067 Tangmere on Saturday 26th November 2011. Full details here.
(5 photos) - 11/11/11

  Hard-working Swanage Railway staff are celebrating after again winning a tourism award for the quality of their popular Purbeck heritage line visitor attraction - for the fifth year running. Full details here.
(25 photos) - 11/11/11

  Soldiers to take part in sponsored run, row & cycle at Swanage station to raise money for the Poppy Appeal as part of Remembrance Weekend 2011 at Swanage - 12th/13th November 2011 Full details here.
(5 photos) - 09/11/11

  NEWSFLASH: HISTORIC 3-CIG UNIT WITH CLASS 33 TO OPERATE PUSH-PULL DIESEL DRIVING EXPERIENCES ON 19th & 20th NOVEMBER 2011. Full details here.
(5 photos) - 08/11/11

  Swanage Railway Trust's Grand Prize Draw at Swanage station on Sunday 30th October 2011, plus winners list. Full details here.
(50 photos) - 01/11/11

  Photo Report from Swanage-based ex-LSWR 0-4-4T Class M7 No.53's visit to the Spa Valley Railway in October 2011. Full details here.
(10 photos) - 02/11/11

  Oliver Cromwell - the last steam train on British Rail in 1968 - leaves the Swanage Railway via the main line on Friday 21st October 2011. Full details here.
(40 photos) - 23/10/11

  History was made on Saturday 15 October, 2011, when a mighty locomotive that pulled the last steam train on British Rail hauled the first ever train from London's Euston station down to Corfe Castle and Swanage. Full details here.
(25 photos) - 16/10/11

  Swanage Railway Supporters' photo report of the historic Swanage Belle Charter on 15th October 2011 - Oliver Cromwell hauling the first ever train to run from London's Euston station down to Swanage. Full details here.
(10 photos) - 15/10/11

  History is to be made this weekend when the first ever train runs from London's Euston station down to Swanage - with a steam locomotive named after the man whose 17th century Parliamentary forces captured and destroyed Corfe Castle hauling the special charter. Saturday 15 October, 2011. Full details here.
(20 photos) - 04/10/11

  It's steam filled fun all the way - with dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers staging our Autumn half-term Family Fun Week for children and adults between Saturday 22 October and Sunday 30 October, 2011. Full details here.
(5 photos) - 04/10/11

  Tickets selling fast for our popular 'Santa Special' and 'Wessex Belle' Christmas lunch steam trains which will bring festive cheer to our relaid Purbeck Line throughout December. Full details here.
(20 photos) - 02/10/11

  After completing a gruelling 633-mile sponsored walk, Swanage Railway's Frank Roberts makes a renewed appeal to raise £3,000 for injured servicepeople and their families with the Heroes Haven Swanage charity. Full details here.
(4 photos) - 27/09/11

  History has been made on the Swanage Railway with the first steam train service running into the bay platform at Swanage station since 1966. Full details here.
(80 photos) - 26/09/11

  Swanage Railway's 'new' freight rake for the Swanage Railway's driver experience trains takes to the rails on Sunday 18th September 2011. Full details here.
(40 photos) - 20/09/11

  Swanage Railway announces new Porter and TTI (Traveling Ticket Inspector) opportunities. Full details here.
(5 photos) - 14/09/11

  Swanage Railway's tired but elated Grand Steam Gala locomotive crews have enjoyed a dramatic and evocative seven-engine cavalcade from Swanage to Norden and back. Full details here.
(50 photos) - 13/09/11

  Swanage Railway's record-breaking seven-locomotive 2011 Grand Steam Gala - over four and a half thousand passengers carried during the three-day fund-raising event. Full details here.
(120 photos) - 13/09/11

  UPDATED: Swanage Railway Supporters' photo report from the Swanage Railway's Grand Steam Gala held from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th September 2011. Full details here.
(40 photos) - 13/09/11

  'The Railway Children' star loco - Great Northern Railway N2 class No. 1744 - travels to Swanage on 7th September to star in the Swanage Railway's popular Grand Steam Gala from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th September 2011. Full details here.
(70 photos) - 07/09/11

  All seven locos in place, and just three days to go until the Swanage Railway's popular seven locomotive Grand Steam Gala 9th-11th September 2011. Full details here.
(100 photos) - 07/09/11

  Ex-BR 2-6-4T Class 4MT Tank Engine No. 80078 appears at the Great Dorset Steam Fair September 2011. Full details here.
(2 photos + 1 video link) - 07/09/11

  A4 Pacific No. 4492 'Dominion of New Zealand' arrives at Swanage to star in the Swanage Railway's popular Grand Steam Gala 9th-11th September 2011. Full details here.
(100 photos) - 02/09/11

  A4 Pacific No. 4492 'Dominion of New Zealand' which is confirmed to star in the Swanage Railway's popular Grand Steam Gala 9th-11th September 2011 has been 'copped' nearby at Wareham. Full details here.
(15 photos) - 30/08/11

  Photo Report from our 2011 Swanage Railway Diesel Gala showing the two visiting Class 73 electro-diesels featured in the new Swanage to Wareham cab ride DVD (available from the Swanage Railway Shop and by mail order). Full details here.
(50 photos) - 30/08/11

  The first ever 'driver's eye' documentary giving the public the rare chance to experience a journey from Swanage to Wareham in the cab of a diesel locomotive has been released on DVD - to raise money for the development and extension of the volunteer-run Swanage Railway. Full details here.
(40 photos) - 29/08/11

  The Swanage Railway asks for support for ePetition to Government in an attempt to reduce theft - and in particular metal theft - from Heritage Railways. Full details here.
(1 photo) - 29/08/11

  A4 Pacific No. 4492 'Dominion of New Zealand' is confirmed to star alongside The Railway Children filmstar, Great Northern Railway N2 Class No. 1744, in the Swanage Railway's popular Grand Steam Gala 9th-11th September 2011. Full details here.
(5 photos) - 23/08/11

  New 'down' home signal for Norden on the morning of Tuesday, 9th August 2011. Full details here.
(110 photos) - 17/08/11

  New 'up' starting signal for Norden on the morning of Tuesday, 9th August 2011. Full details here.
(80 photos) - 17/08/11

  Photo report from 6th August showing the Swanage Railway's special DMU and Class33-hauled Swanage Carnival Fireworks trains. Full details here.
(180 photos) - 16/08/11

  Photo report from 6th August showing Swanage Carnival Fireworks seen from Swanage station. Full details here.
(70 photos) - 16/08/11

  Photo report from 3rd August showing special evening fireworks trains and the fireworks themselves seen from Swanage station. Full details here.
(100 photos) - 16/08/11

  Swanage Railway volunteers are urging the first South West Trains 'Rainbow Day' passengers from Winchester to enjoy a nostalgic and evocative trip behind steam on Dorset's award-winning relaid Purbeck Line on Saturday 20th August 2011 Full details here.
(10 photos) - 16/08/11

  American 1970s Sesame Street children's character Big Bird has flown into Swanage station - to officially open a 're-hatched' Bird's Nest Buffet and enjoy a refreshing British cuppa! Full details here.
(50 photos) - 14/08/11

  An historic 1920s London steam locomotive - which appeared in the classic film 'The Railway Children' - is to holiday at the seaside when it stars in the Swanage Railway's popular Grand Steam Gala 9-11th September 2011. Full details here.
(10 photos) - 10/08/11

  An expert Army bomb disposal team has been called in after potentially dangerous Victorian explosives - thought to be 126 years old - were found in a railway cutting at Corfe Castle. Full details here.
(100 photos) - 06/08/11