History in the making - First Train scheduled to run on 8th Sept 2002

Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 30th Aug 2002
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
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Swanage Railway celebrates the historic achievement of a 30-year dream - the first train to run from the national rail network to Corfe Castle and Swanage since 1972.

History is to be made in Purbeck on Sunday, September 8th, 2002, when the first passenger train runs from the national rail network down to Corfe Castle and Swanage since January, 1972.

For the Swanage Railway, it is a dream come true and another important piece in the jigsaw of its 30 year campaign to re-connect Corfe Castle and Swanage with the national rail network after British Rail closed and lifted the seven miles of track between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Furzebrook in 1972.

On Sunday, September 8th, 2002, a brand new £4 million hi-tech four-coach Virgin Voyager diesel-electric train that has a top speed of 125 mph will make the historic journey from Wareham to Swanage. (See the timetable page for full details of the special service operating on that day)

All these photos of the Voyager Class 221 No. 130 were taken on Saturday 20th July, 2002. They show the first Voyager Class 221 to travel through Wareham to Weymouth en route from the Midlands (Liverpool and Birmingham).

"This is about as significant as it can get. Although we don’t yet have regular services between Wareham and Swanage, this train really is the start of the link’s use," said Swanage Railway chairman Bill Trite.

The Virgin Voyager is due to arrive at Norden station from Wareham just after 12 noon where special guests will board the train ready for a 12.15 pm departure for Swanage.

On its arrival at Swanage at 12.40 pm, the new Virgin train will be officially named ‘Dorset Voyager’ by veteran Swanage Railway campaigner Moira Cross of Swanage and veteran steam train driver Stan Symes of Bournemouth.

Moira was one of the Swanage Railway’s earliest pioneers - trying to prevent the branch line’s closure in 1969 - while Stan is an ex-BR steam train driver and fireman who worked trains down to Swanage from the 1940s through to 1972.

"The running of trains between Wareham and Swanage is what the pioneers of the Swanage Railway set out to achieve in 1972. This is what it is all about," explained Mr Trite.

"The only pity is that so many people who set out on this long road 30 years ago are not here to see the journey completed. This is our own small example of the triumph of determination and success in spite of the odds," he added.

After being named at Swanage, the Virgin Voyager will spend the afternoon in public service - running between Swanage, Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden Park and Ride. It will return to Wareham at the end of the day.

Thanks to the help of Railtrack and its maintenance contractors Balfour Beatty, the Swanage Railway was allowed access to the half a mile of disused line between Furzebrook and the end of the Swanage Railway at Motala to clear the track of undergrowth and replace rotten sleepers.

"The Virgin Voyager’s historic run to Swanage is thanks to co-operation and support from Virgin Trains and the help of Railtrack and its maintenance contractors Balfour Beatty. We are very grateful to them for this," added Mr Trite.

Virgin Trains Acting Director of Corporate Affairs, Dennis Lovett, said: "We are delighted to accept the invitation of the Swanage Railway to bring a Class 220 Voyager on to the newly reconnected Purbeck Line.

"We are honoured that the Voyager will form the first through train to reach the seaside resort of Swanage from the main line at Wareham for 30 years. I am sure that a great deal of local people will want to witness such an historic occasion," he added.

The historic development in the long-running campaign to re-connect the Swanage Railway with the national Railtrack network came after the volunteer-run steam railway asked its contacts in Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains company to help enable the link to be restored.

"A partnership was formed between the Swanage Railway, Railtrack, Railtrack’s maintenance contactors Balfour Beatty with Virgin Trains assisting in bringing all the parties around the table," explained Mr Trite.

"The clearance and upgrading of the half mile of line between the limit of Railtrack’s freight operations at Furzebrook and the end of the Swanage Railway at Motala is the final piece of the jigsaw that was begun when a group of volunteers started to relay the Swanage Railway by hand from Swanage in 1976.

Since 1972, the remaining three miles of the old Swanage branch line from the London to Weymouth line at Worgret near Wareham down to Furzebrook has been used for freight trains - clay, oil and latterly gas from the Wytch Farm oilfield near Corfe Castle.

"We were keen to kick-start the process of restoring the half mile of track between Furzebrook and the Swanage Railway so that a train could once again run from Wareham to Swanage. We initially approached Chris Green, the Chief Executive of Virgin Trains, who is very experienced and a highly respected figure in the railway industry," explained Mr Trite.

"Chris has visited the Swanage Railway in the past and has been very impressed at what has been achieved. He joined us as a guest when we opened the relaid Purbeck Line to Harman’s Cross in 1989.

"Chris nominated a member of staff from Virgin Trains who has great experience of working with preserved or independent railways and Railtrack for the benefit of both. That Virgin Trains member of staff talked with the Swanage Railway, Railtrack and Balfour Beatty to establish the best way of upgrading the crucial half-mile of track.

"I am very grateful to Chris Green and Virgin Trains for bringing about round table discussions between the Swanage Railway, Railtrack and Balfour Beatty.

"There were quite a lot of rotten wooden sleepers to replace between Furzebrook and the Railtrack boundary at Motala. That was a very significant challenge for the Swanage Railway because it was the final home straight of the marathon that started in 1972," added Mr Trite.

The upgrading of the half a mile of track between Furzebrook and the end of the Swanage Railway at Motala now enables the Virgin Voyager to travel over that section of line at a very slow speed and without passengers.

But, invited guests will be able to travel on that first historic train from the Railtrack network when it reaches the Norden Park and Ride station for the journey down to Corfe Castle, Harman’s Cross and Swanage.

Further work to the half-mile of line between Furzebrook and Motala will be necessary before the first passenger-carrying train can make the journey between Wareham and Swanage.