SWANAGE RAILWAY VOLUNTEERS TO STAGE A FUND-RAISING BRANCH LINE WEEKEND TAKING PURBECK BACK TO THE 1960s - 11th, 12th & 13 April 2008

Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 9th April 2008
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
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Class 47 diesel No. 47 635, built in 1964, leaves Corfe Castle for Swanage via Harman's Cross

Swanage Railway volunteers will be taking the Isle of Purbeck back to the ‘Swinging 1960s’ when they stage a nostalgic fund-raising Branch Line Weekend on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 11, 12 & 13 April 2008.

Andrew P.M. Wright has supplied over 20 photos of typical branch line activity on the Swanage Railway. Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the full set of photos.

Among the locomotives hauling the special trains will be ex-BR Class 33 diesel-electric locomotive D6515 ‘Stan Symes’ that hauled the last train from Poole to Wimborne in May, 1977, before the line was closed and lifted.

The nostalgic three-day Branch Line Weekend event will see steam and diesel trains hauled by varying permutations of three steam and three diesel ex-British Railways locomotives running between Swanage, Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden park and ride.

Nostalgic goods trains will also be running on the Saturday and Sunday while there will also be evening trains with bar and eating facilities – diesel hauled by Class 47 diesel No. 47 635 on the Friday and steam hauled on the Saturday.

BR Standard Class 4 No 80104, built in 1955 at Brighton, approaches Corfe Castle from Norden

Proceeds from the Branch Line Weekend going to the further expansion and development of the award-winning Swanage Railway which started from nothing at a disused Swanage station in 1976.

There will be a display of classic cars and motorcycles at Norden park and ride station where visitors will also be able to see a display about the history of the 2,000 year old ball clay mining industry and see progress on work to rebuild an authentic clay mine next to the park and ride car park.

West Country Class Bulleid Pacific 'Eddystone' waits at Corfe Castle with a Swanage train for Norden

The steam locomotives will be:

- The world’s only working Victorian-designed LSWR M7 tank engine No. 30053 built in London during 1905.
- West Country class Bulleid Pacific No. 34028 ‘Eddystone’ built in the 1940s.
- Standard Class 4 Tank No. 80104 built at Brighton in 1955.

M7 No. 30053 used to haul trains between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage in 1964 while the
Bulleid Pacific and Standard Class 4 Tank locomotives also hauled trains on the branch line during British Rail days.

The diesel locomotives will be:

- Class 47 diesel No. 47 635 built in 1964.
- Class 33 diesel No. D6515 ‘Stan Symes’ built in the early 1960s.
- Class 08 shunter No. 08 436 in the late 1950s.

Both the Class 47 and the Class 33 locomotives hauled trains between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage for British Rail from 1965 until the ten-mile branch line was closed and lifted in January, 1972.

Swanage Railway General Manager, Mick Dean, explained: “The special weekend will be taking visitors on a trip back in time to the heyday of the southern branch line in the 1950s and 1960s before Dr Beeching wielded his infamous axe and closed many railway routes – some in Dorset.

The world’s only working Victorian-designed LSWR M7 tank engine No. 30053 at Harmans Cross

“The Branch Line Weekend will feature unusual train workings every 40 minutes – with unusual locomotive and train length permutations – that would have been seen on the Swanage Railway when it was run by British Rail before the line was controversially closed and the tracks lifted in 1972.”

On Saturday and Sunday, April 12 and 13, tickets for unlimited train travel on the day of issue are £13 for adults, £11 for children aged five to 15 years and OAPs, children under five are free, and family tickets (two adults and up to three children) are £30.

Special two-day rover tickets for unlimited travel on the Saturday and Sunday are £23 for adults and £19 for children and OAPs. Standard fares apply on Friday April 11, 2008.

Andrew P.M. Wright has supplied over 20 photos of typical branch line activity on the Swanage Railway. Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the full set of photos.