New-Look Norden ready for summer

Photo report dated 18th July 1999 - all photographs are copyright Keith Morgan.

Visitors who have not been to the Swanage Railway for a while will be surprised to see the changes over the last year. The car park at Norden has been transformed into a huge but very attractive area which can accommodate over 250 cars with space for coaches too.

Philip Sinclair, seen in front of the new building, is on duty most days during the summer months but the free car park is staffed daily throughout the summer period either by Philip or a colleague. He greeted us, as he does all visitors to Norden, with a cheery hello and a copy of the railway timetable as well as directing drivers into the right place.

The station itself has been redesigned and the platform widened considerably. There is now a covered waiting area and a separate ticket office with two ticket windows to avoid queues at busy periods. The leather luggage on the barrows and other period items on display give an authentic atmosphere to the new station platform.

Other items such as enamel signs, including the Craven A sign which encourages you to smoke "for your throat's sake" show just how much things have changed over the years!

But one thing which has not changed at Norden is the thrill every time 34072, 257 Squadron, steams into the station before running round and getting ready for the return trip to Swanage.

A major change from even a few weeks ago is that, today, when you look toward Wareham from the platform at Norden, you will see that the track no longer stops short of the road crossing but continues across the road toward the road bridge. Five track panels have been laid so far and pictures of this historic event will follow as soon as possible.