DIESEL RAILTOUR FROM CREWE TO VISIT SWANAGE ON 26th SEPTEMBER 2009

Announcement from the Swanage Railway - dated 10th June 2009
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It is expected that this tour will be hauled by WCRC Class 37's
Photo copyright Spitfire Railtours

The Swanage Railway is pleased to announce that a Diesel-hauled railtour from Crewe is to visit Swanage on 26th September 2009.

Full details can be found on Spitfire Railtours' website at http://www.spitfirerailtours.co.uk/Future%20tours2.htm - here and are summarised below.

The Purbeck Growler

Saturday 26th September 2009

Crewe to Swanage

Our railtour to Swanage, we feel is one of the highlights this year's calendar. The line has been closed to railtours since the closure of the branch by BR in 1972 and we are grateful to the Swanage Railway to be granted one of the special paths that have been authorised for railtours during 2009.

Our journey begins at Crewe, travelling through Staffordshire and the West Midlands following the "Cross Country" path to our first calling point of Winchester. An unspoilt cathedral city on the edge of the South Downs, Winchester is England's ancient capital and former seat of King Alfred the Great. Today, the City is popular for its shopping streets, architecture, its eleventh century cathedral and for the Great Hall which for over 600 years has housed the mysterious Round Table. We say goodbye to Winchester and head south towards the New Forest and Bournemouth. Famed for its pier, well kept gardens and golden sandy beaches, Bournemouth needs no introduction. On leaving Bournemouth, we continue our journey to our final destination of Swanage. Travelling through Poole and Hamworthy, we reach Wareham where we leave the national network at Worgret Junction and head through the beauty of Dorset's Isle of Purbeck, passing under the domineering ruins of Corfe Castle before arrival at Swanage. At Swanage the seafront, pubs, cafes and shops are not more than a five minute walk away from the station and where you can soak up the atmosphere before we return retracing our steps to Crewe.

Provisional Timings for 26th September 2009 are:
Crewe departure 06:05 - Swanage arrival 13:15
Swanage departure 16:15 - Crewe arrival 22:30

The Swanage Railway will be operating a special timetable on 26th September to accommodate this special working. Full details are available below.