ACCLAIMED PHOTOGRAPHER TO SIGN COPIES OF NEW GLOSSY SWANAGE RAILWAY BOOK FEATURING STUNNING PICTURES
on Saturday, 3 July 2010 from 10.30am

News Item and Press Release from Andrew P.M. Wright - dated 25th June 2010
Official photographer & press officer, Swanage Railway.
Photographs are copyright Andrew P.M. Wright.
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Swanage Railway's Martin Payne in the Swanage Railway's newly refitted shop with the new Swanage Railway coffee table-style photo book by Don Bishop. Photo Andrew P.M. Wright

An acclaimed photographer who has written a new coffee table-style book - featuring stunning pictures of the rebuilt Swanage Railway - is to sign copies of his new publication during a special appearance.

Somerset author and railway photographer Don Bishop will be signing copies of his new glossy picture book at Swanage station's shop - an important source of revenue for the railway - on Saturday, 3 July 2010 from 10.30am.

Simply entitled 'Swanage Railway', the all-colour 144-page hardback book - published by Halsgrove of Somerset - costs £14.99 and features some 150 stunning colour photographs illustrating the transformation from disused railway line of the 1970s and 1980s to the busy Swanage Railway of today.

Swanage Railway commercial manager Martin Payne said: "The photographs are so wonderfully evocative of the heyday of branch line steam trains in the Isle of Purbeck that you would think they were taken during the days of British Railways during the 1950s and 1960s rather than over the past 15 years.

"Through this stunning looking book, Don shows the relaid Purbeck Line in action today through mainly 'trains in the landscape' photographs which also show just how magnificently well the busy rebuilt steam railway blends into and complements the Purbeck scenery," explained Mr Payne.

The Swanage Railway's shop - an important source of revenue since it first opened when the railway volunteers gained access to the boarded up Swanage station in February 1976 - has recently been re-designed and refitted to improve its service to the public and increase the amount of money raised to further develop and expand the award-winning steam railway.

Two views inside Swanage Railway's newly refitted shop at Swanage station. Photo Andrew P.M. Wright

Martin Payne explained: "The newly refitted Swanage Railway shop now stocks a wider range of railway books, DVDs, model railways and Swanage Railway souvenirs with many items also being available on-line through the Swanage Railway's website at 'www.swanagerailway.co.uk'.

"The new shop also stocks a wider range of local books and DVDs, a British nostalgia collection, the popular Thomas the Tank Engine range and new items from the popular CBeebies series Chuggington," explained Mr Payne.

Through 150 photographs, Don Bishop's new book portrays the Swanage Railway at its very best - a striking and evocative reminder for those who know the award-winning heritage line as well as an enticement to those who have yet to visit to do so and contribute towards its continuing success.

The ten mile branch line from Wareham down to Corfe Castle and Swanage off the Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth main line was opened in May 1885 by the London & South Western Railway which later to became part of the Southern Railway and the Southern Region of British Railways.

After a five year campaign by British Rail, the rundown branch line closed in January 1972 and the track was controversially lifted in just seven weeks during that summer. It was to take 30 years to relay.

Swanage Railway's Martin Payne in the Swanage Railway's newly refitted shop with the new Swanage Railway coffee table-style photo book by Don Bishop. Photo Andrew P.M. Wright

Martin Payne explained: "A group of determined enthusiasts got together with the aim of reopening the line as tourist attraction and, in 1975, a handful of volunteers were granted a license to occupy the vacant Swanage station which had narrowly escaped demolition and redevelopment.

"The track was slowly relaid yard by yard and restoration work started to create the infrastructure needed for a working railway. The Swanage Railway opened in stages from Swanage, the line being opened from Harman's Cross to Corfe Castle and a new 'park and ride' station at Norden in August 1995.

"The 'park and ride' facility at Norden has proved very popular for helping to get holidaymakers and day trippers bound Corfe Castle and Swanage off the roads the Swanage Railway carries more than 200,000 passengers a year.

"We use mainly appropriate Southern Region motive power and green coaches on the Swanage Railway to recreate an authentic Southern Railway and British Railways Southern Region branch line," explained Mr Payne.

Two more views inside Swanage Railway's newly refitted shop at Swanage station. Photo Andrew P.M. Wright