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PMMMG NEWS RELEASE
27th January, 2004. HISTORIC STEAM LOCOMOTIVE RETURNS TO PURBECK A unique narrow gauge Victorian steam locomotive that earnt its living in the clay mines of Purbeck for more than 80 years, and worked through two world wars, has returned home to Dorset – after a gap of almost half a century. Built in
Birmingham by Bellis &
Seekings Ltd in 1874, the eight tonne ‘Secundus’ made the four hour road
journey from the Birmingham City Museum to Swanage on Thursday, 22nd
January, 2004, to form the centrepiece of the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum
that volunteers hope to create next to the Swanage Railway’s Norden park and
ride station. “It’s
great and very exciting to see ‘Secundus’ return to Purbeck where she worked
for more than 80 years – from 1874, through two world wars and up to 1955 when
she was nearly cut up for scrap,” explained Peter Sills of Wareham, chairman of
the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum Group. “The
return of ’Secundus’ is very symbolic because she is the jewel in the crown of
our project to create the first museum devoted to Purbeck’s clay mining
industry which has been going on for more than a thousand years and was started
by the Romans. “‘Secundus’ was the second steam locomotive to work on the
two feet, eight inch gauge Furzebrook Tramway that connected the clay pits and
mines around Creech with the Furzebrook processing works and an export wharf at
Ridge on the southern shores of Poole Harbour. ‘Secundus’ is the only narrow
gauge locomotive to survive from the Furzebrook clay tramway,” he added. Repaired and rebuilt by Stephen Lewin at Poole Foundry in
1880 – and later reboilered by Peckett & Sons of Bristol in 1936 –
‘Secundus’ worked in Purbeck until 1955 when most of the clay transport was
undertaken by road transport and most of the clay tramways were ripped up for
scrap. “‘Secundus’
spent her later years shunting around the Furzebrook works, and there are many
photos of her at this time. She is the sole survivor from the fleet of seven
locomotives and was saved by the Birmingham Locomotive Club which persuaded the
scrap company to donate ‘Secundus’ for preservation,” explained Group project
manager Graham Feldwick of Wareham. “‘Secundus’
has been loaned to the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum Group by Birmingham
Museum under an initial five-year agreement, and we are indebted to the museum
– and especially its Head of Curatorial Services, Jane Arthur, for arranging
this,” he added. “Our thanks go out not only to
Graham Feldwick for securing Secundus, but also Willie Bath and all at Herston
Works, and especially to John Kellaway, Stan Hoey & Mike Baker at Corfe
Castle Museum for enabling us to turn a dream into a reality.” After
preparation at Swanage Railway’s Herston locomotive engineering works, ‘Secundus’
will be placed on display in the goods shed museum at Corfe Castle station
during February, 2004. It is planned that ‘Secundus’ will be the centrepiece of
the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum at Norden which it is hoped will fully
open to the public in 2007. “‘Secundus’ has a most distinctive appearance, being an
0-6-0WT with a marine-type firebox and outside Stephenson valve gear. The tall
chimney, large dome and outside reversing lever were standard design features
of the time, but the addition of skirting and cow-catchers are thought to have
come about from a literal interpretation of the term ‘tramway’,” explained Mr
Feldwick. Formed in September,
2003 – and already with some 100 supporters – the Purbeck Mineral and Mining
Group is a sub-group of the volunteer-run Swanage Railway Trust. The Group’s
aim is to create a museum associated with ball clay mining in Dorset and other
significant resources extracted in Purbeck, which were intimately connected
with the growth and history of the Swanage Railway. The group wants to enhance the
experience of visitors enjoying the Swanage Railway by to creating a permanent
clay mining museum and visitor centre; by relocating an existing clay mine
building to the Norden Park & Ride site as well as building a narrow gauge
demonstration track on which steam locomotives can run. The acquisition of ‘Secundus’ on a five year loan is just
one of the many activities of the Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum Group. For
further details please contact our Administrator, Mrs Lesley Feldwick, at 22A
Ropers Lane, Wareham, Dorset BH20 4QT or by email:
feldwick@globalnet.co.uk
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