Swanage Railway makes history

With thousands of excited spectators watching from next to the line, Dorset railway history was made on 1 April 2009, with the first passenger train running from London to Corfe Castle and Swanage since New Year’s Day, January 1972.

The ‘Purbeck Pioneer’ – organised by UK Railtours – departed London’s Victoria station at 8.45am, 37 years after the last British Rail passenger train ran between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage.

It was an emotional day, especially for the several generations of Swanage Railway volunteers who, for over thirty years, had worked against all odds to rebuild the award-winning steam operated line from nothing.

Swanage Railway chairman Mike Whitwam said: “The whole day was very moving – I had a lump in my throat because this first train from Wareham has been worked towards since 1972.”

Among more than 400 passengers on board the historic train were father and son, Frederick and Peter Sills from Wareham, who rode on the last British Rail train from Wareham to Swanage on the night of Saturday, 1 January, 1972.

And watching the special 12-coach ‘Purbeck Pioneer’ train with a diesel locomotive at each end arriving at Swanage was pensioner and veteran railway campaigner Moyra Cross.

The 87-year-old stalwart spent four years campaigning against British Rail’s proposed closure of the line from May, 1968 – only to still campaign for the railway to be rebuilt when the line was torn up in 1972. Moyra still volunteers in the steam railway’s fund-raising shop at Swanage station.

The ‘Purbeck Pioneer’ made Dorset railway history on two counts.  It was the first passenger train to run between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage since New Year’s Day, Saturday 1 January 1972 and the first train to run from London to Swanage since that date.

As people crowded the pavements and fences around Swanage station, the Mayors of Swanage and Wareham, as well as other civic dignitaries, welcomed the special train and congratulated the volunteers on making history.

The driver of the train was Dave Gravell of Poole who works for the locomotive providers –DB Schenker, formerly EWS – and is also a Swanage Railway volunteer.

He said: “It was a great honour and everything went very smoothly. The weather was lovely and there were lots of people watching and waving from the side of the line between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage.”

In summing up the day, chairman Mr Whitwam said, “This is an absolutely momentous day for the Swanage Railway and for Swanage. After 37 years, Swanage is no longer cut off from the national railway network. The clock has been turned back to before 1972 which is incredible and the result of a huge amount of work.”