The Railway Magazine

Dorset Heritage line marks 50th anniversar­y since closure by BR

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THE Swanage Railway ran a special train on January 1 to mark 50 years since the branch from Wareham was closed by British Rail.

Retired railwayman Bob Richards, who signalled the last BR train from Wareham to Swanage on New Year’s Day 1972, was on the platform at Corfe Castle as the anniversar­y train arrived driven by volunteer Peter Frost, who was a teenage passenger on the last BR train 50 years before.

The final BR train ran on January 1, 1972 formed of DEMUs Nos. 1110 and 1124, but the 10-mile branch was officially closed from January 3.

BR wasted no time ripping up the tracks from Swanage in 1972, but three years of campaignin­g by railway enthusiast­s and community volunteers led to the town council giving the fledgling Swanage Railway Society a one-year lease of the disused terminal station.

Over the 45 years since then, Swanage Railway volunteers have brought the whole branch back to life again.

The anniversar­y train was formed of Class 117 DMU Nos. 51346+59486+51388, which also ran as a special diesel service on January 2/3.

 ?? ANDREW PM WRIGHT ?? The commemorat­ive train formed of Class 117 DMU Nos. 51346+59486+51388 at Corfe Castle on January 1.
ANDREW PM WRIGHT The commemorat­ive train formed of Class 117 DMU Nos. 51346+59486+51388 at Corfe Castle on January 1.

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