The First Train to Wareham

37518 with 33207 arrives at Warrham with 5Z24 1135 Carnforth to Swanage ECS. This working brings the locos and stock for the first train from Swanage to Wareham on the following day. The train will pause at Wareham to collect the token to Norden Gates and the Swanage route conductor and guard. 12/6/2017

Due to the kindness of the Swanage route conductor Steve Barker, who is an old school friend of mine, I was invited to go along for the cab ride to Swanage. 37518 has the road off the mainline at Worgret Junction just beyond the road bridge.

The points are over at Worgret Junction for us to bear left. The signalbox stood in the "V" of the lines where the large electrical cabinet is located.

After the junction the line sweeps round a long left hand curve and falls at 1 in 80 down to the viaduct over the River Frome. The Purbeck Hills form the backdrop with Creech Barrow being the highest point to the left.

The line continues to fall at 1 in 80 then start to climb at 1 in 78 for 1 3/4 miles to Furzebrook. The viaduct over the River Frome is at the bottom of the dip.

Climbing now at 1 in 78 with Holme Lane over bridge ahead. It was built for double track which was never laid.

The rail over bridge takes the line over Grange Road with Creech Bottom user crossing ahead.

Creech Bottom crossing is famous for the location of a foiled "wild west train robbery" by the cowboys of the Lazy C ranch that was situated nearby. They planned to hold up the very final train from Swanage and "relieve" the passengers of their money and donate it to charity. The plan was leaked to the press and The Sun and the police turned up. The "Sheriff and deputies" held off the robbers and the train passed by without incident!

This is Furzebrook and the Furzebrook Road overbridge with the entrance to the former oil and gas sidings on the left. The track on the left is the original main line and the track on the right was the runround loop and headshunt originally for the ball clay siding on the right. The Railway changed the tracks as if ever a station is built here it will be to the right so the track is in place......if that makes sense?

The turnout and siding to the right leads to the former ball clay loading bay. It has been many years since clay was dispatched by rail but the siding was never lifted. It was relaid when the line was rebuilt and currently U class loco 31625 is stored there undercover.

This is the end of the original runround loop for the clay sidings and latterly the oil sidings. The fence to the left is the oil sidings.

Now looking down the straight from Furzebrook towards Motala and the boundary between the National Network and Swanage Railway metals when they finally joined up.

The loco is passing over the foot crossing at Cats Eye as the line curves round to the left.

The line now passes below the main A351 Wareham to Corfe Castle road. It was realigned in the 1990's and widened so the bridge is now twice the size. Fortunately when the parapet was rebuilt the original top bricks and end stones were retained and replaced.

Here the line enters Norden Woods and the bridge in the immediate foreground takes the line over the Middlebere Plateway of 1807 which took ball clay from nearby pits to a wharf on Middlebere Creek in Poole Harbour for export.

The area is now laid out with sidings for storing derelict stock. In Southern Railway and BR service, this was the site of Eldon Sidings on the left where ball clay was transfered from narrow gauge wagons onto standard gauge ones for onward transport.

This is all totally new bar the original formation. On the left is the road/rail pad for loading and unloading rail vehicles from road vehicles. The signalbox is brand new and the level crossing is over the road leading to the Wytch Farm oil wells and the railway park and ride carpark. The signal gantry is being constructed for the down approach to Corfe Castle station and will replace the double acting down home signal. Norden station is just beyond the level crossing.

My favourite signal on the line, Corfe's double acting down home signal. This will be replaced in February 2018 with a gantry and be located several hundred yards before this signal. The gantry will give signalled access into the up platform in the down direction.

The beautifully restored station of Corfe Castle and a real gem for the Swanage Railway.

I took no more photos after the previous one as I have done the line many times from the cab or footplate. I have travelled in the cab of a class 33 from Wareham to Furzebrook and back in 1979, so this was a first for me to have a cab ride between Furzebrook and Norden. On arrival at Swanage 37518, 33207 and the four coaches are left at the home signal gantry and shut down for the night. 12/6/2017