Week 17 - still no bridge work

Saturday out with the gang

Modest PWay work continues, mostly concerned with recording our assets and gathering information for officially required paperwork, although on Wednesday the gang was out with shovels, boxing in ballast along the viaduct, where it was not ideally distributed following the works there earlier in the year. It all looks much better now, and also permits the track walkers to see what/if any defects there are. So we are active, but not very yet.

Catching wind of the ballast shovelling, yours truly was quickly off to the Isle of Purbeck to enjoy an off season trip to the Swanage, but postponed by 3 months due to the dreaded Lurgi. More of this later.

Saturday's mission was to measure up turnouts and make a start on sidings at Toddington.

Yes, make a start on sidings..... the start is under that coach, who left that there?







Two of us measured up switches at Toddington north, while three of us set off along siding No.1, a strange piece of track which is more or less where the up line used to be, but as it's now a siding, it had to be further away from the running line and there is now a larger gap in the middle, in the picture with a bracket signal in it too.

One of these days it may revert to becoming a running line, with yard access at the southern turnouts that we reinstalled.

 So we stretch out the measuring tape. Rail length is in feet and inches, wear in millimeters! Work that one out.

But how do you get the tape inside one of the Mills keys? That looks like one of those impossible puzzles you get in a Christmas cracker.

We put Steve on to solving that one! Hmmmmm...

Passing through the yard at Toddington, we noticed the goods shed mess room extension pretty much complete on the outside. As the function of the building will be rather different from what it was (showers, toilets, canteen, changing rooms etc) the windows couldn't be authentic on the west side, but we did manage quite a good series of arched windows on the east side, the one more commonly seen by the public. We do try.

For lunch time, it was a safe, outdoor picnic with one volunteer per table.

The main gate was closed (we're not running yet) but it struck us that there was a constant stream of cars and motorbikes that turned up, only to drive away again. What was going on?

Three more cars were trying to get in when we left. We couldn't resist the question: What on earth are you doing?

'' We're on a Father Brown exploration trail'' was the answer. Ah.

At Broadway (and no doubt elsewhere) the hand sanitisers are out in force.

Not very 1904 or Father Brown, but we are assured they are temporary.










A look over the Fence - Swanage railway

Here's another of our occasional looks to see how other railways run their show. You can always learn!

We had 3 days booked in a pub at Lulworth Cove early in the season, but the rise of COVID delayed, but luckily did not stop, this little jolly to a pretty part of the country. Back at work tomorrow though!

So enjoy some scenes of the Southern, and early BR:

The Swanage railway is already running again, albeit with measures as you might expect. The 'toe in the water' trains are diesel hauled and we booked as such. However, even as we arrived they were already doing crew training runs, for a 50% steam service from tomorrow. Well done that railway!

You can only board at Swanage, and you get a shortish return trip to Norden, intermediate stations being closed. There's a public car park near the bridge at Swanage from which this picture of 1806 was taken, but if you don't mind a half mile walk there is a cheaper car park at North Beach, and even the possibility of streetside parking for free. We walked! It's good for you, go on!

Each heritage railway has its own atmosphere, even raison d'etre. Just look at our line, one that started with rides, and since the opening to Broadway we have a public transport function from CRC as well. With the Swanage we got a similar feeling. Swanage town is a seaside destination, and a pretty, busy little seaside town. We liked it. But the road there gets oh so busy, there was a road accident straight away when we got there, and we hadn't even entered Corfe Castle yet. So the Park and Ride at Norden is excellent, and soon Wareham will be a boarding and transport option.

1806 chugged past beneath us, and headed past the single road loco shed, with a huge BoB pacific parked outside. It was in light steam too.

We liked the original little engine shed, just right to park an M7 overnight, but 257 Squadron might end up with its a**e end exposed.

Charming was the little hang-out for the enginemen centre right. What a great place to watch your loco raise steam, and swap a few tall tales.

Opposite, from the camera viewpoint, was a similar place for the public, a little gated grassy area with a bench. The Swanage is a great place for photographers.

The class 33 hauled service train with its 5 coaches trundled back in, and a little while later so did 1806. The station is a bit pushed for space, it wasn't designed for the activity it has now.

There is no run round loop from P1 here, so the rake has to be pulled back out by a station pilot.

Waiting for the masses.

What was special about these early re-opening trains then? Passenger streams were split into two for entry an exit, and the BR style uniforms were covered with bright yellow 'steward' tabbards. We booked on line a week earlier, and were allocated a fixed, numbered seat. We got the impression that most of these were at one end of the train, and of course you were not encouraged to walk to the other end to hear the Crompton burble.

The rake consisted mostly of TSOs, in which every other table was blocked, as in the picture. There was an explanation, accompanied by an appeal for financial help.

Sometimes the tables were staggered, and sometimes in pairs. We can't say that we were unduly concerned by meeting too many people in corridors, as these early, diesel hauled trains were only modestly patronised, maybe 30 - 40 passengers each. But face masks were obligatory and observed, also a few in the streets of Swanage, but none at all in Corfe Castle or on the ramparts.

Overall, walking about the town and the castle is outdoors and the risks must be fairly minimal.

The class 33 sputtered mostly uphill to Corfe Castle station, where there was a token exchange and then a further half mile to Norden, a platform adjacent to a very good Park and Ride. There you could get out and photograph the rather attractive run round by the old mineral railway bridge.

Near Corfe Castle station is the railway's diesel depot, with this beautifully painted DMU, which we believe is designated for the new Wareham service. That has not yet got off the ground. It was due to technical issues last year, and COVID so far this year. Fingers crossed!

The Wareham main line connection could provide a stimulus for quite an increase in the passenger numbers, as a pure transport play.




A useful second day around the Swanage railway can be had by 'doing' a day round Corfe Castle. There really is a lot to see and do here.

The Castle is 3/4 mile from the Norden Park & Ride. It's dirt cheap to park there (70p!) and then there is a most attractive walk through woodland, past a mineral railway museum, through the Norden platforms and then alongside the railway right up to the foot of the Norman castle.

This picture was taken from Norden halt - the castle is almost 'a stone's throw' away. It controls a gap in the ridge on the approach to the coast.




The Norman castle was once one of the strongest in the whole of England, and in 1643 was defended by the chatelaine Lady Bankes against a siege by the roundheads. They failed to take it, losing 100 men to her two.

In 1645 the roundheads came again, and again failed to make much progress. The castle fell when one of its officers offered to get reinforcements of another 100 men, but when he returned and entered the castle, they turned out to be roundheads in disguise - Lady Bankes was betrayed! She was allowed to leave and 15 years later she got her castle back, but not before the government had comprehensively destroyed it with gunpowder. The results of the enormous explosions are quite alarming to see.

Nonetheless the ruins are well worth a visit, and from above you get stunning views, including of the passing trains for quite a distance.

1806 chugs through with another familiarisation train.

Afterwards you can drop down to the station which, although not open for ticket sales, is open to visitors, in the hope for a small donation which we willingly gave. The line at Corfe Castle is particularly picturesque.

Everything is painted in the very warming cream and green Southern sunshine colours, and the replica signalbox, which looks very well executed, has deep windows in the front through which you can observe the signalman at work from the other platform.












You can photograph the passing service trains with 33 111, see the token exchange in front of the castle, then repair to the Bankes Arms a few yards away in station road and enjoy an IPA and rather good food, all still within sight of the line, which runs along the bottom of the garden. Who could ask for more?



For a small donation the stationmaster will show you the inside of Corfe Castle station, which has received particular attention to detail. It is an absolutely charming period piece. The station was intact when the railway took over, but had been in use as offices, so all the detail had to be put back.

Didn't they do well! A suspended wooden floor, marble fireplace surround (very similar to Broadway's in shape) and we particularly liked the period lighting, which is part of the 1940s atmosphere aimed for by this station. The only thing that intruded was the large panel on the left, which is a form of electronic poster board for cashless donations. On the other hand the model locomotive for cash donations did have some charm of its own.






The stationmaster's office is a working one, but still in the 1940s style. It can be done!

The desk and chair were fabulous.








Adjacent to the booking office was the Ladies' Waiting Room, with an early Victorian fireplace and period lamps above.

We have the opportunity to achieve such heights with our First Class Waiting Room at Toddington, when the shop moves to new premises and the station can be restored to its original layout.





Corfe Castle station had a resident stationmaster who lived in the building, to one side.

His private living room has also been restored to a 1940s appearance, it's really worth taking a privileged peep to see how people lived 80 years ago.

Well done that station group!

If you're still up for it after visiting the castle, the station and the pub, what you can do is climb up to the top of the adjacent East Hill, for a brilliant view of the line, the castle, and the Corfe gap it was built to defend. It's lovely up there in the sun, with its commanding view for miles, right down to Poole harbour too.

The access to this is up a steep set of steps just beyond the small road bridge over a lane, just west of the station.





Bratton Fleming

Just a little update, and admittedly from third party sources as we are enthusiastic supporters, but not management:

The fund has now reached its appeal target for the agreed price of the station itself, i.e. £325.000. That is amazing news, and such support for a little narrow gauge station lost in the hills of Devon. The confirmation is subject to the good receipt of one more, substantial, donation promised.

The appeal is still open, because the purchase price isn't everything of course. There are conveyancing costs to raise, nearly £10.000 in land tax (not the stamp duty) and a surprisingly expensive cost item to fund is a new septic tank that is required.

It looks as if the intention is to rent out the 'cottage', and this would make our donations doubly effective, as we wouldn't just be helping to buy a station, we'd also be facilitating a rental income stream into which EA could tap to buy bits of trackbed that come up.

In fact there is an exciting prospect of a piece of trackbed right next door that could be in the offing. We await to hear more news about that, it's not very firm yet. And of course the whole station purchase is still subject to contract, so do continue to help if you can.