Information

The Purbeck Railway Circle is the area group for Swanage Railway Trust members in Dorset and the surrounding area. Activities include meetings of railway-oriented talks, slide and film shows and an annual outing. The meetings also include an 'Update' on the latest happenings on the Swanage Railway.

The Circle also publicises its activities in the 'Swanage Railway Magazine' but this website will always be the more up-to-date. If you would like to be placed on our email list so that we can remind you 10 days before each meeting, then please email the Secretary.

Meetings are normally held on the 2nd or 3rd Friday evening of the month in Swanage or occasionally in Harman's Cross and are also open to non-members of the SRT, so members are encouraged to bring their friends along.

There is no separate membership or subscription for the Circle for Trust members - just come along. Admission is free including tea/coffee and biscuits, but we do ask for a donation in aid of the Swanage Railway Trust. A raffle is held, often with attractive railway-oriented prizes.

Please scroll down the page to see our meeting schedule, and please come along to one of our meetings to see what the Purbeck Railway Circle has to offer you. We look forward to seeing you there.

If you have any requests or suggestions please let us have them.

2007/8 Programme

Friday 16 May - 'The Railways of the Colonel Stephens Empire'

A slide show by Tony Ward.

Catholic Church Hall, Rempstone Road, Swanage, at 7.30 pm prompt, doors open at 7.00 pm.

Sunday 29 June - 'The S and D Coach Tour'

Departs from Swanage calling at Wareham Station for passengers from Weymouth and Dorchester. Taking in the Shillingstone Station Project, rides on the narrow-gauge Gartell Light Railway at Templecombe and concluding with a visit to the S and D Mendip Mainline Project run by the Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust at Midsomer Norton.

Inclusive fare £20 for Adults, £19 for Seniors and £12.50 for Children (under 16).

Apply to Mike Walshaw by email to mhwalshaw@talktalk.net or tel. 01929 421 913

Friday 11 July - 'The Salisbury Accident of 1906 - Still an Enigma?'

An illustrated talk by Gerald Jacobs.

Harmans Cross Village Hall, Harmans Cross, at 7.30 pm prompt, doors open at 7.00 pm.

Friday 25 July - 'Swanage Railway Evening at Dorchester'

Meeting with the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust, Dorchester Area Group. Quiz, S&ampRT vs PRC and a Swanage Railway slide show.

Colliton Club, by County Hall, Dorchester, at 7.30 pm prompt.

Friday 19 September - 'An Evening of Members’ Short Contributions'

• ‘Panic Stations’ about at little girl lost on the Swanage Railway, an audio-visual presentation by Peter Horner.
• ‘Liquid Gold’, about looking for oil and gas under Poole Harbour, audio-visual presentation by Peter Horner.
• ‘Some Model Railways I have known’ by Mike Walshaw.
• ‘Mainly Modern Traction’ - Nathan Rodgers shows some stunning images taken over the last 3 years.
• ‘Some aspects of the French metre gauge’ by John Pounder.
• ‘40 Years of the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway’ by David Peel.

Catholic Church Hall, Rempstone Road, Swanage, at 7.30 pm prompt, doors open at 7.00 pm.

Friday 17 October - 'Film Evening'

Joint Film Evening with the Purbeck Film Festival.

Friday 14 November - 'The Southern: A Celebration'

A slide show by Steve Andrews.

Catholic Church Hall, Rempstone Road, Swanage, at 7.30 pm prompt, doors open at 7.00 pm.