My apologies for the gap in providing a news update in recent months.  Whilst lately we have been concentrating on improving the standard of internet communication with Swanage Railway staff and volunteers, I am conscious that out of approximately 4000 Swanage Railway Trust members only around 10% are in a position to be active volunteers.  When you add to this the number of other railway enthusiasts who have a close interest in what is happening on the Swanage Railway it is clear that this website has an important on-going role to play.

So without more ado here, in no particular order, are some of the issues and developments that have been discussed at the Swanage Railway Trust Council of Management meetings held between February and June 2011:

Detailed discussions regarding the reintroduction of regular passenger trains between Wareham and Swanage continue with our partners in the Purbeck Community Rail Partnership.  Network Rail have now agreed that the mode of signalling between Worgret Junction and the boundary with the Swanage Railway at Motala will be No Signalman Key Token (NSKT).  This is our first preference and will prove to be a lot cheaper to implement than axle counters which are likely to be installed on the Poole-Weymouth main line as part of the Dorset coast re-signalling scheme.  BP have now completed the sale of their Wytch Farm oil field and estate to Perenco UK Ltd.  The sale includes the Furzebrook depot\sidings and also the obligation to install a fully gated level crossing on the Wytch Farm road at Norden.  We intend to meet with Perenco in the near future in order to discuss the precise future plans for these together with our proposals to relocate the road-rail interchange at Norden crossing.     

During February a number of meetings were held between the Executive Management Team (EMT) and staff\volunteers.  This was followed on 19th March by an open forum with Trust Members at Harmans Cross Village Hall.  Whilst the attendance was modest – many members were busy working on the Railway as part of Members Weekend – a number of subjects were discussed and these forums will be repeated in future. 

The Trust Council has appointed Andrew Hext as the Trust’s new volunteer Returning Officer.  Andrew has extensive experience in helping to oversee local and parliamentary elections and will I’m sure command the respect of the Trust membership.  He will also be appointing two independent observers to help him.  The deadline for nominations for this year’s Trust Council election is 13th August with the AGM taking place in the Mowlem Theatre on the afternoon on 8th October.

A series of discussions and a key face to face meeting has taken place between directors of the Swanage Railway Company and our principal supplier of steam motive power – Southern Locomotives Ltd (SLL).  After some initial disagreements it is pleasing to note that a positive outcome has been reached.  Importantly, locomotives 80078 and 80104 will continue to remain based on the Swanage Railway and the Railway’s future operational needs will receive greater prominence in determining how SLL staff are deployed.  We have also now signed a new lease for Herston Works with our landlords there, Purbeck District Council.

The Railway has secured a grant from the Dorset County Council ‘Chalk and Cheese’ fund which will enable us to move the redundant LSWR water tower currently located to the east of Salisbury station to Swanage and install a water extraction system that uses reverse osmosis.  In the long term this will save the Railway a large amount of money as we will no longer be dependent on using treated water from the mains for our steam engines.  The grant will also be used to fund the design work and planning for the installation of the ex Old Oak Common 70 foot turntable.

Draft audited accounts for the Swanage Railway Trust and Company for the year ended 31st December 2010 were considered and approved at our May meetings.  The Company recorded a net operating profit of £158,299 for the year.  The Trust’s consolidated accounts list net incoming resources of £303,774 for the year and net assets of £1,431,330 for the Trust only and £2,200,793 for the Trust and Company combined.  As in previous years summary accounts will be sent to all Trust members with the AGM papers.  Full accounts will be available on demand and they will also be posted as PDF files on this website.  Whilst the Company’s profit figure is to be welcomed, it should be noted that the surplus has been entirely spent on capital works during last winter.  Indeed during 2010 the value of fixed assets on the Company’s balance sheet increased by nearly £400,000.  Cash flow therefore remains as tight as ever – if not tighter.  As a result next winter’s capital works programme is likely to be far more modest than last year’s.

A volunteer survey has been carried out which resulted in 268 completed survey forms being returned.  The key areas of concern were a wish for improved volunteers’ facilities and the cost of overnight accommodation in Swanage.  A project plan has been drawn up to improve the signing on point and install additional showers in the Swanage engine shed area.  We will also attempt to secure favourable terms from local bed & breakfasts and campsites and advertise these on the Railway.

Work to enhance this website, including the provision of secure Trust members’ pages, is due to start shortly.  The quality of any improvement will be heavily reliant on additional content being received from those directly involved.  So if anyone has anything you feel warrants inclusion on the website, particularly but not exclusively of an educational, heritage or project theme, please get in touch as soon as possible.  A dedicated e-mail address has been set up for this at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The exhibition coach at Corfe Castle station has been withdrawn from use for major repairs but will hopefully be back in use later this year.  Meanwhile the small but dedicated team in the Museum and Library continue to catalogue our ever growing collection of artefacts with the aim being to secure formal museum status accreditation in due course.

May’s Diesel Gala proved to be very popular and, most importantly for us, profitable.  Whilst to many steam enthusiasts the sight of a large main line diesel is something of an anathema, it is important to remember that many of the examples that visited us, for example the Deltic and Western, are over 50 years old and have huge bands of loyal followers.  They have hugely significant heritage significance in their own right and their presence on the Railway is something to be encouraged.

Finally, the latest edition of Swanage Railway Magazine (issue 95, Summer 2011) is now out.  Issue 96 is due to be available during the week commencing 31st October 2011.

Mark Woolley

Trust Secretary

22nd July 2011