Wareham to Swanage 1969

A journey on what is now the Swanage Railway featuring semaphore signals, the single line token and the diesels of the day.

[@dodgydruid]

My late father was Keith Watson who was instrumental in writing the rules up for the reconnection of Swanage to Wareham, "Fag n Tea Keith" never seen without either on the go and I remember him studying extensively the old BR pastel rule books from the era in the video and working with Network Rail to setup blocks, exchanges, permission to enter/leave NR metals. He was an oddball in he kept alive in his head workings of long gone signalboxes, indeed when he was F grade at London Bridge he was often tasked on his days off to go do some of the boxes he knew the workings off by heart and off he would go to far flung places like Effingham Junction, Swanley, Elmers End which he was relief for at D grade but getting F grade double bubble was a big earner. Aside from his work at Swanage, his other legacy is three particular signalboxes he practically rebuilt in the 70's by himself, Snodland, Cuxton and another which a few years back just after his passing all gained listed status.

[@DocAlRead1]

Fascinating info - thanks

[@ianburnett7333]

When I was on S&T at Clapham Junction Central had very high failure rate.

[@HYUKLDER1]

That film shows two (of the four) Wareham Station platforms that are not used now. The one the train pulls out of is part of the Station car park and the other one is overgrown. The two lines in the middle continue to be the 143 mile South West Main Line between London Waterloo and Weymouth which has both fast and stopping trains serving Wareham. Wareham Station still has many passengers using it, c300,000 a year and the station is well kept. It is possible to walk into Wareham town, there is a bus stop at the north side of the Station and taxis serve from the south side. The rail link to Swanage Station was re-established, and recent signalling improvements at Worgret Junction have enabled main line certification so that technically certified heritage line trains from Swanage can use the main line Wareham Station on a scheduled or occasional basis provided Swanage Railway funds allow.

[@DocAlRead1]

Thanks for that summary. I've been from Wareham to Swanage on the new link - let's hope it's able to continue.

[@phillwainewright4221]

When I was a bus driver (1990s) one of the late shift rotas involved driving a 142 Poole to Swanage, then a 30 minute stop-over before returning. We would be given the key to the station staffroom so we could have somewhere to sit and take our break.

[@TheBaldmeister]

I went to Swanage in the summer of 1969 (aged 11) for a summer holiday with my parents. Maybe we were on that train! (Doesn't look like we were on the platform!)

[@chrismccartney8668]

Went last year hauled by Manston Battle of Brotain one way pother was Lovely heritage diesel..

[@typhoon2827]

Beautiful beautiful England. Wasn't it worth fighting for?

[@DocAlRead1]

Yes, well said.

[@stephenchappell7512]

Still lots of people awaiting the train's arrival and so it doesn't appear to be your typical underused sleepy branch line

[@DocAlRead1]

It was probably seasonal but yes it seemed to be well used. This was 3 years before closure.

[@highpath4776]

@@DocAlRead1 The closure was more that it saved more money than the revenue earned (which does not mean it was not used well), poss to western region being anti-southern branches generally (though a few GWR ones went too), and the idea that local (state owned) bus company could cover the route and serve intermediate communities better

[@stephenchappell7512]

@@highpath4776 It was only Southern lines west of Exeter which were transferred to the western (the withered arm)

[@DocAlRead1]

@@highpath4776 Thanks for that info!

[@ChrisH-1952]

I remember camping with the Boys Brigade across the fields from Harmans Cross (no station then, I think) in the mid 60s and standing on one of the bridges to watch the already 'doomed' train go underneath. Lovely to see these old films. Mind you, the modern reincarnation is much tidier than these 'good old days' are shown to be.

[@DocAlRead1]

Thanks for this, and yes there was not a station at Harmans Cross then.

[@martyn6792]

Great video I was seven when it was filmed

[@porno6361]

Great video,glad someone had the foresight to film it,did this trip about 5 yrs ago

[@johncourtneidge]

Thank-you!

[@michaelsandford1015]

Very good

[@grahamdeamer128]

Pity that the modern day reintroduction of the Wareham to Swanage service was so short lived. I used it a lot last year, so sad that one of the principal objectives of the restoration movement had to be abandoned.

[@DocAlRead1]

I've been on it as well. Hopefully it's not completely abandoned. It needs to be economically viable.

[@michaelsandford1015]

I lot of people on the platform wanting to go home