Next weekend, Saturday, 3rd and Sunday, 4th January, the Swanage Railway is holding a ‘Winter Warm Up’ steam and diesel weekend as the first event of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

It was in February 1976 when a small group of dedicated volunteers started work to restore the disused and boarded-up station at Swanage. The weekend will feature five heritage locomotives dating from the 1890s to the 1960s.

Both passenger and freight trains will run during the weekend from Swanage to Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden. Some of the passenger trains will then continue from Norden another four miles to the River Frome, just outside Wareham.

Steam locomotives will include London and South Western Railway T3 Class No. 563, Southern Railway U class No. 31806, and Southern Railway West Country class Bulleid Pacific No. 34028 Eddystone. Diesel locomotives will include Class 33 Nos. D6515 Jenny Lewis RN and No. 33 053.

There will be an intensive timetable of services, with the freight trains re-creating trains of wagons and box vans typical of those seen across the south of England, including the branch line to Swanage, in the mid-20th century.

Recently overhauled, Eddystone is typical of the Bulleid Pacifics that hauled trains from London to Corfe Castle and Swanage from the 1940s to the end of steam in 1967. Eddystone will be running on the Swanage Railway for the first time since being withdrawn by British Railways in 1964.

Southern Railway U class No. 31806 is also typical of a type used to haul holidaymaker trains to Corfe Castle and Swanage during the 1950s.

Class 33 No. D6515 Lt Jenny Lewis RN was a familiar sight on passenger trains from London to Swanage and freight trains to Blandford, Wimborne, West Moors and Ringwood during the summer of 1966. Class 33 33 012 hauled the last train between Poole, Broadstone and Wimborne in 1977 after it closed to trains.

The station shop at Swanage will be open during the weekend, and refreshments and snacks will be available at Swanage and Norden stations and on some of the trains, and it is planned that the Swanage Railway museum in the restored Victorian goods shed at Corfe Castle station will be open throughout the weekend.

Earlier this month, Swanage Railway volunteers won ten awards for floral and neighbourhood excellence in a regional competition. In February, the Railway 200 train, Inspiration, will visit the Swanage Railway as part of its year-long tour around the UK.

“The ‘Winter Warm Up’ is a fitting way to launch the Swanage Railway’s special 50th anniversary year. “With our home fleet of steam and diesel locomotives out for the weekend, along with refreshments and a bar on some of the trains, it promises a relaxed and sociable start to this milestone year. “Watch out for more exciting announcements about what’s coming to the Swanage Railway in 2026.”

Abbie King, Swanage Railway Chief Executive Officer