Swanage: Steam and diesel trains run for new year celebration

A mixture of steam and diesel passenger trains have been running for a new year celebration.

Heritage trains have been operating between Norden, Corfe Castle, Harman's Cross and Swanage over the weekend.

One of the diesel locomotives hauling the trains was the last to run from Poole to Broadstone and Wimborne when the line closed to freight trains in 1977.

"We're polishing off the Christmas blues," said a volunteer.

"People are coming out, particularly enthusiasts, to enjoy Swanage railway after Christmas," Robert Patterson, chair of the Swanage Railway Company said.

He said the intensive service was running "trains that we don't normally run", which included two 1960s main line heritage diesel trains and two main line steam trains, one from the 1920s and the other from the 1940s.

"People forget that on the railways in the days of steam, freight was as important as the passenger service and we haven't run a freight train for a long time," he added.

Harry Penn and Summer Brash attend railway galas and events across the country and Ms Brash said she attended the events as "a bit of an anorak".

"It's just nice to spend time with each other on a day off," she told the BBC.

Graham Monteith, working at the celebration, added: "The idea of trying to recreate a little bit of something that has been long since lost is a large part of the fascination.

"Railway needs the income and support."

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