Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers are to stage a two-day Community Weekend, offering a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes of the award-winning heritage line. The special event takes place on the weekend of 17th and 18th February, with staff at Swanage, Herston, Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle and Norden stations all taking part.
There will be the chance to drive a 1950s heritage diesel shunter at Swanage for £20, watch a train guard or on-train travelling ticket inspector perform their duties for £5, as well as enjoy £5 behind-the-scenes tours of the award-winning signal boxes at Harman’s Cross or Corfe Castle stations.
Free events include guided access to the footplate of a steam locomotive at Swanage, visits to 1960s heritage telephone exchanges at Harman’s Cross and Corfe Castle stations (both subject to volunteer availability) and the chance to have a go at signalling at the Corfe Castle signalling museum.
Event organiser and volunteer guard Clare Collins said: ‘Our Community Weekend is a different and interesting day out for all the family – a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes of a working heritage railway, explore some of the many different roles required to operate the Swanage Railway and find out about varied volunteering opportunities.’
In addition, for people living in the BH and DT postcodes, half-price train tickets for the Community Weekend are available in advance from swanagerailway.co.uk.
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