Swanage Railway appeals for help to restore 1960s diesel train carriage
It hasn't run on the Dorset line for over 50 years
An appeal's been set up by Swanage Railway to raise £20,000 for the restoration of a 1960s 'push-pull' diesel train carriage. www.4tcgroup.co.uk
It's hoped the TC carriage would then be able to run on the Swanage to Corfe Castle line for the first time since 1971.
The ‘push-pull’ diesels were originally used in Dorset from the end of main line steam trains between Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and Weymouth in 1967, to the start of new electric trains on the route in 1988.
Between Bournemouth, Southampton and London Waterloo, the TC carriage sets ran coupled to electric models.
Swanage Railway volunteer diesel locomotive driver Dan Bennett said:
“The restoration of our third TC coach – a Driving Trailer Second Open No. 76275 – is the last hurdle in our goal of running a 1960s TC ‘push-pull’ train at Swanage for the first time since September 1971.
“It will cost £70,000 to restore the coach but, thanks to a generous benefactor, we need to raise £20,000 from the public – donations that will be matched by the Swanage Railway Trust.
“A TC ‘push-pull’ train is not only an important part of the history of the Swanage branch line – and the main line from London to Bournemouth and Weymouth – it also offers operational flexibility to the Swanage Railway as it does not require the locomotive to run round the carriages at Swanage or Norden stations. The train could be used on the three-mile line beyond Norden to Furzebrook and the River Frome."
Swanage Railway Trust chair Frank Roberts explained:
“The tireless work of our 4TC Group’s dedicated volunteers in restoring a unique TC ‘push-pull’ train that operated on the main line through south Dorset, from the 1960s to the 1980s, is an important part of the Trust’s work to educate the public through living history.
“With the Swanage Railway Trust having restored a unique Victorian T3 steam locomotive from the 1890s, the restoration of a 1960s TC ‘push-pull’ train will enable the Swanage Railway to tell the fascinating story of the optimistic start and the sad end of the branch line from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage."