The Swanage Belle

A unique experience awaits those who join this day trip by steam train to Swanage. It uses the re-opened rail link from Wareham to the ‘Heritage’ Swanage Railway, which is available only to specially chartered trains. Swanage is a superb seaside destination where the railway station is situated close to the town centre. The train will be hauled by Jubilee class locomotive No.45596 Bahamas.

We leave London Victoria station at around 08:45, hauled by our steam locomotive, and cross the river Thames at Battersea and at Barnes. We pass through Feltham and stop at Staines to pick up more passengers and then re-cross the river Thames. We join the South Western Main Line at Byfleet Junction and stop at Woking to pick up further passengers. At Winchfield, we stop for our steam locomotive to take on water. Our final stop to pick up passengers is at Basingstoke.

We leave the West of England Main Line at Worting Junction and head through Winchester and Southampton to Bournemouth. We pass through Poole, where there are spectacular views of Poole Harbour, and continue to Wareham. We leave the Weymouth Line at Worgret Junction and take the re-opened link to Norden and the Swanage Railway. There are magnificent views of Corfe Castle as we head towards Swanage along this attractive Heritage Railway. There will be around three hours for passengers to explore the pleasant seaside resort of Swanage, with its sandy beach and Victorian pier. Durlston Castle is in Durlston Country Park & Nature Reserve from where there are stupendous views along the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Park contains Anvil Point Lighthouse, the 40-ton stone Great Globe, fascinating artefacts from London, and an amazing diversity of wildlife. The Park is one mile from the town and can be reached by bus from the railway station or by walking via public footpaths.

Our train leaves Swanage for the return journey at around 16:40 and is diesel hauled to Southampton where steam locomotive No.45596 Bahamas takes over. We then take a different route from the outward journey, via Romsey to the outskirts of Salisbury where we join the West of England Main Line at Laverstock North Junction. We travel up the main line through Andover and then stop at Basingstoke, Woking, and Staines, to set down passengers. The train is due to arrive in London Victoria around 22:20.

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