Having read the FAQs etc and (hopefully) digested, 'ere's my first report since joining this awesome forum yesterday...
Now the weather has improved a touch, I thought I'd go for an outsidey wander so I headed down to Norden, just outside Corfe Castle, to go check out somewhere I've been meaning to explore for a while: The end of the Swanage - Corfe railway line and the place, it seems, where all the heavy stuff with big wheels goes to die.
A li'l bit o' history...
*Disclaimer - I'm not a spotter, this is ripped straight off of tinterweb!*
The Corfe to Swanage Railway line follows the route of the former London and South Western Railway line from Wareham to Swanage, a line that opened in 1885 and was finally closed by British Rail in 1972. From the time of closure, a strong campaign to reopen the railway as a steam locomotive operated heritage railway developed, and the Swanage Railway began operating a steam service at the Swanage end of the line in 1982. As the line was progressively extended northwards towards Corfe Castle, concerns grew that terminating the line there would make existing parking problems in the picturesque village worse. It was therefore decided to extend the line the further half a mile to Norden, and build a Park and Ride site there (1995).
...With Norden being the end of the line, literally, just beyond this did seem the most logical place to leave all their old rolling stock and everything else. Fortunately that was bang on the money. So here goes with the report.
As I headed down the old track, in the distance I could see all the old carraiges etc on the siding - but way before I got there the exploring had begun - there were shacks, chacons, a toilet block, an old box van (!!) and all sorts of other interesting 'distractions' lining the banks of the main line. They had all been sat there for quite some time and not used for just as long, it seems.
Loved this old box van with a garden inside it. Even had a gate at the front.
Inside the van/greenhouse.
Inside the worker's shack - newspapers from March 2013. Liking the re-use of the benches!
The main event...
Must've been at least 15 or so carraiges, all in this sort of state of repair. Lots of rotten (and v. slippy) wood, rusty old iron, but still proper cool.
They lied. There wasn't. And it didn't. I checked.
Great to see nature taking something back.
For me, the best and most interesting bit of the explore - getting up and into the carraiges.
Great place to be when it chucked it down mid adventure.
Hardly any graffiti at the site at all, apart from this, but when its this awesome you don't mind
Go on, I defy you not to look at it again, marvel at this pinacle of eloquence, and not smile just a li'l bit.....
End of report. Cheers all.
Now the weather has improved a touch, I thought I'd go for an outsidey wander so I headed down to Norden, just outside Corfe Castle, to go check out somewhere I've been meaning to explore for a while: The end of the Swanage - Corfe railway line and the place, it seems, where all the heavy stuff with big wheels goes to die.
A li'l bit o' history...
*Disclaimer - I'm not a spotter, this is ripped straight off of tinterweb!*
The Corfe to Swanage Railway line follows the route of the former London and South Western Railway line from Wareham to Swanage, a line that opened in 1885 and was finally closed by British Rail in 1972. From the time of closure, a strong campaign to reopen the railway as a steam locomotive operated heritage railway developed, and the Swanage Railway began operating a steam service at the Swanage end of the line in 1982. As the line was progressively extended northwards towards Corfe Castle, concerns grew that terminating the line there would make existing parking problems in the picturesque village worse. It was therefore decided to extend the line the further half a mile to Norden, and build a Park and Ride site there (1995).
...With Norden being the end of the line, literally, just beyond this did seem the most logical place to leave all their old rolling stock and everything else. Fortunately that was bang on the money. So here goes with the report.
As I headed down the old track, in the distance I could see all the old carraiges etc on the siding - but way before I got there the exploring had begun - there were shacks, chacons, a toilet block, an old box van (!!) and all sorts of other interesting 'distractions' lining the banks of the main line. They had all been sat there for quite some time and not used for just as long, it seems.
Loved this old box van with a garden inside it. Even had a gate at the front.
Inside the van/greenhouse.
Inside the worker's shack - newspapers from March 2013. Liking the re-use of the benches!
The main event...
Must've been at least 15 or so carraiges, all in this sort of state of repair. Lots of rotten (and v. slippy) wood, rusty old iron, but still proper cool.
They lied. There wasn't. And it didn't. I checked.
Great to see nature taking something back.
For me, the best and most interesting bit of the explore - getting up and into the carraiges.
Great place to be when it chucked it down mid adventure.
Hardly any graffiti at the site at all, apart from this, but when its this awesome you don't mind
Go on, I defy you not to look at it again, marvel at this pinacle of eloquence, and not smile just a li'l bit.....End of report. Cheers all.
