RCTS Britain’s leading Railway Society
The RCTS: then and now
IN early September I travelled by train from Horsham to Swanage, changing at Southampton andWareham.That does not appear to be a particularly momentous journey, but for 45 years it was not possible to travel from Wareham to Swanage by train.
The Swanage branch was well used by both freight and passenger traffic, especially in summer with regard to the latter, so the line was not included in the infamous Beeching Report of 1963. However, after a later review of unprofitable branch lines, it was announced in May 1967 that the Swanage branch would be closed to passenger traffic by September 1968. This did not go to plan though, as there was opposition revolving around perceived problems regarding the introduction of a replacement bus service, but the line eventually closed in January 1972.