16th January, 2025
Story and photograph by Andrew P.M. Wright,
Swanage Railway official photographer and press officer.
Dedicated volunteers have launched an appeal to raise £20,000 to complete the restoration of an historic TC carriage that will enable a 1960s British Rail ‘push-pull’ diesel train to run from Swanage to Corfe Castle for the first time since 1971.
The TC ‘push-pull’ diesel trains are an important part of Dorset railway history because they spanned the two decades from the end of main line steam trains between Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and Weymouth in July, 1967, to the start of new electric trains on the route in May, 1988.
Between Bournemouth, Southampton and London Waterloo, the TC carriage sets ran coupled to new electric trains that came into use with the end of steam in July, 1967, and ran until British Rail introduced modern electric trains on the main line in May, 1988.
Pulled or pushed by Class 33 diesel-electric locomotives, the TC carriages operated in sets of three carriages (3TC set) or four carriages (4TC set) - with a driving cab at each end of the set – and ran from London Waterloo to Corfe Castle and Swanage between 1967 and 1969 with a special 4TC carriage set running to Swanage in September, 1971 - three months before the controversial closure of the branch line from Wareham.
The £20,000 appeal is being made by the Swanage Railway Trust’s 4TC Group – formed in 2017 - so it can restore a third TC carriage, Driving Trailer Second Open No. 76275 which used to run in British Rail 4TC carriage set No. 404.
Two other TC carriages are currently being restored by the 4TC Group - Driving Trailer Second Open No. 76322 and Trailer Brake Second Corridor No 70824 - with the aim of operating a 3TC ‘push-pull’ train on the Swanage Railway by early 2026.
Swanage Railway volunteer diesel locomotive driver and 4TC Group member 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 of which the 4TC Group is a part.
“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.
“Many people aged between 45 and 70 will remember British Rail’s TC ‘push-pull’ trains in their blue and grey livery reliably running up and down the main line from Bournemouth to Dorchester and Weymouth,” added Dan who lives in Wareham and is a director of the Swanage Railway Trust which is a registered charity.
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,” added Frank who has been a dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer for more than 40 years.
It was in 1966 that the TC ‘push-pull’ carriage sets were converted from 1950s British Railways Mark One carriages at British Rail’s York carriage works.
The interiors of the carriages were refurbished with grey and blue coloured laminate panelling replacing wood, improved lighting, electric heating and new seating fabric in a blue and green check pattern that became known as ‘Bournemouth Blue’.
The last TC ‘push-pull’ train to run to Corfe Castle and Swanage was in September, 1971, when the Poole Grammar School Railway Society ran its ‘Dorset Venturer’ rail tour around the county. 4TC carriage set No. 403 was pushed, or pulled, by Class 33 diesel-electric locomotive No. 33 111 which is based on the Swanage Railway.
Donations for the restoration of Driving Trailer Second Open No. 76275 can be made via the 4TC Group’s website at www.4tcgroup.co.uk.
The Swanage Railway welcomes new volunteers and anyone interested in finding out more should contact the Swanage Railway volunteer recruitment and retention officer Lisa Gravett on 01929 475212 or email iwanttovolunteer@swanagerailway.co.uk. Details about volunteering can also be found at swanagerailwaytrust.org/volunteering.