18th April, 2025
Story and photographs by Andrew P.M. Wright,
Swanage Railway official photographer and press officer.
A Victorian railway bridge carrying a little used part of the Swanage Railway has been repaired by specialist contractors after being damaged in a vehicle strike – work that took place thanks to a five-day road closure permitted by Dorset Council.
The 1884 brick and iron girder over-bridge between Worgret Junction and Furzebrook was damaged when it was struck by a vehicle in August, 2024, with the incident being reported to Dorset Police.
The historic bridge spanning the Grange Road – which links Stoborough with Creech - was built in 1884 and carried its first passenger train with the opening of the branch line from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage in May, 1885.
Volunteer Swanage Railway Company chair Gavin Johns said: “We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to road users and thank them for their patience which was very much appreciated while we carried out the repairs to the Victorian Grange Road bridge.
“The bridge repair work was scheduled so the five-day road closure took place during early April - and not during the Easter period towards the end of April – to minimise any inconvenience.
“Arranging and scheduling the repairs to the Grange Road bridge has been detailed and protracted because of the need to liaise with insurance companies, bridge experts and repair contractors after the bridge was struck by a vehicle in August, 2024, with the incident being reported to Dorset Police.
“We used specialist contractors to repair the iron girder and brick Grange Road bridge which was built in 1884 and carried its first passenger train with the opening of the branch line from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage in May, 1885,” explained Gavin who is also a volunteer signalman on the award-winning Isle of Purbeck heritage line.
Until mid-April, 2025, Swanage Railway track maintenance trains and special event passenger trains have been unable to run over the Grange Road bridge to the River Frome – the River Frome being half a mile short of the Worgret Junction with the London to Weymouth main line - since August, 2024.
Costing £90,000, the Grange Road bridge repairs were complete by mid-April, 2025, enabling Swanage Railway engineering trains, special event trains – and trains running on to the Swanage Railway from the main line at Worgret Junction – to again cross the bridge.
The Swanage Railway will be applying to the Dorset Council highway authority for a road closure in the autumn of 2025 so the metal girders and hand rails of the Grange Road bridge can be cleaned and repainted.
The last British Rail passenger train from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham ran over the Grange Road bridge on the night of Saturday, 1 January, 1972.
The bridge carried the last ball clay train from Furzebrook to the main line in 1992 and the last Wytch Farm gas train from Furzebrook to the main line in 2005.
In 2014, the Swanage Railway took over the three-mile section of track from half a mile east of Furzebrook to a quarter of a mile short of the Worgret Junction with the main London to Weymouth line from Network Rail.
Anyone interested in finding out more about volunteering 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.