By Andrew PM Wright
SWANAGE Railway volunteers have marked the 50th anniversary of the last regular British Rail steam trains over the former LSWR branch to Wareham.
On Sunday, September 4, 1966 the final timetabled steam-hauled passenger trains operated on the branch, giving way to a three-car ‘Hampshire’ DEMU the following day.
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The driver of the last timetabled British Rail steam train from Swanage was Bournemouth-based ‘Johnny’ Walker – who, in a strange twist, later had the honour of driving the last train from Swanage in January, 1972.
His locomotive for that last trip was BR Standard 4MT 2-6-0 No. 76010, while his train in 1972 was composed of two grimy ‘Hampshire’ DEMUs.
Read more in Issue 220 of Heritage Railway
