A signing ceremony and first official meeting took place at Corfe Castle on Friday 24 October, marking a new era of collaboration between Network Rail’s Wessex Route and the Swanage Railway.

The agreement will enable the Swanage Railway to receive donations of redundant railway assets from Network Rail’s Wessex Route, including materials such as rail and sleepers that are no longer required on the mainline network. These items, which would otherwise be recycled elsewhere, will now be repurposed safely on the heritage line, helping to preserve and maintain passenger services for years to come.

In addition, the partnership provides opportunities for hands-on training and skills development. Network Rail will use the Swanage Railway’s facilities to deliver practical coaching for employees and apprentices, focusing on maintenance, inspection, and fault-finding across a range of railway assets. Swanage Railway will also benefit from in-kind expertise and volunteer support from Network Rail staff.

Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex route director, said: “Wherever we can, we will work with heritage railways across our network to forge a new partnership so that materials that would otherwise be recycled elsewhere to be re-used can find a new purpose. In turn, the Swanage Railway also has some excellent facilities which, because they are separate from the mainline network, provide the perfect opportunity for our colleagues to contribute to the local community. Working together through this ‘Route Agreement’ provides a clear framework and we are excited about the possibilities it brings, not only to Network Rail and the Swanage Railway, but wider society – and what better time to do it than in 2025, the bicentenary of the railway.”

Frank Roberts, Swanage Railway Trust trustee, said: "It has been a real pleasure to work with our Network Rail colleagues over the past months and I am very grateful for the guidance received from them. A decade ago, I led the project to reconnect the track from Swanage with the South West Main Line at Wareham which was successfully achieved and the signing of this Framework Agreement with Network Rail will help us strengthen our working arrangements. It is almost 50 years since volunteers started the restoration of the Swanage branch line. We have recently delivered an internal Governance Review which will streamline the Swanage Railway organisation just as Network Rail moves forward towards the new Great British Railways. The signing of this Agreement Framework is indeed a milestone in history and will provide both organisations with a good foundation on which to build for the future,” added Frank, who has been a dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer for more than 40 years.

Image: Network Rail