A unique Victorian book of land surveyors drawings has revealed how the branch line from Wareham to Swanage was built.

This book has been donated to the Swanage Railway Trust from the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.

The book, entitled, ‘Terrier of the Swanage Railway’ shows how the land was changed by the railway when it was built.

Terrier is an old English term for a register or survey of the land.

Excluding the rails, the railway cost £76,646 to build, almost £8m in today’s money.

The completed single-track branch line opened to traffic in May 1885.

What did the officials say?

Gavin Johns, chairman of the Swanage Railway Trust, said:

“We are very grateful to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway for its very kind and significant gift which is a great visual record – a thrilling and startling time capsule that takes you back to the early 1880s to see the route of the branch line through the Isle of Purbeck before and after.

“The book details the land that had to be purchased so the Swanage branch line could be built – from whom, at what cost and under what terms – thanks to the construction of cuttings, embankments, bridges and farm crossings,”

Roger Silsbury, manager of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s Heritage & Learning Department, said:

“I was delighted to hand over a document of such fundamental interest to the Swanage Railway museum because the book is now in its rightful home.

“I am delighted at the close co-operation between our two volunteer-run heritage railways and I hope that this will continue for many years to come. The book had been previously donated to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway,”

Chris Morgan, the Swanage Railway Trust’s museums manager, said:

“The kind donation of such a unique and remarkable book – showing how the building of the railway changed the landscape in the 1880s – is an exciting and important addition to the Swanage Railway Museum’s collection.

“The book of detailed and annotated contemporary drawings dating from between 1883 and 1885 is an invaluable resource for people exploring the history of the Swanage branch line and the wider story of the Isle of Purbeck.

“The book will be catalogued, documented and safeguarded for future generations by the museum team at Corfe Castle station,”

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