Ever dreamt about riding on a Victorian steam train along a particularly scenic bit of British coastline? Of course you have. Well, we have fabulous news. A legendary steam train has returned to the English seaside town of Swanage in Dorset – and you can ride it.
The train in question is the 1893 London and South Western Railway T3 class No. 563 (quite the title, eh?) and it’s seeing action for the first time in 75 years. The route sees it run from Swanage station, through the beautiful Purbeck countryside and past the ruins of Corfe Castle.
The return of No. 563 was, naturally, a big deal for the Swanage Railway. Donated to the Swanage Railway Trust by the National Railway Museum in 2017, it has been the subject of a six-year, £650,000 restoration. With its 81-tonne engine preserved and polished and its carriages painted a new coat of green, the steam train is ready to start chugging along.
Things haven’t always been so rosy for the No. 563, though. Initially slated to be scrapped way back in 1939, it then escaped the scrapyard a second time in 1948.
Andrew Coulls from the National Railway Museum said: ‘We are thrilled to see the T3 returning to steam for the first time in 75 years and now being able to offer passengers the unique experience of riding behind the Victorian locomotive through the Purbeck countryside.’
Tickets cost £30 for adults and £15 for children from ages five to fifteen, with the Pullman observation car (plus a bottle of prosecco!) costing £39. You can book a ride on the Swanage steam express online here.
Steam-powered journalism at Time Out
Here at Time Out, we bring you the latest coverage on new train fleets, rejuvenated train stations and train strikes in the city. But deep inside, we truly just love trains, new and old. Recently, we’ve covered this 1940s steam train coming to London for the festive season, the cancellation of the real-life Hogwarts Express and a rundown on the best train journeys in the UK.
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