Swanage Magnets

Swanage Bay Number of views as of 10th December 2017 = 500. The town of Swanage (Dorset, England) was originally a small port and fishing village. It flourished in Victorian times, first as a port for the shipping of much sought-after Purbeck stone, and later as a popular seaside resort, which it still is today. The railway came to town in 1885, and although the branch line was axed by Beeching in 1972, local enthusiasts formed the Swanage Railway Company which still runs between Swanage and Norden (near Corfe Castle) and may soon be reconnected with the main London to Weymouth line at Wareham. Date: 30th December 2014.

Swanage Pier & Ballard Down Number of views as of 28th April 2018 = 310. Looking across Swanage Bay (Dorset, England) past the pier to Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks on Dorset's Jurassic Coast. Date: 30th December 2014.

Swanage Vista A view across Swanage Bay (Dorset, England) to Ballard Down, with The Pinnacles and Old Harry Rocks top right. Date: 25th June 2017.

Ballard Down from Swanage Number of views as of 22nd May 2019 = 2010. A view of Ballard Down taken from a small breakwater on Swanage beach (Dorset, England). Date: 28th December 2011.

The view of Swanage in South East Dorset from Ballard Down on a clear Summers day.

The views looking out from Swanage Bay in Dorset

Sunrise over Swanage Bay in Dorset, England

Stunning sunset over the Purbeck Hills and Dorset seaside town of Swanage, England

Picturesque setting of a Bench surrounded by trees, overlooking Swanage Bay in Dorset, England.

Swanage Beach & Ballard Down, January 2023 Unfortunately we can't seem to get two sunny days in a row at the moment, so you have to get out there while you can! Date: 2nd January 2023.

A Little Piece of London Number of views as of 9th May 2018 = 425. This Clock Tower was designed as a memorial to the Duke of Wellington and was built in 1854 at the southern approach to London Bridge. After becoming something of a 'traffic hazard', it was removed and re-erected on its present site in Swanage, Dorset in 1867/68 by local entrepreneurs John Mowlem and his nephew George Burt. Mowlem's business was importing stone into the city of London from around the country, including Purbeck limestone transported by boat from Swanage. Around the same time, various relics and monuments (including the clock tower) were brought from London to Swanage, supposedly used as ballast for the empty vessels which transported the Purbeck stone to ...

The pier at Swanage in Dorset

Sunset over Swanage Bay, Dorset

Swanage is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. Ballard Point and Old Harry Rocks are in the distance.

Stanier 8F at Swanage The 8F class, 2-8-0, heavy freight steam locomotive, was originally designed by William Stanier for the London, Midland and Scottish (LMS) railway company. Over 800 of these engines were built between 1935 and 1946. Locomotive number 48624, seen here in black British Railways livery, visiting Swanage station in Dorset, England, was built in 1943 for the Southern Railway at the Ashford works in Kent. It is currently one of only two operational 8Fs running in the UK. Date: 16th October 2016. Click here to view my trains, trams and horse-drawn vehicles collection.

Sea View, Swanage Number of views as of 8th October 2018 = 5350. Offering amazing views across Swanage Bay, this apartment complex would look more at home in the Mediterranean rather than amongst the primarily Victorian buildings in the seaside town of Swanage (Dorset, England). Click here to see the view from behind the apartments. Date: 24th April 2010.

Verandah with a view, Swanage, January 2023 Part of the promenade along Swanage North Beach (Dorset, England) is covered by this rather fine-looking verandah. The view is perfect but you'll need to provide your own rocking chair and banjo! Date: 2nd January 2023.

Vintage travel poster. Image has been enhanced and colors restored. The original image has passed into public domain.

Flying Scotsman, Swanage Railway, March 2019 The Flying Scotsman, undoubtedly one of the most iconic of British steam locomotives, hauls a rake of passenger coaches through the beautiful Isle of Purbeck countryside, near Woody Hyde camp site, between Corfe Castle and Harman's Cross, during a visit to Dorset in March 2019. Following a £4.2 million restoration project in 2016, the locomotive is now resplendent in dark green British Railways livery and is numbered 60103. Of course, in its heyday, the Scotsman would never have been seen operating on a somewhat 'out of the way' Dorset branch line. In 1934, then operated by the London and North Eastern Railway company (LNER), the Flying Scotsman became the first locomotive in the UK to officia...

BR Standard Class 4, Swanage Railway, March 2019 An ex-British Railways Standard Class 4, 2-6-4 tank engine on the Swanage Railway (Dorset, England) steaming up the incline from Corfe Castle, next stop Harman's Cross. This locomotive is believed to have been renumbered from 80104 to 80126, and was built in Brighton in the mid-1950s. Date: 24th March 2019.

*Albert Memorial, Swanage, February 2022* This Purbeck stone obelisk in Swanage (Dorset, England) is a memorial to Prince Albert (consort to Queen Victoria) who died in 1861. Originally built the year after Albert's death, the obelisk was dismantled in 1971, but rebuilt 50 years later in 2021. The memorial stands overlooking Swanage Bay. Date: 27th February 2022.

National Coastwatch Station, Swanage, February 2022 The voluntary manned National Coastwatch Institution coastal lookout station at Peveril Point, Swanage (Dorset, England). Date: 27th February 2022.

Ex Southern Railway 2-6-0 U Class arriving at Corfe Castle en route to Norden on the Swanage Railway (Dorset, England), 17th March 2024.

CORFE CASTLE - Village, Dorset, England. Sunrise first rays of light view from the castle ruins.

CORFE CASTLE - Village, Dorset, England. Sunrise first rays of light view from the castle ruins. English flag in the background.

CORFE CASTLE - Ruins, Dorset, England. Sunrise first rays of light on the castle ruins.

The Pinnacles and Peveril Point Number of views as of 27th November 2016 = 540. This shot, looking south across Swanage Bay to Peveril Point shows the southern most of the two Pinnacles, two chalk formations on Dorset's 'Jurassic' coast (southern England). The Pinnacles have been gradually eroded by the sea to form caves, then rock arches, which have subsequently collapsed leaving the stacks/stumps we see today. The Jurassic Coast stretches 96 miles from Handfast Point near Studland, down to Exmouth in Devon, and comprises Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous rock formations spanning approximately 185 million years of the Earth's history. Date: 29th December 2013.

Anvil Point Lighthouse Number of views as of 30th April 2016 = 400. The lighthouse at Anvil Point, on the Purbeck coast, near Swanage (Dorset, England) was built of local stone and completed in 1881. Just 12 metres tall and 45 metres above sea level, the 1000 watt lamp emits a white flash of 500,000 Candela every 10 seconds and has a range of 24 nautical miles. Fully automated in 1991, the lighthouse is controlled from the Trinity House operations centre in Harwich, 200 miles away. Date: 28th December 2011. Click here to see more shots of Dorset's stunning 'Jurassic Coast'.

National Treasure, March 2019 The legendary steam locomotive, the 'Flying Scotsman' arriving at Corfe Castle station on a rare visit to Swanage Railway, Dorset, England. Following a £4.2 million restoration project in 2016, the locomotive is now resplendent in dark green British Railways livery and is numbered 60103. In 1934, then operated by the London and North Eastern Railway company (LNER), the Flying Scotsman became the first locomotive in the UK to officially reach a speed of over 100 miles per hour, and is probably the most famous steam locomotive in the world ever. The Flying Scotsman was originally built in the LNER's Doncaster works in 1923. Date: 24th March 2019.

Tilly Whim Caves are quarries that were worked mainly during the 18th century for Purbeck stone. In 1887, the caves were opened as a tourist attraction, but in 1976 they were closed completely for safety reasons (rock falls). 24th February 2024.

Old Harry Number of views as of 22nd April 2019 = 1330. Old Harry Rocks are situated on the Dorset coast between Studland and Swanage. They mark the eastern end of the "Jurassic Coast" World Heritage Site, stretching from here to East Devon, demonstrating a rich geological history going back 185 million years. The chalk stack on the right is I believe Old Harry himself, though there does seem to be some disagreement about this. The name 'Old Harry' may be a synonym for the devil, or it could be that the rocks were named after a famous Poole pirate, Harry Paye, who used to store his contraband nearby. There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that the rocks take their name from English football manager Harry Redknapp, a resident of nearb...

Durlston Castle, Dorset, June 2022 Located on Dorset's 'Jurassic Coast', Durlston Castle is not a fortress exactly. It was built in the 1880s entirely from the local Purbeck stone, quarried from the estate on which it is built. Local stonemasons, builders, quarrymen and business partners, John Mowlem and George Burt wanted to give back something to the local community, and Durlston Castle and Country Park was the result. The castle was built as a restaurant for visitors to the estate. In the 1890s, the roof of the building was used by a team of Marconi's engineers for some of their early wireless experiments, transmitting to the Isle of Wight. The estate is a great place for observing sea birds, and even occasional aquatic mammals. Date:...

The Anvil Point lighthouse is a fully-automated facility near Durlston Country Park, Swanage, on the Isle of Purbeck (Dorset, England). Facing south onto the English Channel, the light is 45m above high water & the tower is 12m high. 24th February 2024.

Ex GWR Pannier Tank Loco No: 6412 One from the archives - an ex Great Western Railway 0-6-0 Pannier Tank locomotive, number 6412, working on the Swanage Railway (Dorset, England). Date: 29th July 2005.

The Great Globe, Durlston Head, June 2022 The Great Globe at Durlston Head (near Swanage, Dorset, England) is one of the largest stone spheres in the world. It measures 3 metres in diameter, weighs about 40 tonnes and is made from Portland stone. It was made in Greenwich, London in 1887 and was transported to Durlston by sea. Date: 25th June 2022.

Peveril Point Number of views as of 3rd July 2018 = 420. Peveril Point (Swanage, Dorset, England) is a shale and limestone promontory that forms the southern arm of Swanage Bay. A National Coastwatch lookout station is situated on the point, just above the remains of a second world war gun emplacement. The cliffs visible on the horizon (top right) are the Needles on the Isle of Wight. Date: 30th December 2014.