Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum
A view from the entrance of the museum
The Purbeck Mineral Mining Museum is located in the Park and Ride Car park at Norden Railway Station (Swanage Railway).
History
The History of the Mineral Mining in the Isle of Purbeck can be traced right back to the Bronze age! Mining in the Isle of Purbeck didn’t cease until the 1970s! Although some Minerals are still being mined in smaller amounts today!
Some of the Minerals mined here include the following… Chalk, Ball Clay, Brick Clay, Clay (Other), Kimmeridge Shale, Oil, Portland Stone and Purbeck Stone!
Transportation
Several narrow gauge railways were built to ship mainly Ball clay around.
Middlebere Plateway
The first was a Horse drawn tramway called the Middlebere built in the 19th century, it was also the first railway in Dorset.
Fayles Tramway
This Tramway fell out of use around 1907 and a link from Norden to Newton was built, track being laid to 3ft 6″ gauge. This line started from the end of the old Middlebere Plateway, and had two branches off the central line. One of these went South to the works, the Transshipment building of which has been moved to Norden as seen in the picture… The other branched off to the North to Newton.
The branch leading to the works crossed over what is now the Swanage Railway and the Bridge still exists, the train passes under it just outside Norden Station.
There were two steam locomotives used on the line, the first a small 0-4-0T originally named Corfe later named Tiny built by Stephen Lewin of Poole in 1870. The other was a slightly larger 0-4-0ST built by Manning Wardle.
In 1948 the line was Re-Gauged to 1ft 11, 1/2″ (More commonly known as 2ft gauge)! One steam loco and several internal combustion engined locos were brought for use on the line! The steam loco is a rather famous one, 2-6-2T Russell now resident at the Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog). She looked rather different compared to what she does now. Latterly on the line she ran as an 0-6-2T as the leading Pony Truck didn’t like the poor track conditions!
One of the diesels that operated on the line was in 2003 converted to a steam loco by Jim Haylock at the Moors Valley Railway, the loco is now named Emmet!
The Furzebrook Railway (Pikes Tramway)
This line was built in 1840 to 2ft 8, 1/2″ gauge. It was built Furzebrook to a Wharf on the River Frome. Originally gravity operated and hauled back by Horses. Latterly the line was operated by Steam locomotives! The most famous of which was an 0-6-0T Named Secundus which has new been cosmetically overhauled at Herston Works and is now on display at Corfe Castle Station Museum! This line became defunct in 1957!
Today – The Museum
The Museum as mentioned Earlier is next to Norden Station. The old Transshipment building has been rebuilt here after being moved from it’s old site at the Works. There is a demonstration Narrow gauge railway being built on the original track-bed and a replica Mine! Locomotives on the Narrow gauge line total only one at the moment, a Ruston Diesel. There are several items of rolling stock in use and on display.
At the moment the Museum doesn’t open regularly to the public, but some tours I believe are available on request. See Website for more details! http://www.pmmmg.org/index.html
GALLERY
