Dorset road set for 5-day closure to allow for railway bridge repairs

As the start of the Easter holidays begins next week, a 130-metre section of road on the Isle of Purbeck[1] will be closed for 5 days to allow repairs to take place to the Victorian railway bridge. The historic brick and iron girder structure on the little-used section of the Swanage Railway[2] between Worgret Junction and Norden[3] is set to receive a GBP90,000 restoration so it can continue its use in carrying engineering and visiting trains that come into the Swanage Railway from off the national rail network.

Grange Road bridge March 2025 // Credit: ANDREW PM WRIGHT

Built in 1884 Grange Road bridge carried its first trains in the summer of 1885 when the line from Wareham[4] to Swanage opened. The bridge was damaged in August 2024, when it was struck by an over height vehicle, which has since meant that trains can not access the heritage railway from off the main line, and the Swanage Railway can not run special services from Norden to the River Frome which is the limit of operation of the heritage line, half a mile short of Worgret Junction.

Grange Road bridge from track level in March 2025 // Credit: ANDREW PM WRIGHT

The closure of Grange Road linking Stoborough with Creech was approved by the Dorset[5] Council highway authority and is due to take effect from next Monday April 5.

Diversion signs will be in place during the time of the road closure, with traffic being diverted via the Stoborough end of the Wareham bypass, Corfe Castle, Church Knowle and Steeple, with the same route being followed in reverse order by those heading in the opposite direction. The repairs are to be done in stages this being the first stage which will hopefully be complete by the end of April which will see the Swanage Railway run engineering and special service trains up to the River Frome once more, and allow incoming charters to visit from off the main line[6]. The railway is also trying to get permission from the same highway authority to close the same road again for a short period in the autumn so they can clean up and repaint the handrails and metal girders.

Gavin Johns at Grange Road bridge // Credit: ANDREW PM WRIGHT

"We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to road users and thank them for their patience which is very much appreciated while we carry out the repairs to the Grange Road bridge.

The bridge repair work has been scheduled so the week-long road closure takes place during the second week of April - and not during the Easter period at the end of April - to minimise any inconvenience.

Arranging and scheduling the repairs to the Grange Road bridge has been detailed and protracted because of the need to liaise with insurance companies, bridge experts and contractors after the bridge was struck by a vehicle in August, 2024, with the incident being reported to Dorset Police.

We are using specialist contractors to repair the iron girder and brick Grange Road bridge which was built in 1884 and carried its first passenger train with the opening of the branch line from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage in May, 1885," explained Gavin who is also a volunteer signalman on the award-winning Isle of Purbeck heritage line.

Volunteer Swanage Railway Company chair Gavin Johns

References

1. ^ Posts tagged with Isle of Purbeck (www.railadvent.co.uk)
2. ^ Posts tagged with Swanage Railway (www.railadvent.co.uk)
3. ^ Posts tagged with Norden (www.railadvent.co.uk)
4. ^ Posts tagged with Wareham (www.railadvent.co.uk)
5. ^ Posts tagged with Dorset (www.railadvent.co.uk)
6. ^ and allow incoming charters to visit from off the main line (www.railadvent.co.uk)