Castleman's Corkscrew - last journey 1977

Thank you, David. My early years were spent in Bournemouth, and my Grandmother lived in Ringwood, so we used the railway quite a lot. In summer we had Holiday Runabout Tickets which were valid from Brockenhurst to Swanage and Weymouth including the Lymington branch, so we went to all sorts of interesting places. We got off at Wool at least once and walked to Lulworth Cove, quite a hike for us young lads! All your videos bring back many happy memories. Now retired to Picton, South Island, New Zealand.

These beautiful accounts of now-destroyed railway routes and disfigured country-side are highly emotive, sad and of incalculable historic value. Thank you so much. You mentioned Lady Wimborne. Winston Spencer-Churchill was related to the family, and as a boy or very young man, for a dare, jumped off a bridge, intending to land in, and slither down an adjacent tree. [Described in My Early Life]. He severely injured an arm and ended up in a Coma. Unable to handle sabre, as a result, he acquired a broom-handle Mauser, instead.

Really good film David - what you and other viewers may not be aware of is that this last train over the Corkscrew which I went down to see from Wiltshire was driven by Aubrey Punter formerly of Branksome Shed - it was he with Peter Smith who still hold the record for the heaviest passenger train over the late lamented S&D with the last Pines Express way back in September 1962. Aubrey now lives in retirement in Bournemouth after finishing his railway career on Bournemouth to London electrics from the shed located on the truncated line to Bournemouth West near the viaducts shown in the video.

Wonderful. Such glorious memories of days gone by. The annoying thing is that I could have travelled over this line in my younger days, but never gave it a thought.

Brilliant! Currently exploring the old railways around Broadstone, Corfe Mullen and Verwood using the online 1901 maps! Great to see the old footage as I’m too young to remember

Excellent video. I was born next to Branksome station in 1960, and have stayed in the area all my life. I recognise every location shown. I've even walked on the disused viaduct at Bourne Valley.

Great effort - love particularly the detail about land reclamation in Poole and how that has changed the town so much

Excellent, thank you.

Hard to believe the corkscrew was open as recently as the 1970's...

Dr Beeching was controversial character to say the least, the battle the railways to face were graphicly and prophetically told by the film the Titfield Thunderbolt that is about to enter its 70th anniversary next year! His boss was Ernest Marples MP who was the instigator of the motorways, yellow lines for parking and parking wardens to go with them. I think the account of Mr Marples on Wikipedia says it better than I could ever articulate!. The Beeching Report actually stated that building companies could build on the track beds of closed lines. His report lead to about 4,000 miles of lines closed.

That bridge at Wimborne now gone my hubby kayaks along there it’s not far from where Wimborne market used to be. I believe that a new housing estate has been or is being built there

Great episode. I often cycle the castlemaine corkscrew. One thing I'll add is did you know that the old pedestrian footbridge from Broadstone Station is now located in corfemullen over the road outside of Castle Court school?

Another good video David.

very interesting thank you - having just moved to Poole (after many years as a visitor) it great expore what it used to look like. not necessarily for the better.

I definitely need to go see the lady bridge it’s near the school for tight pants!

great film , thanks from the north

Brilliant

Definitely not a mark2 Capri, they had vinyl roof and no spoiler! Mark 3! X

The line through Breamore and Fordingbridge closed in 1964.

Really informative. Thanks! I'm guessing the disused viaduct on Blandford Road in Hamworthy would have been used for trains coming up from Weymouth onto the castlemain railway?