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The volunteers who make up the lineside clearance team on the Swanage Railway are known as "Wayne's Gang" after the founder of the group, Wayne Masters, who today still leads the group, now about ten strong. We meet most Sundays throughout the year and whilst much of the work is quite physical, we do have ladies in the group too. Over the Autumn, Winter and Spring seasons, we are mostly involved in cutting back the undergrowth beside the length of the Swanage Railway, currently around six miles. We don't do that all at once though! There are specific target areas which, following the closure of the line in the early 1970's, have received little attention and which, until tackled by Wayne's Gang, had became heavily overgrown. Safety is of paramount importance and because of this, lines of sight for locomotive crew, users of crossings and railway boundaries take priority over general views for tourists! Don't worry though, because most of the heavy lineside clearance is complete and general growth is now controlled by mechanical flail which visits regularly, from the train you get a superb view of the Isle of Purbeck all the way along the line! When we're cutting back, the group is usually based at a lineside hut or we use a railway vehicle such as a parcels van. There is always a cosy fire at base and once enough material has been cut back we start a bonfire, partly to burn up the waste but often to keep warm too! Whilst we're working we get to see a great deal of the Purbeck wildlife and, of course, the trains themselves as they run up and down the line. The Summer months mean that lineside clearance has to be put to one side, partly because of fire risk but also because it's a time when the local wildlife is most active. It's then when we get involved with a great variety of other activities on the Swanage Railway. Like all voluntary organisations, physical numbers of helpers can be a key issue to the progress of a project. Wayne's Gang is often then utilised by the Railway when a short sharp burst of activity is needed when a key project has to be completed to a tight schedule. Over recent summers we've been assisting with the Purbeck Mineral Mining Museum construction at Norden Park and Ride and in 2008 with the building of the new signal box at Corfe Castle.
As well as work at Harmans Cross, we've helped with the platform extension at Corfe Castle and with the track refurbishment and re-laying project in the line extension for "Project Wareham". Because of the variety of work which Wayne's Gang does, we all get a range of interesting jobs some of which means we acquire new skills which are invaluable not only on the Railway but at home too! Most of us can now build foundations, walls, lay Purbeck stone facings and even slate roofs - all very handy DIY skills!
If you'd like more information or would like to join us, use this link to e-mail us with your contact details or go to the volunteer information section on the Swanage Railway web site. |
WAYNE'S GANG
- INTRODUCTION 
