Swanage Travel Interchange

.... or, in plainer English, Swanage's railway station and bus stop.

The original station building dates from 1885, it was extended eastwards (i e to the right in this photo) in the same style in 1937 to provide more facilities for the travelling public.  Click here for a view of the platform.

The branch line from Wareham to Swanage was opened by London & South Western Railway in 1885.  Its closure by British Rail was in 1972. This year this heritage railway line will at last run a regular service between the two towns again.  

Substantial works are currently under way to Wareham railway station; presumably these are to revive its third platform, which served the branch line.  [Added on 17th January: it is unclear exactly what work is under way there, but they are going to have to lay a new track to the platform.]

The area in the foreground of the photo was formerly the easternmost section of the station's substantial goods yard.  One of the railway lines in the goods yard was extended as a tramway running in a narrow alley (now known as Commercial Road) behind Station Road to a stone store near the waterfront.