Elsie Tomes (nee Surface) allowed the Swanage Railway Publicity Department and the Museum to interview her. The interview was to recall her school days as a daughter of a clay miner. Elsie died in March 2010.

Elsie lived at Goathorn with her parents. Her father was Fred Surface and her grandfather was William Tubb the manager who lived out at Goathorn Pier. Elsie lived in a group of cottages between the pier and the Newton Clay pits. Her mother had 10 children and Elsie being the second oldest looked after them. Originally there had been a local school, but as the mining was being wound down the school closed and was turned into a church. The children were then expected to walk to Studland School. In 1934 the children had not attended school for over a year as the walk across the heathland was too much for them.  The education authority decided the children should be encouraged to attend and approached the clay company and asked if they would transport the children to Arfleet. (At the time children at Bushey and Norden also had poor attendance records and buses were laid on for them.) The Clay company converted a clay wagon by adding benches and a shed roof. As there was only one window up high, the sliding doors on the front were left open and a chain was placed across the gap to keep the children in by Frank Tubb, the engine driver and uncle to the Surface children (Elsie, June (attending Corfe Senior School), Joyce, Philip and Poppy (attending the Corfe Junior School) Also on the School Train was Pam Richards, another clay workers daughter. They used all meet at the engine shed at Goathorn and then the train would travel non stop to Arfleet where the wagon would be left for the day ready for the return trip. Both Elsie and the School log books recall that they had to leave early before the other school children in order to catch the train. Elsie could not remember why and the school log books did not record why. When the train finished in 1937 the children were told to report to Studland School again. Elsie's mother argued with the authorities until it was arranged for the children to be collected by taxi and taken to Studland every day. Elsie remembers that a Sir Edmund Ball (a banker) used to holiday in one of the disused clay workers cottages. Elsie said that to ice "pretend cakes" they used ball clay after it had rained. Click here to hear the late Elsie talking in 2007 about those times. (of the 3 people you can hear, only Elsie knew what she was talking about!! Photos below show the places Elsie talked about with information that has been gathered since the interview.).

	Goathorn Pier Cottage in which Grandpa and Granny Tubs together with Uncle Frank Tubbs lived. Now owned by Rempston Estate - Mr Ryder.
This picture shows the gate that Uncle Frank (Tubbs) would open when taking a train to Norden. Straight on is the House that Auntie Ethel lived in and the Engine Shed. Behind the viewer is the line to Goathorn Pier.
	Here is a view of Auntie Ethel's House with the Engine Shed along side. The view is looking towards Goathorn Pier. The house contained the old school house that was used up until the early 1930's. The school mistress also lived in the house. The building on the left is the old disused Smithy
This is the row of Cottages in which Elsie lived. All the cottages when work ceased in 1937. The cottages where used for target practice for D-Day landings. Only the foundations remain.
This picture shows William Tubb (Elsie's Grandpa) and Fred Surface(Elisie's Father) priming the water pump to raise water for the steam engine. (Giving it a little before it would give anything back!) In the background are the Clay workers cottages	© Elsie Tomes
	Sailing ships of this size used to call at Goathorn Pier for loading up to 1930's. They would take the clay straight to the destination generally within the English Channel (i.e France, Holland and London) For other destinations the clay would be loaded into barges and taken to Poole quay for loading on larger ships. The destinations would include Italy, Newcastle, Liverpool and even further a field. From 1907 until 1937  clay from Norden was brought across the heath by  train for loading onto ships.
	During Elsie's time at Newton the clay works were disused and Uncle Frank took the engine up to Norden to do most of his work.

Uncle Frank Tubb mentioned above by Elsie died on the footplate on 11^th July 1955.
Here is the Newspaper cutting covering his death. 

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