It seems a long time since the Purbeck Mineral & Mining Museum Project Group received full planning permission on Thursday 29th January 2004, to develop the museum on the Norden Park and Ride site.  Since that time it is amazing how much has been achieved by the small band of volunteers in that time. The Planning Board of Purbeck District Council had voted unanimously for approval and now the result of their decision is being appreciated by visitors to Purbeck and residents. There is still an significant amount of work to complete before the museum can open fully. 

The group has also been given the opportunity to display the Furzebrook Railway locomotive Secundus, the engine a Bellis and Seeking 0-6-0WT of 1885 from the Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry. This is conditional on the group continuing to provide secure and dry storage, and on 22nd January 2004 Secundus was transported from Birmingham back to Purbeck its home, and is now displayed in the Corfe Goods Shed Museum until suitable accommodation can be provided at Norden. See (SR report 1) and (SR report 2)

The group undertook regular working parties to complete the foundations, drainage and utilities alongside the bank on the north side of Norden Station. The group have relocated the redundant ECC Norden No 7 mine (drift type) complete with original winch gear and a rake of underground tubs, from its original position on the west of the A351 behind Norden Farm. The sides of the ramp have been fully lined with timber allowing the visitor to obtain the false impression that they are going underground. Steelwork has been altered to create a safe public viewing area of the winching operations. Track laying in the vicinity of the Mine building has been completed and tramwayed in. This is a central focus for the Mineral Museum.  It will also be the entrance to the "Underground Experience". 

                           
The mine building and the track.  9th June 2009.   © John Rowley                          The team building a false roof to the tunnel    © A.P.M.Wright                                       

Purbeck Mineral and Mining Museum Group (PMMMG) received a grant from Dorset-based Chalk & Cheese rural re-generation fund towards the building of the mine and this has enabled the group to bring in outside help to assist and to purchase the expensive wood cladding. 

On a cold January night the building played host to around 70 people who attended Dorset County Council's Chalk & Cheese meeting. © A.P.M.Wright  

Work has completed on extending the ramp down "underground" and on 1st July 2010 construction of the replica mine began as the clay dried out. Andrews Plant hire have used their experience to efficiently dig out the tunnel floor and supplied the equipment to do so free of charge.

 
The team inside the beginnings of the tunnel 1st August 2010  © A.P.M.Wright

We have completed a long section of the mine showing several styles of construction. In November 2010 the wet weather made the completion of the mine impossible that year.

The autumn sun reflects on the newly constructed tunnel 15th November 2010 © B.Langdown

The "Railway at Work" weekend 2011 enabled members of the Swanage Railway to inspect the progress for themselves and to have their first experience of life underground in Purbeck. 

Brian Langdown leads a party down the tunnel towards the work face. © Andrew P.M.Wright

The old Foreman's Office (circa 1920) was rebuilt in 2005 and is now alongside the approach footpath to Norden Station together with a Furzebrook Wagon which is believed to have been built in Purbeck in 1865 and 3 original Norden V-Skips. These are 2 of the four ex Norden skips returned from an North Dorset orchard and one returned from Seaton Tramway. It had been widened to 2ft 9ins gauge and was used on the construction of the extension of the tramway. It has now been modified back to the original 2ft gauge by pupils of the Purbeck School in Wareham.   The Foreman's Office holds a display of items, some of which have donated by past employees. There are models, maps and photographs of the Purbeck Ball Clay Mining and is OPEN most Sundays and occasionally during the week. This is dependant on volunteers being available.  

      
The Foreman's Office and Pikes Wagon © John Rowley

A short term aim of the group was the creation of a clay mining trailway using the existing footpaths around the site. A  trailway was successfully installed in 2004. The trail starts at the Purbeck District Councils administration building in the car park. There are information boards along the trail and takes about half an hour to complete. Few people are aware of the past industrial heritage of the Norden Park and Ride before they start the trailway which has proved to be an excellent educational tool and is available to all when the Museum is closed. 

A Ruston 48DL Diesel locomotive has been purchased as the groups first operational locomotive. It is has under gone a thorough overhaul and is now being used during the construction of the track around the site.

 
Ruston with a ballast train at Norden  © A.P.M.Wright

An unique waggon has returned to Purbeck. It started of life as an ordinary waggon on the pre war 3' 9" gauge railway that ran from Norden to Goathorn. It was converted after the war to 2' - 0" gauge and turned into a mobile diesel tank carrying fuel for locomotives and other machinery. 

        
Diesel Tank Waggon in 1960's © George Moon              Waggon Base returned to Norden September 2011 © J.Rowley         Heavy wheels from 3' - 9" Gauge system © J.Rowley

When in 1972 all the narrow gauge system was sold off, Alan Keef purchased it. It was sold on in 1976 without the tank. It would lovely to restore it as it was with the tank, but we either need to create a new tank or with a great deal of luck hunt down the original tank.

A significant number of waggons, track and turnouts have followed the Ruston from the Lynton and Barnstable Railway and we are grateful for all the help that members of that railway have given us. 

 
 Killington Lane © John Rowley                                                         Chelfham Station © John Rowley                    

A working supporter has purchased a Railmotor Simplex Diesel for use at Norden and this is has been refurbished privately away from Purbeck and is ready for work.

2ft 6ins track, turnouts and flatbed waggons have also been purchased from the MOD. These were used at RNAD Trecwn of which the main depot can been seen below with a mixture of standard and narrow gauge track. Some of the flatbeds have been re-gauged and refurbished ready for use but require new top works to be fitted. The sleepers, track and points have begun to be laid at Norden.

Progress on researching the National Archives and local history centres for Purbeck clay mining activities has been continuing in the background and has discovered many interesting facts. Among the discoveries are that the 2 Pike brothers William Joseph and John William who brought the first Steam locomotive and Secundus to Purbeck are lying side by side, brother Warburton and other members of their family in Church Knowle Graveyard, less than a couple of miles away from both the Museum and Secundus. The selling of Norden Ball clay paid for the education of the first person to send a radio message and who also invented the spark plug. We have found the portrait of Benjamin Fayle in an Australian art gallery and through the provenance have made contact with the great great grandson of Benjamin Fayle who tells us that Benjamin Fayle's son's (Rev. Richard Fayle - Vicar of St Mary's Wareham) chalice is with his great great great granddaughter who is the present Cannon of Christ Church Oxford. To tell more on the website would spoil future visits.

Many talks and tours for both local and further a field groups have taken place providing much needed income. We have been delighted with the response form ex-clay workers. They have visited the museum complex, advised, donated equipment, told us of their memories and supplied photographs. One ex-miner has even supplied his treasured artwork of mine conditions. Another clay worker said that he had experienced a flash back to his past of walking up the ramp at number 7 addit. Working partnerships with other local museums, local history groups and the National Trust have been established. Surveys on the Quay at Middlebere have been completed and records made.

Towards the end of 2010 a structural Survey and load assessment was undertaken of Bridge 15 - Skew Bridge with a view to running narrow gauge trains over the bridge again. Whilst there is some short term remedial work to be undertaken on the lattice steel work, corbels and beam landings, the main foundations, abutments and wing wall are in good condition. That is pretty good for a temporary bridge built in 1885.

"At last I think they have gone home" © John Rowley