SUCH was the enthusiasm for building railways at the turn of the twentieth century – ‘the Golden Age’ – that a branch was considered for Lulworth and Osmington on the Dorset coast.

Inspired by the Light Railway Act of 1896 and promoted by a number of individuals including the Weld family of Lulworth, it was proposed to run a railway curving off from the mainline near Wareham serving stations at East Holme, East Lulworth, West Lulworth and Osmington.

Councillors in Weymouth supported the idea, but only if the line continued into the resort.

Had the scheme progressed it could have had a certain amount of trade particularly during the summer.

But little else was reported on the scheme and it just faded away.

The new book by Weymouth transport enthusiast Brain Jackson on the development of the Southampton to Dorchester (and later, Weymouth) railway, ‘Castleman’s Corkscrew,’ tells us what could have been as well as what did happen.

Castleman’s Corkscrew, which opened 161 years ago, was named after its chief promoter, solicitor Charles Castleman, and the fact it took a twisting route.

This is Mr Jackson’s second book on the subject, focussing on the ‘twentieth century and beyond.’ The latest volume is thicker than its predecessor covering a wide range of subjects including the railway’s involvement in the wars, nationalisation, the Beeching cuts and the end of steam, signalling, station architecture, electrification of the line, and the introduction of more modern trains.

Mr Jackson, whose next project will focus on the Swanage Railway, says it’s not only the railway or transport enthusiast that will enjoy this book. Anyone who has travelled on the line may well be interested in its history. There is an interesting chapter on the First World War, detailing the transportation of German prisoners to POW camps, and the construction in 1918 of a branch line from Wool to Bovington Camp which was developing as a tank training centre. The single-track branch line over two miles in length was constructed by the Military Works Company of the Royal Engineers consisting of around 100 men assisted by German prisoners. The line lasted just 10 years and was torn up in 1936.

Another fascinating chapter is where Mr Jackson describes the ‘push-pull’ workings on the line from the early 1960s until the late 1980s. The concept of the electric service between London and Bournemouth with the diesel haulage of trailer units onwards to Weymouth was a major step forward in railway operation, the first time that coaching stock had been propelled at high speed.

Class 442 ‘Wessex Electric’ units took over and they were in time replaced by the Class 444 units which can be seen on the line today.

Mr Jackson uses many photographs, maps and drawings to tell the story.

Castleman’s Corkscrew, Volume Two: The Twentieth Century and Beyond published by Oakwood Press is priced £19.95 available from Books Afloat, Park Street, Weymouth and RT Cards, Easton, Portland.