Coal costs for heritage railway 'have risen dramatically'

A heritage railway line has said it is spending more than ever on coal because of rising prices.

The volunteer-run Swanage Railway said it is paying out about £1,500 a day for the fossil fuel to operate each of its steam locomotives.

In a statement on its socials, the charity said it had been able buy suitable locomotive coal for about £100 per tonne before the war in Ukraine but was now paying closer to £400 per tonne.

The railway operates full-size steam and diesel passenger trains from Norden to Corfe Castle and down to the seaside town of Swanage.

The UK government has banned all imports of Russian coal and coal products as part of sanctions following its war with Ukraine.

Swanage Railway said: "Every shovelful of coal costs approximately £5 and our firemen will shovel at least 50 shovelfuls on a single round trip to keep the locomotive performing at its best.

"That's around £250 worth of coal for a single round trip before we've even considered water, maintenance, oil, insurance and the many other costs involved in running a heritage railway."

It said the cost had "risen dramatically in recent years" and yet it was "often of a lower quality than we were previously able to obtain".

"Every journey is made possible by a huge team effort," it added.

The Swanage branch line opened in 1885 but was closed and demolished by British Rail in 1972.

Volunteers spent 30 years rebuilding it as a tourist attraction.