A DESPERATE appeal has been launched to try and save a railway carriage shed, with just eight days left to raise more than £9,000.

The Swanage Railway Trust is urging members of the public to donate £9,210 before June 30 so work can resume on building a carriage storage shed.

The Herston Carriage Shed Appeal was launched in March and has already raised £46,580 and there are just eight days left to hit the £65,000 target.

In a show of support, the Swanage Railway Way Trust charity is now pledging to match fund every pound raised for the appeal between June 22 and June 30 in a bid to get to the funding target.

Work on the new carriage shed, east of Herston Halt on the outskirts of Swanage, began in January, 2020 but stopped when the government imposed the first national lockdown. Work resumed in May, 2021.

Railway bosses need the money to be raised by the end of the month so that the steel structure of the building can be ordered and delivered to the site, then constructed during the winter, with the new shed expected to be completed during 2022.

Fundraising chairman at Swanage Railway Randy Coldham said: "Our carriages are currently stored outside and exposed to the weather all year round. This new covered accommodation is urgently required to help protect our more historic and valuable heritage carriages, the oldest of which is more than 80-years-old.

"These irreplaceable vehicles will significantly benefit from covered protection against the elements to improve their lifespan between overhauls while also reducing the time and expense associated with their maintenance.

"Due to the carriage shed’s proximity to the running line, construction can only take place during the quieter winter months when the line between Herston Halt and Swanage is not being used.

"We hope that our supporters will join the Swanage Railway Trust in closing the gap by the end of June so that the order for the steel frame, side cladding and roof can be placed and the shed be built this coming winter to protect our historic heritage coaches.

"We are hopeful that the public will help us to close the funding gap and allow the carriage shed to be completed by the start of 2022 so it can protect some of our historic carriages from the ravages of the winter weather."

For more information and to donate to the Herston Carriage Shed Appeal, visit www.swanagerailwaytrust.org/carriage-shed-appeal