Clay working in the area has been carried out since Roman times, and from the early-19th Century untilwas loaded onto barges and taken across Poole Harbour to the deep water quays and loaded onto larger vessels. With the arrival of the L&SWR, eventually both companies had exchange facilities with the Swanage branch, Pike's at Furzebrook, and Fayle's a little further down the branch at Norden. Interestingly, the narrow gauge lines in Purbeck used six different gauges over the years, the remaining lines finally being re-gauged to 2ft after WWII.
