Swanage Railway - could we see trains to Wareham in 2024?

[RT4038]

I don't really think that's fair description. From its inception Swanage Railway is charity set up to restore services from Wareham to Swanage, it's not just something on the side.

No doubt when the costs come down and/or the likely revenue increases, or a benefactor arrives (in whatever form), then they will. Until then, they can't suspend the laws of economics, so they'll concentrate on the passengers that are keeping the line going financially - trips on (mainly) steam trains between Swanage and Norden. With the competition in the leisure activity market place, they can't tax those passengers to cross subsidise the costs of a Wareham connection.

 

[nw1]

I used the Wareham link in 2017. Glad I did!

 

[paul1609]

Less than the cost of normal tickets during the trial https://www.brfares.com/!fares?orig=WAT&dest=SGE&period=20230611

I don't really think that's fair description. From its inception Swanage Railway is charity set up to restore services from Wareham to Swanage, it's not just something on the side.

The Swanage won't be the only heritage railway that modifies it's aims due to economic realities. The Wensleydale told everybody that it wasn't a heritage railway, it was a community railway running a public transport service along a network rail freight branch with connecting bus services.
One of the original models of the K&ESR was that it would take over the existing BR wagonload freight service and expand it offering it's own deliveries. It was going to offer occasional passenger excursions to Bodiam. There are loads of others.

 

[Invincible]

Rail minister visits the Swanage Railway using its trial Wareham heritage diesel train service

Photograph: Andrew P.M. WrightThe Minister of State for Rail and HS2, Huw Merriman MP, has made an informal visit to the Swanage Railway in the Isle of Purbeck – visiting the Dorset heritage line via its trial diesel train service from the main line at Wareham.The Minister was accompanied by...

www.swanagerailwaytrust.org

I think when Minister of State for Rail Huw Merriman visited there might have been a chance the DfT could have given a subsidy, but never happened.

Swanage Railway scraps plans for regular rail service to Wareham

Despite years of battling to reinstate a branch line service between Swanage and Wareham in Dorset, Swanage Railway has dashed any hope of running trains up to the mainline for the foreseeable future.

www.swanage.news

"The Purbeck Community Rail Partnership, comprising local councils, businesses and rail organisations, has been working since 1997 to reinstate a regular rail service between Swanage and Wareham.
Reacting to the latest news, the chair of Purbeck Community Rail Partnership and Swanage town councillor Mike Whitwam said:"

“We are very disappointed that Swanage Railway will not be running a regular service between Swanage and Wareham for the foreseeable future. For the dream to become a reality, there clearly needs to be substantial financial investment from an outside source.

“As an organisation committed to improving the Purbeck transport infrastructure for local people, we will continue to lobby the government for the revenue support that’s desperately required by Swanage Railway to provide a much needed regular passenger service.”

At least there will be some charters using the mainline connection this year, by next year there may be a new Government with a new transport policy.

 

[nanstallon]

Invincible says,
... At least there will be some charters using the mainline connection this year, by next year there may be a new Government with a new transport policy.

To be fair, although I am no fan of the present Government, they did get Okehampton back onto the network, and Ashington to follow this summer.

 

[eyebrook1961]

Invincible says,
... At least there will be some charters using the mainline connection this year, by next year there may be a new Government with a new transport policy.

To be fair, although I am no fan of the present Government, they did get Okehampton back onto the network, and Ashington to follow this summer.

And I doubt that any new government will change the current policy much either

 

[Titfield]

Rail minister visits the Swanage Railway using its trial Wareham heritage diesel train service

Photograph: Andrew P.M. WrightThe Minister of State for Rail and HS2, Huw Merriman MP, has made an informal visit to the Swanage Railway in the Isle of Purbeck – visiting the Dorset heritage line via its trial diesel train service from the main line at Wareham.The Minister was accompanied by...

www.swanagerailwaytrust.org

I think when Minister of State for Rail Huw Merriman visited there might have been a chance the DfT could have given a subsidy, but never happened.

Swanage Railway scraps plans for regular rail service to Wareham

Despite years of battling to reinstate a branch line service between Swanage and Wareham in Dorset, Swanage Railway has dashed any hope of running trains up to the mainline for the foreseeable future.

www.swanage.news

"The Purbeck Community Rail Partnership, comprising local councils, businesses and rail organisations, has been working since 1997 to reinstate a regular rail service between Swanage and Wareham.
Reacting to the latest news, the chair of Purbeck Community Rail Partnership and Swanage town councillor Mike Whitwam said:"



At least there will be some charters using the mainline connection this year, by next year there may be a new Government with a new transport policy.

Cllr Mike Whitwam is also a trustee of the Swanage Railway Trust (and at one time was the Chairman) and was at one time a Director of the Swanage Railway Company (and was also at one time the Chairman). He is a former signalman on Swanage Railway.

 

[James H]

I think it is possible to believe that both it was the right thing to reinstate the mainline connection and operate the two-year trial in line with commitments, and also the right thing not operate a service in the immediate future with the Swanage Railway shouldering all the risk.

The previous SWT/SWR services to Corfe Castle also show another option for the future. Whilst mainline TOCs have been in retrenchment from such non-core nice-to-have extras as these since covid, it's possible that in the future, the politics and economics of the mainline railway might have shifted somewhat. And if projects like Revolution VLR bear fruit, then that style of low-cost operation may also hold some possibilities for services between the branch line and mainline in this location.

 

[Brush 4]

Just as I said would happen. If the Swanage branch had remained as a freight only line to Furzebrook, it would have been in the Restoring Our Railways programme by now. Okehampton, Fawley, Portishead and E-W were all partly or completely freight lines and they are at various stages of revival.

None of the heritage lines with mainline connections are in a position to run daily through services but, TOC's are, with subsidies as I've said before. No reason to subject these to different business criteria from the rest of the network. Starting before and finishing after the steam service will allow locals and visitors to use such lines. Some through Swanage to Bournemouth services to increase the attractiveness of the service. If the 'green' agenda means anything, reinstating rail services wherever possible must be done. Some may say stock shortage but, they made it work at Okehampton and will do so on the other revivals.

 

[Brissle Girl]

Just as I said would happen. If the Swanage branch had remained as a freight only line to Furzebrook, it would have been in the Restoring Our Railways programme by now. Okehampton, Fawley, Portishead and E-W were all partly or completely freight lines and they are at various stages of revival.

None of the heritage lines with mainline connections are in a position to run daily through services but, TOC's are, with subsidies as I've said before. No reason to subject these to different business criteria from the rest of the network. Starting before and finishing after the steam service will allow locals and visitors to use such lines. Some through Swanage to Bournemouth services to increase the attractiveness of the service. If the 'green' agenda means anything, reinstating rail services wherever possible must be done. Some may say stock shortage but, they made it work at Okehampton and will do so on the other revivals.

Given the track was lifted beyond Furzebrook over 50 years ago, I think it’s a big stretch to suggest that it would be progressing fast in the Restoring our Railways programme. Its only thanks to the supreme effort of the volunteers that there is a trackbed, not to mention a railway, that is in any state to be considered for through services.

 

[Brush 4]

The Waverley route was lifted throughout and Galashiels station wiped out but, that was re-opened, although Scotland does have a more positive 'can do' attitude than England does in general.

 

[Brissle Girl]

The Waverley route was lifted throughout and Galashiels station wiped out but, that was re-opened, although Scotland does have a more positive 'can do' attitude than England does in general.

Well exactly. You were talking about an English scheme that has so far cherry picked two routes where the track still existed and was in reasonably good condition. Portishead is not part of RyR and has taken many years and the work still doesn’t have final approval. East west rail was first considered in the early 1990s when only recently closed with the track more or less intact. 30 years later…

 

[Brush 4]

Well, taking the more positive line, Cambridge and Tavistock might be happening, time will tell.

 

[Titfield]

I think it is possible to believe that both it was the right thing to reinstate the mainline connection and operate the two-year trial in line with commitments, and also the right thing not operate a service in the immediate future with the Swanage Railway shouldering all the risk.

The previous SWT/SWR services to Corfe Castle also show another option for the future. Whilst mainline TOCs have been in retrenchment from such non-core nice-to-have extras as these since covid, it's possible that in the future, the politics and economics of the mainline railway might have shifted somewhat. And if projects like Revolution VLR bear fruit, then that style of low-cost operation may also hold some possibilities for services between the branch line and mainline in this location.

The commitment to operate two trials (one of 60 days and one of 90 days) was a condition of the renewal of the lease for the trackbed between near Worgret Junction and Northbrook Road Bridge. Swanage Town Council owns the freehold of the small section which is effectively Swanage Station. Dorset County Council (now Dorset council) purchased the freehold from British Rail back in the early 1970s.

Swanage Railway's stand point was for many years "if someone else meets the capital costs, we will shoulder the burden of the direct operational costs". Grant funding - direct and indirect - paid for the upgrading of the line between Norden and Worgret, the inclusion of the branch within the area resignalling scheme, the cost of refurbishing the DMUs to mainline standard. BP / Perenco paid for the level crossing at Norden. The Talbot Trust paid towards the cost of the dmu servicing point at Corfe Castle Station.

Swanage Railway had to pay for fuel, DMU servicing costs, some staff costs (though quite what I am not sure as the plan was to have volunteer drivers passed for mainline ops), track access charges, Wareham station access charge and mainline insurance premium.

That Swanage Railway has incurred a loss of £110K I understand on the 2023 operation suggests that either those costs they have to meet are very high or the revenue has been very low or as is almost certain a combination of the both.

What many find frustrating is that this outcome was predicted by a great many experienced in rail operations and those views were very well known to the Trustees of the SRT and the Directors of the SRC who decided to press ahead. What some find worse still are (1) why did £1.4M have to be spent on refurbishing the dmus when suitable rolling stock could be hired in - as indeed was hired in for the 2017 trial as the DMUs were still not ready (2) given the outcome of 2017 - a £70K loss why wasnt either the issue discussed with Dorset Council in the hope of getting some funding then ie pre covid, pre cost of living crisis AND / OR a a very hard look taken to create a plan to reduce the possible losses of year 2. Year 2 appeared as if it was Year 1 just for 30 extra days with very little attempt made to differentiate it for the good.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but this is not the case here. This outcome was predicted by a great many and much of the subsequent angst could have been avoided.

 

[yorksrob]

On the plus side, now that the infrastructure is up to standard, we can look at other ways of linking Swanage to the network. It is a bit too much to expect the preserved railway to foot the bill for such an operation.

 

[James H]

That Swanage Railway has incurred a loss of £110K I understand on the 2023 operation

Before the start of the 2023 season the railway's treasurer had said that the trust had budgeted a subsidy/loss of £100k for the Wareham service, so if the final figure is £110k it's not too far off the projection really.

I know from personal experience that revenue collection on the Wareham trains last summer was not all that it might have been.

As a member I am perfectly content that the railway has persevered with the link and trial service to this point, and also fully understanding that in the current climate the directors would be foolish to continue to run the service whilst shouldering the risk. I am also hopeful that, in time, when politics and economics allow, the mainline link will be in some kind of regular public use. But clearly now is not the time for that.

It will be interesting to see what options Stewart Palmer comes up with for the medium term.

 

[Invincible]

What some find worse still are (1) why did £1.4M have to be spent on refurbishing the dmus when suitable rolling stock could be hired in

59486

Seems 9 class 117 carriages were brought 20 years ago in 2004. Presumably with the aim of 3 DMU units for the Wareham service, then left in sidings till 2014 when 1 unit started to be overhauled at Eastleigh. But by that time mainline standards had increased and new parts hard to find, so the price increased. Guess the project had then progressed to far to cancel?.

Had they left the class 117 DMU before spending money it might have been possible to get something like a mainline Pacer or 150 DMU or even the Revolution VLR at low cost.

 

[Titfield]

59486

Seems 9 class 117 carriages were brought 20 years ago in 2004. Presumably with the aim of 3 DMU units for the Wareham service, then left in sidings till 2014 when 1 unit started to be overhauled at Eastleigh. But by that time mainline standards had increased and new parts hard to find, so the price increased. Guess the project had then progressed to far to cancel?.

Had they left the class 117 DMU before spending money it might have been possible to get something like a mainline Pacer or 150 DMU or even the Revolution VLR at low cost.

On the plus side, now that the infrastructure is up to standard, we can look at other ways of linking Swanage to the network. It is a bit too much to expect the preserved railway to foot the bill for such an operation.

I have no quibble with the moneys spent on infrastructure - civils, signalling etc - as that can be used by any operator and indeed enables charters to visit Swanage plus access for locos for the diesel gala.

My quibble is with the huge amount of money spent on the DMUs when traction for the two trial years (actually 150 days) could be hired in for a fraction of the cost and would have enabled the trail to have taken in 2016 and 2017 or 2017 and 2018. Some of the reason for the huge cost of the overhaul (and significant delays) was that the units were all but derelict by the time overhaul and refurbishment to mainline standards started and secondly the challenges of retrofitting door locking to operate on the mainline. Complete new sets of axles for the 117 and 121 had to be purchased because as far as I am aware every axle on the units purchased failed a crack inspection test. It should be noted that the fitting of twps etc on 31806 (The U Class) only cost £75K and thus it was not this that caused the financial issue.

AFAIK Network Rail and ORR had not approved Pacers to operate between Wareham and Worgret Junction so acquiring one or more of those would have had a significant regulatory cost.

The point about Swanage Railway footing the bills for the operating costs is that was the agreement that was struck. External funders pay for all the capital costs and SRC will pay for the operating costs for 150 days using farebox revenue for those costs.

Swanage Railway is becoming the Oliver Twist of the Heritage Railway World - "Please Sir I want some more".

 

[williamn]

Saw it confirmed in the latest issue of Railway Magazine that there will be no Wareham trains in 2024.

 

[D Williams]

Unless there is a major change of transport policy on these matters there won't be any more full stop.

 

[jupiter]

There are a number of initiatives being pursued that may give rise to services in the future so it’s risky to say “never”.

Thinking outside the box isn’t the hard bit but carrying the majority with you when you hit on an idea seems to be a challenge.

 

[JKF]

Could they do something like run regular steam charters at weekends from Bournemouth in the summer, more on the lines of the Jacobean? There would be a good market in Bournemouth, and if it’s sold more as a trip on a steam train it won’t matter that it takes longer than the bus. Nothing like a ‘public service’ but both towns could benefit from additional tourist revenue, a return on the investment in providing a connection.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Could they do something like run regular steam charters at weekends from Bournemouth in the summer, more on the lines of the Jacobean? There would be a good market in Bournemouth, and if it’s sold more as a trip on a steam train it won’t matter that it takes longer than the bus. Nothing like a ‘public service’ but both towns could benefit from additional tourist revenue, a return on the investment in providing a connection.

Is there somewhere to turn the loco? Otherwise it would require tender first running for a fair distance. Perhaps less of a problem on a 45mph single track branch line than on a busy mainline.

 

[JKF]

Is there somewhere to turn the loco? Otherwise it would require tender first running for a fair distance. Perhaps less of a problem on a 45mph single track branch line than on a busy mainline.

There’s a turntable at Swanage, but nothing at the Bournemouth end. I guess a diesel could tow the ECS with forward facing loco to Bournemouth for the outbound service, it turns at Swanage (or another loco put on the front) for the return. Then the ECS taken back to sidings at Furzebrook or whatever for storage.

 

[30907]

There’s a turntable at Swanage, but nothing at the Bournemouth end. I guess a diesel could tow the ECS with forward facing loco to Bournemouth for the outbound service, it turns at Swanage (or another loco put on the front) for the return. Then the ECS taken back to sidings at Furzebrook or whatever for storage.

And the Swanage table is at most 50ft, which is rather limiting - I think it can take a 2-6-0.

 

[Titfield]

And the Swanage table is at most 50ft, which is rather limiting - I think it can take a 2-6-0.

I think they can do a Bulleid by removing the tender and then turning that separately but I am not 100% certain.

Further issues that work against such an operation are 1) the need for a suitable water supply 2) the London Waterloo - Weymouth mainline is very busy so the knock on effects if there was a problem would be substantial.

I think a further concern is that it just doesnt have enough appeal to generate the passenger numbers to justify all the work involved in setting up such an operation.

Experience from steam charters into Swanage is that they do not add significantly to the local economy as the visitors tend to be wined and dined onboard.

 

[Invincible]

Experience from steam charters into Swanage is that they do not add significantly to the local economy as the visitors tend to be wined and dined onboard.

The diesel powered 4TC charter today from Waterloo has snacks, rather than full dining. So expect many of the passengers will be looking for restaurants in Swanage.

 

[norbitonflyer]

The diesel powered 4TC charter today from Waterloo has snacks, rather than full dining. So expect many of the passengers will be looking for restaurants in Swanage.

Another thread has mentioned that 69007 disgraced itself in London this morning. 0O69 showing on RTT and OTT as a light engine move from Exeter to Eastleigh - possibly a replacement?

 

[notverydeep]

The diesel powered 4TC charter today from Waterloo has snacks, rather than full dining. So expect many of the passengers will be looking for restaurants in Swanage.

I sometimes wonder whether the best bet for Swanage in terms of through services would be a Waterloo - Swanage - Waterloo return each Saturday through school summer holidays, in the manner of a 'Merry-maker' charter with the 33 and TC, but with a 'stay a week' ticketing option. In this way, with longer journeys the premium added by the necessarily complex staffing arrangements between the heritage railway and National Rail network can be spread across a larger absolute fare, so is a lesser proportion of it, and hence a less dramatic uplift. Such an operation could even include a Bournemouth stop with part fares giving the option of a day trip to Bournemouth with heritage traction and a day trip to Swanage from there.

Note however that my 'wondering' is not the same as asserting that this idea would definitely be viable!!

Perhaps also in the manner of hastings diesels, they could find a couple of extra ex-EMU mark 1 coaches, to make up a 6-TC to make better use of a path (on what is even at weekends a very busy mainline). Later Edit: I have looked at the Vintage Carriage Trust database which suggests they may intend to have the capability to add at least a fifth vehicle, having acquired ex 4-BIG TSRB 69332. Hastings Diesels have 69337. There seem to be a fair number of ex 4-CIG or 4-CEP TSOs that could make up a sixth vehicle, but most would require significant work.

 

[JonathanH]

Another thread has mentioned that 69007 disgraced itself in London this morning. 0O69 showing on RTT and OTT as a light engine move from Exeter to Eastleigh - possibly a replacement?

69002 came from Hoo Junction yesterday.