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The first passenger train since 1972 is set to run on an historic steam-powered railway in Dorset next week.
The special train - called the Purbeck Pioneer - will depart from London's Victoria Station on Wednesday.
It is 37 years since the last British Rail passenger train ran on the Swanage Railway between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage on 1 January 1972.

First Swanage to London train since 1966

Swanage Railway enthusiasts will be turning back the clock on Saturday with the first steam train between the Dorset town and central London for more than 40 years.

The trip from Swanage, through Corfe Castle and into Waterloo station has not been completed by steam train since 1966, the year England^s football team lifted the World Cup.

But for the army of Swanage Railway supporters, Saturday^s five-hour journey will be no less of a victory than the nation^s Wembley triumph 43 years ago.

Swanage Railway Trust chairman Steve Doughty said: ^It will be a very historic and emotional day for everyone involved in the Swanage Railway.^

For many volunteers, the trip marks the end of a personal journey that started back in 1976, when a group of steam enthusiasts formed Swanage Railway from scratch.

Mr Doughty said: ^m absolutely delighted that the day has now arrived when the residents of Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck can once again travel to London and back by train.^

The Capital Christmas Express, pulling 11 coaches, is scheduled to depart Swanage station at 8am, with the 1940s-built Southern Railway Battle of Britain class Bulleid Pacific express steam locomotive No 34067 Tangmere leading the way.

Saturday^s journey is a one-off, run by the Railway Touring Company based at King^s Lynn in Norfolk.

But talks are continuing behind the scenes to get the 10-mile branch line between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage linked up with the national network.

Mr Doughty explained: ^This is yet another important step forward for our project and further consolidates the Swanage Railway^s link to the national network, which has been the aim of several generations of volunteers since British Rail closed the line from Wareham in January 1972.

He added: ^Everyone on the Swanage Railway is very grateful to Network Rail and train operator West Coast Railways for its help in running this train over the three miles of line between Furzebrook and the main line at Wareham, which is currently closed to regular passenger trains.^

Swanage steam and diesel railway in Dorset is holding a rescue exercise for the county's emergency services.
The training for police, ambulance and fire crews and Swanage Railway staff will involve carrying out a rescue in an area which is challenging to reach.
The mock train crash is taking place about a mile north west of Corfe Castle on 17 April.
Swanage Railway's steam train services on the day of the exercise will not be affected and will be running as normal.
Alan Greatbatch, exercise organiser and volunteer, said: "The safety of the public is always the Swanage Railway's primary concern. We have to plan and rehearse for the very unlikely, such as the scenario in this emergency exercise where a cyclist collides with a train on a level crossing."
Volunteers will be playing the casualties, a cyclist and the passengers on the train. They will all be made up with realistic injuries.
The organisers have requested that the public do not try to attend the exercise as any space will be required by the emergency services.

Swanage railway reconnection to network to go ahead

A Dorset town will be re-connected to the national rail network, restoring a link broken almost 40 years ago.

The Swanage Railway Trust had to raise ^3m so Network Rail can connect the Swanage line to the main network for the first time since 1972.

Purbeck District Council announced its support on Thursday a week after Dorset County Council gave its backing.

The funding is needed for re-signalling of the Wareham to Swanage branch line at Worgret Junction.

Once the work is completed regular passenger train services will resume from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage.

The line is currently maintained by the Swanage Railway Trust which runs regular steam train trips between Norden and Swanage.

Councillor Beryl Ezzard, Purbeck's housing and social issues spokesperson, said: "The proposal helps to underpin one of the targets set out under the council's priority of helping all people access services locally. It has been a long journey to get to this point, but we can now progress to once again linking the district by rail, which will have enormous benefits for residents, commuters and visitors, and relieve congestion in the district."

Dorset County Council will now confirm to Network Rail that the reconnection will be included in the Purbeck Transportation Strategy.

The strategy was set up to improve movement around the district, taking traffic away from the congested A351 by using alternative forms of transport, a spokesman from the district council said.

Hmm, interesting... been considering a quick weekend excursion down Swanage way, the weak link in the journey being Wareham-Norden... either wait how long for a bus, or it's an hour's trudge with a good weight on my back.  Other than that, it's finding a good place to camp for the night with maybe just a couple of days notice.

Train enthusiasts are chuffed after scooping ^3million to link Swanage Railway to the main line. They hope it will be full steam ahead for the project after Dorset and Purbeck councils together pledged cash for vital main line re-signalling work by Network Rail. The works will keep hopes alive for a permanent year-round train service to run from the main line at Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage.

Swanage Railway Trust chairman Steve Doughty said: ^We are absolutely delighted at this important once in a generation opportunity and long-term commitment to the development of public transport in Dorset. It keeps the door open for an all-year-round community train service and so deliver one of the Swanage Railway^s original goals from 1972, when the last daily service ran. We still have a long way to go but this is the most important step.^

Purbeck District Council approved the upgrade of the connection of the Swanage Railway to the national rail network as part of its Purbeck Transportation Strategy at a meeting in Wareham. Dorset County Council also voted to support the project. Up to ^3million across three years will come from a transport development fund which property developers pay into ^ the money being collected by Purbeck District Council and spent by Dorset County Council as the transport authority for the Isle of Purbeck.

Network Rail plans to re-signal the main London to Weymouth line between Poole and Wool during 2012.  If Worgret Junction is re-signalled at the same time it will cost ^3million. If the junction is re-signalled at a later date, it could cost up to ^10million.

The next step is for the Swanage Railway to take responsibility for the three and a half miles of Network Rail single line between Worgret Junction, Furzebrook and Motala which is the start of the Swanage Railway tracks to Corfe Castle and Swanage. Once acquired, the Swanage Railway would upgrade the three and a half miles of single line to the standards required for a regular service to Wareham.

How can a price tage of ^3 million be justified for what surely is a fairly basic junction upgrade.

OK a new crossover probably needs to be installed, but it only needs to be a 15-25mph one. I think NR should spend some time at a few heritage railways to learn how to do projects more cost effectively! Some of the costs associated with the modern railway are truly eye watering and I can rarely see any justification.

Therefore the junction must be retained it's just a question of if it is upgraded to regular passenger carrying standard or occasional freight use.

Swanage Railway closure anniversary marked by signalman

A retired Network Rail signalman is to return to a Dorset railway to mark the 40th anniversary of its closure.

The last British Rail train from Swanage to Corfe Castle and Wareham ran on New Year's Day in 1972.

Since the closure, Swanage Railway has been rebuilt from scratch by volunteers and ran its first passenger train in 2009.

Bob Richards, the signalman on the last journey in 1972, will be joined by former passengers for the anniversary.

Those passengers include Peter Sills and his father Frederick Sills, from Wareham, as well as Malcolm Munro, from Wool.

Peter Sills and Mr Munro will bring along their last British Rail train tickets from 1972, which cost 25p and 50p respectively.

Mr Sills, volunteer chairman of the Swanage Railway Company, said: "When I rode on that last train as a 14-year-old with my father in 1972, I never ever thought the railway would come back - especially when the tracks were ripped up for scrap during the summer of 1972."

Mr Richards said: "It will be a strange feeling to stand on Corfe Castle station exactly 40 years to the day since I signalled the last British Rail train from Swanage to Corfe Castle and Wareham on that dark and very cold night back in January, 1972.

"It was a very sad day indeed and no-one thought the railway would ever come back."

A dream to run regular trains from a Dorset branch onto the main line is one step closer to reality.
 
Oil giant BP says it will pay for a crucial ^500,000 level crossing on the Swanage Railway.
 
The crossing near Norden is required before regular trains can run between Swanage and the railway network at Wareham - currently they only run to Norden.
 
The donation from BP comes after it sold its majority shareholding in the Wytch Farm oilfield in Purbeck to Perenco.
 
The other major improvement needed before trains can run to Wareham is a ^3 million re-signalling project at Worgret Junction near the main line which is due to be completed by May next year.

Minister to open signal box

Transport minister Theresa Villiers will make tracks to a Dorset heritage railway to officially open a new signal box. She will visit the Swanage Railway tomorrow for the ceremony at Corfe Castle before travelling on a steam train down the relaid Purbeck line.

The signal box will enable regular trains to travel onto the main line towards Wareham, a dream of Swanage Railway volunteers since the line was rebuilt. It will be connected to Network Rail^s signalling centre once the ^33million Poole to Wool re-signalling scheme is complete next year.

The signal box was built at Corfe Castle station in 2008 costing ^48,000. It was made to look like an original Victorian box which had stood on the same site and won a heritage award.

Corfe Castle signal box project manager Mike Whitwam said: ^We^re delighted the Minister of State for Transport has accepted our invitation to open the new Corfe Castle signal box. It^s a tremendous honour and an acknowledgement of the signal box^s importance as part of the re-instatement of regular passenger trains between Swanage and Wareham.^

A modern passenger train has travelled on a Dorset heritage railway line for the first time in more than 40 years.


The SouthWest Trains diesel train travelled on the Swanage Railway to highlight work to reinstate the Swanage to Wareham passenger service.

The volunteer-run line recently won a ^1.47m government Coastal Communities Fund grant to upgrade the track.

It closed in 1972 after the Beeching Report. Chairman Peter Sills described the new work as "Beeching in reverse".

Invited guests travelled on the train from Bournemouth on the main network, on to Wareham and Swanage.

Phil Dominey of SouthWest Trains said it was a "historic journey", coming 50 years after the Beeching report which led to the closure of many UK rail lines including services in Dorset.

The line was rebuilt as a steam railway tourist attraction in the 1980s and 90s.

The passenger service, connecting the line to the national rail network, is expected to begin in spring 2015. It is thought it could create up to 50 jobs in the area.

Another example of a closure for which Beeching is unfairly blamed.

not quite true,

a virgin cross country voyager went down the line some years ago...http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/news159.htm

i m very pleased in the SWT trial and that i am sure one day regular London services will start again

roger, dorset.

I hope you are right Roger, (at least as far as Bournemouth if not Southampton or Waterloo) but the vibes I am getting from publications is that the smart 159 is but a delusion.  AIUI, they want to run a smelly old 1950s dmu just as far as Wareham, where you will have to change and wait for the Weymouth to turn up.

so it may seem the re-statement of the north side bay will not be needed as the trains will run in on the up
platform  then cross over and departure will be from the down?

On the right track: Swanage Railway receives tourism award for ^significantly boosting^ visitors to the area

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AWARD: Richard Jones of Swanage Railway

The Swanage Railway has received an award for boosting tourism. It was praised for ^significantly increasing^ the number of visitors to Poole and the surrounding area at the 2013 Poole Tourism Awards.

Railway manager Richard Jones said: ^We pride ourselves on giving our visitors an enjoyable, friendly and memorable day out and this award is recognition of the Swanage Railway^s important contribution in increasing the numbers of visitors to the area. As well as offering a return steam train trip over five-and-a-half miles of line through the beautiful Isle of Purbeck ^ from the castle to the coast ^ there is the ball clay mine museum next to Norden station as well as the goods shed museum, exhibition coach and cinema coach at Corfe Castle station.^

Earlier this year Swanage Railway scooped a bronze award in the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

The Swanage Railway, which already has 400 regular volunteers, is happy to welcome new members.

Mr Jones, who stressed full training would be given, added: ^Our dedicated staff, both volunteer and paid, work very hard, day in and day out, to run the Swanage Railway^s train services, and it is a major commitment for our people because we run daily from the end of March to the end of October and then during weekends for the rest of the year. So the first passenger train of the day can run at 10am, a driver fireman and cleaner will have been up since 6am raising steam in the locomotive and preparing the day^s train service. While we have local volunteers, others travel from further afield such as London, the West Country and The Midlands.^

Contact volunteer coordinator Mike Whitwam on 01929 475 212 or email volunteer@swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk for further information.

PROJECT MANAGER STARTS WORK TO HELP SWANAGE RAILWAY DELIVER HISTORIC TRIAL TRAINS TO WAREHAM

Published: April 22, 2014

An experienced project manager ^ who also used to control trains running from Hampshire and Surrey into London's busy Waterloo station ^ has started work on helping the Swanage Railway deliver an historic trial train service to Wareham.

Thanks to a ^1.47 million Coastal Communities Government grant, the trial train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham is due to begin in September, 2015, and operate on 140 selected days over two years.

Holding a degree in railway operational management from Glasgow University, 52-year old Frank Roberts ^ who lives in Swanage ^ has been a volunteer manager on the Swanage Railway in his spare time for 31 years, specialising in building and developing the line's telephone system.

During his working life to date, Frank served for 25 years in the Royal Corps of Signals around the world ^ again specialising in communications ^ before starting a successful career with South West Trains.

That saw him part of a team delivering a ^6.8 million ticket vending machine project, then managing 12 stations in the Staines and Windsor area ^ including Olympic preparations at Eton Dorney ^ and finally being a route controller from Farnborough and Guildford into London's Waterloo station.

A member of both the Institute of Directors and the Institution of Railway Operators, Frank said: "I am immensely proud that I have the opportunity build a team to deliver an historic and pioneering two-year trial train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham.

"I hope that I can use three decades of experience to ensure that the dream of rebuilding the Swanage Railway to Wareham that will make those two generations of people who have gone before us very proud indeed.

"There is a very heavy workload to get through ^ including some three miles of substantial track upgrade work, the construction of a level crossing at Norden and the refurbishment of two diesel multiple unit trains to main line standards," he added.

~As a Swanage Railway volunteer, Frank spent 22 years building and developing the heritage railway's lineside telecommunications system for signalling systems and telephones ^ as well as developing and managing the line's Herston Halt on the outskirts of Swanage since 1997.

Frank explained: ^The historic project to re-instate a train service to Wareham is really accelerating and while there is a lot of work to do, the implementation of many years of challenging planning is about to pay dividends."

Passionate about the seaside town where he has made his home, Frank had the honour of carrying the Olympic flame through a part of Swanage ahead of the Games during 2012.

Swanage Railway Company chairman Peter Sills said: " As well as improving access to the heart of Purbeck for tourists ^ and improving rail links out of Purbeck to Poole and Bournemouth for residents ^ it's estimated that a restored train service between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Wareham will create 40 new jobs indirectly and ten new jobs directly.

"The Swanage Railway has been campaigning to bring back regular trains to Wareham since 1972 ^ when British Rail controversially axed the service ^ and their re-introduction will give an important transport, tourism and employment boost to Purbeck as well as taking more cars off the road between Swanage, Corfe Castle, Wareham, Poole and Bournemouth.

"Connecting with the South West Trains service between London and Weymouth at Wareham, the re-connected rail link will become much easier for people to use public transport and so improve employment opportunities for Purbeck residents and increase the number of tourists," added Mr Sills.

There is no independent track between the junction and Wareham Station.   I think I read somewhere that Swanage branch DMUs will use one of the normal platforms at Wareham bi-directionally.

Paul

A fair point, phile - I've therefore taken the opportunity to move and merge a couple of topics here, where we tend to discuss the various heritage lines in the West.  ;)

Line lease boosts Swanage - Wareham rail reconnection

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It is hoped passenger services will return to the Swanage line

Efforts to restore a Dorset passenger train service for the first time in 40 years have taken a step forward.

Dorset County Council has leased three miles (4.8km) of track near Wareham to the Swanage Railway heritage line to connect it to the mainline network.

Work to restore sleepers, repair bridges, fences and embankments is due to take place over the next year.

Swanage Railway chairman Gavin Johns called the lease an "important milestone".

The council had acquired the stretch of trackbed between Worgret Junction to Motala from Network Rail.

The Dorset line from Swanage to Wareham was closed by British Rail and ripped up in seven weeks in 1972.

A 5.5-mile (8.8km) stretch from Swanage to Norden was rebuilt as a steam train heritage line and is run by volunteers as a tourist attraction.

It has had a long-term ambition to reconnect the line from Swanage and Corfe Castle at Wareham.

Mr Johns said: "[The 99-year lease] provides a sound long-term basis on which to plan the Swanage Railway's growth and development."

A 5.5-mile (8.8km) stretch from Swanage to Norden...

Swanage to Wareham rail reconnection works begin

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Work has started to reconnect a Dorset heritage railway with the mainline network to allow passenger services to run for the first time in four decades.

The boundary between Swanage Railway and the old Network Rail line was removed earlier, marking the start of a year-long restoration project.

Railway company chairman Peter Sills described it as a "momentous" event. It follows the lease of a three-mile (4.8km) stretch of track from Dorset County Council.

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The line from Swanage to Wareham was closed by British Rail in 1972.

Swanage Railway volunteers rebuilt a 5.5-mile (8.8km) stretch from Swanage to Norden over 30 years and opened it as a tourist attraction.

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Their long-term ambition is to reconnect the 10-mile stretch between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Wareham.

Trial services are planned for 50 days towards the end of 2015 and 90 days in 2016. It is hoped a year-round service will follow.

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Earlier, a section of old track at Motala, near Furzebrook, which once marked the boundary between the heritage line and Network Rail, was replaced. Previously, any unauthorised trains crossing from one section to the other would have derailed.

Two gates across the track and a shelter hut have also been removed.

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Tony Udell, a Swanage Railway volunteer for more than 30 years, said: "Although I hoped this moment would come, I was less sure about whether I would be alive to see it."

Mr Sills said the removal of the boundary was the culmination of many years of hard work. "In the long term, it will enable people, once again, to take a day trip from Swanage to London," he said.

Further upgrade work will include replacing 1,700 sleepers and repairing bridges, fences and embankments.

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Work to reconnect a Dorset heritage railway with the mainline to allow passenger services to run for the first time in four decades has been delayed.

Trials had been planned between Swanage and Wareham for 50 days from September and 90 days in 2016.

Swanage Railway said they would now take place early next year and in 2017.

However, it added the first train had travelled on the line under a new signalling system, which it described as a "major milestone".

Rail Minister Claire Perry MP was among the invited guests who made the return journey from Wareham to Corfe Castle.

Work is also under way to replace 1,700 wooden sleepers, clear embankments, as well as repair bridges, fences and drains.

Gavin Johns, chairman of the volunteer-led Swanage Railway Trust, said issues including ownership of the line and nearby hibernating animals had led to the delays.

"As a result of the animals our work has to be carried out during the spring and summer months," he said.

The line from Swanage to Wareham was closed by British Rail and ripped up in seven weeks in 1972.

Swanage Railway volunteers rebuilt a 5.5-mile (8.8km) stretch from Swanage to Norden over 30 years and opened it as a tourist attraction.

Their long-term ambition is to reconnect the 10-mile stretch between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Wareham.

Mike Lovell, Purbeck Community Rail Partnership chairman, said: "Although further investment is still needed to reinstate a regular service, the completion of the signalling is a huge step towards a trial community service that will enable people from Corfe Castle and Swanage to travel by train to anywhere in the country."

Passenger trains are set to run between a Dorset coastal resort and the mainline rail network for the first time in four decades.
The Swanage Railway heritage line said June 2016 was its target date for trial services between Swanage and Wareham.
The original rail line connecting the town was ripped up in 1972, before a 5.5-mile (8.8km) stretch was restored by volunteers as a tourist attraction.
A new ^500,000 level crossing has been installed as part of the work.

Swanage to Wareham railway line to reopen after 40 years next summer

(http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/resources/images/4526868/)The new Norden Gates level crossing and nearby new road-rail interchange from late November. Credit: Andrew P.M. Wright

(http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/resources/images/4526870/)(L-R) Mark Woolley and Schweizer engineers at the Norden Gates level crossing. Credit: Andrew P.M. Wright

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New level crossing. Credit: Andrew P.M. Wright

Jade Grassby / 06:20 Monday 7 December 2015 / News

A RAIL line between Swanage and Wareham is scheduled for a passenger trial in summer 2016.

For the first time in four decades, passenger trains are set to run between the two towns.

The Swanage Railway said June 2016 was its target date for trial services. It is currently undertaking a major project to upgrade the section of railway line between Norden and its boundary with Network Rail near Worgret Junction to enable the reintroduction of a regular passenger train service between Swanage and Wareham.

The original rail line connecting the areas was ripped up by British Rail in 1972. A few years later, the first Swanage Railway train ran for a few hundred yards before eventually running between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Norden in 1995.

The two-year trial service starting in 2016 will see diesel trains run by the Swanage Railway connecting with scheduled services by South West Trains at Wareham, on the Weymouth to London Waterloo line.

Project director Mark Woolley, who has been a volunteer on the heritage railway for 30 years, said: ^The new Norden Gates full-barrier level crossing ^ and the nearby relocated road-rail interchange ^ are key elements of Project Wareham and the running of regular passenger trains from Swanage and Corfe Castle to Wareham would not be possible without them.^

In 2013, a government grant of ^1.4m was given to the Swanage Railway to upgrade the track and infrastructure between Norden and Worgret, as well as pay for the upgrade of the diesel trains.

A completely new signalling system has been installed to control Worgret Junction where the Purbeck Line joins the London to Weymouth main line, funded by a ^3.2m grant from Dorset County Council and Purbeck District Council.

And the new manually-controlled barrier level crossing on the Wytch Farm access road at Norden and a park and ride access road near Corfe Castle has been funded by BP and Perenco.

^The previous set-up was an open-level crossing with flagmen required to oversee the movement of trains ^ engineering trains, empty carriage stock movements and excursion trains from the main line ^ which was unacceptable in the long-term,^ Mr Woolley added.
     
Work has also been carried out to replace 1,700 wooden sleepers with concrete ones, repair bridges and clear embankments, fences and drains.

An earlier trial date of spring 2016 was put back following delays in the work caused by nearby hibernating animals and issues over ownership of the line.

MAJOR LINE UPGRADE ALMOST COMPLETE AND CHALLENGE OF RESTORING HERITAGE DIESEL TRAINS FOR MAIN LINE RUNNING

 Published: January 5, 2016

Story and pictures by Andrew P.M. Wright                                                                                             Swanage Railway official photographer and press officer

An ambitious and historic project to restore and upgrade three miles of former Network Rail line, as well as install a hi-tech level crossing with associated signalling and build a road-rail interchange facility, is almost complete ^ so passenger trains can again run to Wareham.

The start of the trial service from Swanage and Corfe Castle is due to start during the first quarter of 2017 ^ instead of June, 2016 ^ because of the need to replace, rather than restore, non-standard specialist equipment on two ex-British Railways 1960s heritage diesel trains being upgraded to exacting main line standards.

It was in September, 2014, that the Swanage Railway took on the lease of three miles of former Network Rail line ^ from a mile west of Norden station to a quarter of a mile south of Worgret Junction near Wareham ^ to give tracks, bridges and embankments a major upgrade ahead of the trial train service.

The restoration work has seen 1,200 wooden track sleepers replaced, half a mile of track laid, a quarter-mile-long embankment given a major upgrade, undergrowth and drainage cleared along six miles of embankments as well as the installation of a new set of track points at Furzebrook.

A new state of the art level crossing has been installed on the access road to the Wytch Farm oil field and Norden station while 2,235 cubic metres of earth has been excavated ^ and a new siding laid ^ so a new road-rail interchange could be built to enable the creation of the Norden Gates level crossing.

Swanage Railway Company Project Wareham director Mark Woolley said: "The historic transformation has been remarkable and I'd like to pay tribute to everyone ^ on the ground and behind the scenes in planning and logistics ^ for all their hard work which will see the ambitious upgrade of our three-mile extension completed by the end of March, 2016.

"It has been a major undertaking ^ the laying of half a mile of track, the replacement of 1,200 wooden sleepers, the major upgrade of a quarter-mile long embankment, the installation of a state of the art level crossing and associated signalling at Norden as well as the creation of the new road-rail interchange at Norden for the transfer of locomotives and carriages.

"The start of the trial passenger service to Wareham during the first quarter of 2017 ^ instead of June this year ^ is because of the need to replace, rather than restore, non-standard equipment on our two ex-British Railways 1960s heritage diesel trains being upgraded to exacting main line standards.

"Detailed technical examination has concluded that new non-standard axles and wheel bearings ^ known as wheel-sets ^ need to be manufactured by specialist contractors in the United States, South Africa and England. We estimate the completed trains will be tested and delivered to the Swanage Railway during the Autumn of 2016.

"We're very grateful for the assistance of our specialist contractors who have been very helpful in progressing the detailed examination and manufacturing work needed on our two diesel trains so they can carry passengers to Wareham," added Mr Woolley, a Swanage Railway volunteer for 33 years.

The Swanage Railway has been given a grant of ^1.86 million from the Government's Coastal Communities Fund to introduce a trial passenger train service from Swanage to the main line at Wareham. It is planned to run the service on 50 selected days during 2017 and 90 selected days during 2018.

The grant covers the restoration of the former Network Rail line as well as the restoration and upgrade, to main line standards, of the two ex-British Railways diesel trains ^ a one-coach Class 121 'Bubble Car' and a three-coach Class 117 unit ^ which are known as diesel multiple units or DMUs for short.

The Purbeck Community Rail Partnership, of which the Swanage Railway is a member, has been working since 1997 to re-establish a passenger train service between Swanage, Corfe Castle and the main line at Wareham.

The public can donate money to the Swanage Railway's Project Wareham Sponsor a Sleeper appeal.

So far, the fund-raising initiative has raised more than ^15,000 to help replace sleepers on the three miles of former Network Rail line between Motala and bridge No. 2, a quarter of a mile south of Worgret Junction which is just over a mile west of Wareham on the London to Weymouth main line.

Just visit the appeals page of www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk at www.swanagerailwaytrust.org.uk/index.php/appeals.

Because the Swanage Railway Trust is a registered charity, donations by taxpayers are subject to Gift Aid top-up.

Swanage Railway: Official opening for Norden level crossing
A level crossing allowing passenger trains to run between a heritage line and the mainline network for the first time in 40 years has been opened.
The £500,000 crossing, near Norden Station, completes the upgrade of the Swanage Railway to link to the main line to Wareham, Dorset.
It was officially opened by High Sheriff of Dorset Sir Philip Williams.
Swanage Railway Trust chairman Gavin Johns said it had been a "hugely complex infrastructure project".
The work marks the completion of the 18-month restoration and upgrade of the three miles of former Network Rail line, to within a quarter of a mile of Worgret Junction and the main line to Wareham.

Trial passenger services to reconnect Swanage with the mainline at Wareham are due to start in June next year.
The new level crossing, which complies with Department for Transport standards, features computer-controlled safety systems and full barriers.
It also has a wooden signal box based on the branch line signal box at Lyme Regis station in west Dorset.
The original rail line was closed by British Rail and ripped up in 1972.
The volunteer-led Swanage Railway Trust originally rebuilt a 5.5-mile (8.8km) stretch from Swanage to Norden over 30 years and have been running it as a tourist attraction since the late 1990s.

About 1,500 sleepers have been replaced and an eroding embankment has been repaired during the restoration of the line from Norden to Wareham.

Regular passenger trains will reconnect a Dorset seaside resort with the mainline for the first time in four decades in June, a heritage railway has announced.

Timetabled trials between Swanage and Wareham were originally expected to begin in 2015 but faced delays.

Swanage Railway said it now plans to run its first diesel-hauled passenger train to Wareham on 13 June.

The original rail line was closed by British Rail and ripped up in 1972.

The special first train will mark the start of a two-year trial using diesel trains on 60 selected days this summer - with four trains a day in each direction between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage.

People wishing to travel on this service are advised that tickets have to be purchased in advance from the Swanage Railway website - tickets are only being sold for the service by the Swanage Railway.

Main line train operator West Coast Railways is supplying two diesel locomotives and train crews to operate the trial service.

With a diesel locomotive at each end, the four-carriage trains will run four times a day – in each direction – between Wareham, Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage with the ten mile journey taking 45 minutes. Train times and fares for the Wareham service can be viewed on the Swanage Railway website.

PUBLIC TRAIN SERVICE TO LINK SWANAGE & CORFE CASTLE WITH THE MAIN LINE AT WAREHAM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1972

 Published: May 24, 2017

Story and Photographs by Andrew P.M. Wright                                                                                         Swanage Railway official photographer and press officer

History is to be made next month with the return of a public diesel train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham – for the first time in 45 years.

The volunteer-led Swanage Railway plans to run its first diesel-hauled passenger train into Wareham station on Tuesday, 13 June, 2017.

That will be the achievement of a long-held aim by determined railway campaigners dating back to 1972 when the Purbeck branch line was controversially closed and demolished by British Rail.

The special first train will mark the start of a two-year trial public service using diesel trains operating on 60 selected days during this summer – with four trains a day in each direction between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage.

Visitors from London, and stations across the country, will be able to visit Swanage and Corfe Castle by train while the service will enable tourists in campsites around Wareham to visit Corfe Castle and Swanage by rail.

To avoid disappointment, and guarantee a seat, passengers should book their tickets on-line via the Swanage Railway at www.swanagerailway.co.uk.

Limited parking at Wareham station – especially on weekdays – means that passengers are advised to travel to the station by public transport.

Swanage Railway Company chairman Trevor Parsons said: "This is the culmination of a far-sighted investment by our stakeholders of £5.5 million to re-connect Swanage and Corfe Castle with the main line at Wareham.

"We're working very closely with our partners at Network Rail and South West Trains to finalise arrangements for what is a complex operation.

"The trial public service will be historic because it has been the Swanage Railway's ambition to return passenger trains to Wareham for more than 40 years – with several generations of volunteers working to achieve this," added the Swanage Railway volunteer signalman and train guard.

After the last public British Rail train ran to Corfe Castle and Swanage in January, 1972, – leaving a three-mile stub from the main line to Furzebrook for clay and later Wytch Farm oil field trains – few people thought that passenger trains from Swanage and Corfe Castle would ever return to Wareham.

It took seven short weeks to demolish Purbeck's 87-year old rail link to the main line at Wareham but 40 long years for the Swanage Railway to rebuild it.

Swanage Railway Trust chairman Gavin Johns explained: "This is the culmination of a huge amount of hard work by our dedicated volunteers and the support of our valued stakeholders.

"It shows just what can be achieved thanks to a strong vision, determination and working together in partnership.

"My thanks go to the Purbeck Community Rail Partnership, the Government's Coastal Communities Fund for its £1.8 million grant, Purbeck District Council, Dorset County Council, Network Rail, South West Trains and the Department for Transport for their help in reaching this historic milestone for Swanage and the Isle of Purbeck," he added.

To enable a public train service to run from Wareham to Corfe Castle and Swanage, Purbeck District Council and Dorset County Council together made a strategic investment of £3.2 million – the money coming from a transport development fund paid into by housing developers across Purbeck.

That £3.2 million enabled Network Rail to upgrade the track at Worgret Junction – a mile west of Wareham where the line from Swanage joins the main line – and also install new signalling equipment at Wareham and Worgret Junction.

The investment also paid for Swanage Railway signalling equipment between Wareham station, Worgret Junction and Corfe Castle signal box.

The trial public service of four return trains a day between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays until Sunday, 3 September, 2017, inclusive.

On the first day of the public service – Tuesday, 13 June, 2017 – the first public train will be the 2.23pm from Swanage that will form the 3.15pm train from Wareham.

The last train of the day will be the 4.23pm from Swanage and the 5.15pm from Wareham.

The first two trains from Swanage to Wareham and return on that day will be for Swanage Railway guests, stakeholders, volunteers, staff and supporters.

Main line train operator West Coast Railways is supplying two diesel locomotives and train crews to operate the Swanage Railway's trial train service between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Wareham on 60 selected days during the summer.

With a diesel locomotive at each end, the four-carriage trains will run four times a day – in each direction – between Wareham, Norden, Corfe Castle and Swanage with the ten mile journey taking 45 minutes.

Train times and fares for the Wareham service can be viewed at http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/wareham-timetableandfares (http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/wareham-timetableandfares)

To enable regular passenger trains to again run to Wareham, three miles of former Network Rail line – from south of Worgret Junction to half a mile east of Furzebrook –has been restored and upgraded over a two-year period.

 That challenging work has seen 1,200 wooden track sleepers replaced, half a mile of new track laid, a quarter-mile-long embankment upgraded as well as undergrowth and drainage ditches cleared along three miles of railway line.

Linking the Swanage Railway with the national railway system, a unique and trail-blazing signalling system has been installed, tested and commissioned between Corfe Castle and Wareham in what was a four-year project.

Thanks to a £500,000 legacy donation from BP, the Swanage Railway has built a new level crossing west of Norden station – on the access road to Perenco's Wytch Farm oilfield – so that regular passenger trains can run to Wareham.

Tickets will be £15 for an adult or senior citizen day-return between Swanage and Wareham and £9 for an adult or senior citizen single.

Children, aged 5 to 15, will be £10 for a return and £6 for a single. Swanage Railway Purbeck resident's discount card holders will receive a 33 per cent discount while National Railcards will not be accepted.

The Swanage Railway's Project Wareham director Mark Woolley said: "Our two 1960s-built heritage diesel trains, which together make up four carriages, will be used for the second year of the trial service to Wareham.

"They are being refurbished and upgraded to main line standards which is challenging and specialist work because of the age of the heritage diesel units, their design as well as modern health and safety standards," added Mr Woolley, a dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer since the mid-1980s.

Passengers on the new Wareham service should book seats in advance via the Swanage Railway website at www.swanagerailway.co.uk.

The line was not mentioned in Dr Beeching’s report.

Resort was effectively cut off from the mainline after  Dr Richard Beeching recommended it be axed

and....booked on the 1515 on the 13th. Plenty of tickets left.

It seems that perhaps on this occasion the Daily Mail is not quite the organ of accuracy it might lay claim to.  ::)

Not quite full either, just one or two seats left. This morning's however, were well stuffed, according to the crew on board.

The fare is only £2.50 more than the max fare from Swanage to Norden, the usual end of the line, I don't think could charge any less?
However, its £9 just for the Wareham-Norden section....

STEAM locomotives have been replaced by diesel trains on the Swanage Railway, after two locomotives collided.

Since Monday, diesel services have run on the heritage line, as staff work to resume a steam-hauled passenger service as soon as possible.

No-one was injured in the incident, which took place in an area not open to the public between the signal box and the engine shed at Swanage station during shunting operations shortly after 9am on Monday July 24.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) regulator have been informed of the incident.

From the Bourenmouth Echo (http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/districts/purbeck/15431297.Steam_locomotives_collide_in_Swanage/)

Train enthusiasts hoping to get on board Swanage Railway's new train service to Wareham will have to wait a little bit longer.

The project to restore two former 1960's diesel trains so they're able to run on the main line is taking longer than expected.

Some special diesel and steam trains may run on the line between Swanage and Wareham later this year.
The full service is now estimated to be up and running by Easter 2019.

[continues]

A number posting on Twitter last night suggested that it would be a good place to trial Vivarail’s D train. That or SWR lend a unit, if spare!

Using ancient Mk1 DMUs is a sure sign to me that they aren’t really sure if they operating a heritage attraction or a proper commercial railway suitable for regular commuter travel. 

In hindsight these overhauls could be money wasted, given the number of modern DMUs shortly to be made available, eg from the Anglia full fleet replacement.

If it is intended eventually to be a permanent part of the local public transport offering, supported by the county council, shouldn’t it be operated by fully DDA compatible rolling stock?

Paul

Re-opening of Purbeck rail line services pushed back

Plans to resume regular passenger rail services on a line which was closed for 45 years have been further delayed.

Swanage Railway received £5.5m, mostly of public funds, to link its heritage line in Dorset to the national network and restart regular services.

But the diesel train it planned to use remains in a workshop where it has been undergoing repairs for five years.

The railway said the "protracted overhaul" had been hampered by supply problems but was nearing completion.

One wonders whether it's really worth their while repairing whatever clapped-out "heritage" diesel unit they're proposing using. For that much money, they could have bought six class 139s, which would actually have been reliable (so they could donate four to other branch-line reopenings...).

Yet, RTT has the SWR service starting on Saturday May 25th. Waterloo to Corfe Castle, then Corfe Castle to Poole and back before returning to Waterloo.
 In addition, there is listed are WR shuttles from Swanage to Wareham on Saturdays, again starting on the 25th.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/CFC/2019/05/25/0600-2000?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

Woah! Corfe Castle to / from Waterloo. That's a 5 hour journey!

If I wanted to get to Corfe from London on that day I would probably do:

Train
0835 Waterloo
1048 Wareham

Then Breezer 40 bus
1104 Wareham station
1119 Corfe Castle East St

2hrs 44 min.

Also have the delivery run for the Diesel Gala on Wednesday.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R04635/2019/05/08/advanced

Visiting trains are rolling in for the Swanage Railway’s Diesel Gala and Dorset Beer Festival this weekend.

Now in its fourteenth year and featuring an intensive three-train service, popular annual event takes place from Friday, May 10 to Sunday, May 12.

The Dorset Beer Festival is being staged next to the heritage railway at the Bankes Arms Hotel, Corfe Castle.

Heritage diesel trains will be running from 9am until 11.30pm on the Friday and Saturday and from 9am until 7pm on the Sunday – with ‘Beerex’ buffet coach trains operating on the Friday and Saturday evenings.

Among the visiting locos are Class 25 No. D7535 (No. 25 185) courtesy of South Devon Diesel Traction Limited and Class 26 No. 26 007 – courtesy of Victor Korzeniewicz – which will be staying on the Swanage Railway until early September.

Also have the delivery run for the Diesel Gala on Wednesday.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/R04635/2019/05/08/advanced

17th May 2019
For the last three days there has been no service to Norden due to a problem with a set of points. Diesel service between Swanage and Corfe Castle only

06:35 London Waterloo to Corfe Castle Swanage R due 11:35 will be terminated at Salisbury.
It will no longer call at Tisbury, Gillingham Dorset, Templecombe, Sherborne, Yeovil Junction, Yeovil Pen Mill, Maiden Newton, Dorchester West, Upwey, Weymouth, Dorchester South, Moreton Dorset, Wool, Wareham and Corfe Castle Swanage R.
This is due to a member of traincrew being unavailable.
   

Which just goes to show you cannot rely on it for a day out. Better to end the service it’s not reliable. Sad and I feel for Swanage Railway.

Just three weeks after my previous failed attempt to sample the summer Saturday SWR service to Weymouth and Corfe Castle (6 July), it is profoundly disappointing to have suffered a similar experience again on Saturday (27 July)

The passenger licence will authorise the applicant to be the operator of trains being used on a network for the purpose of carrying passengers by railway in Great Britain, subject to all legal requirements being fulfilled by the applicant.   

WAREHAM TRIAL TRAIN SERVICE POSTPONED TO SUMMER 2023

Dedicated Swanage Railway volunteers have postponed their planned trial diesel train service to the main line at Wareham until the summer of 2023 because of challenging trading conditions and economic uncertainty.

It had been hoped to operate the 90-selected day trial public service – using restored 1950s British Railways heritage diesel multiple units upgraded for main line running – during the summer of 2022.

Delays in completing the Swanage Railway’s submission to the Government’s Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to obtain permission to run the trains, the option of bringing in a contractor to operate the trains being uneconomic and main line passenger numbers having not returned to pre-Covid levels – have prompted the postponement decision.

Swanage Railway chairman Gavin Johns said: “We can only run trains to Wareham when the conditions are commercially viable and it’s important that we operate the trial as economically as possible and when commercial conditions are at their best.

“We will continue with our main line train operating licence application to the Office of Rail and Road as quickly as practicable.

"The Swanage Railway's business is still recovering from Covid, which badly affected customer and staff confidence, against a background of challenging trading conditions and economic uncertainty.

“Trading conditions during 2022 are very unpredictable because they are being heavily affected by significant prices rises being borne by our customers and our business – such as the increased cost of coal – as well as the tragedy unfolding in the Ukraine.

“Concentrating on providing viable heritage train services between Norden, Corfe Castle, Harman’s Cross and Swanage remains the Swanage Railway’s first priority.

“The current challenging economic reality has affected our plans for operating a trial 90-selected day trial train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham during 2022 and we are working to deliver that service during 2023, trading and economic conditions permitting.

“The business case does not currently exist to place external contracts to provide the trial train service to Wareham but we remain fully committed to securing all necessary consents and commencing services with a view to operating to Wareham during 2023. This is the most pragmatic way to proceed,” added Mr Johns who is a volunteer Swanage Railway signalman.

A 60-selected day trial train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to Wareham operated during the summer of 2017 using heritage diesel locomotives and carriages hired in as well as the contracting of a main line train company to operate the trains.

Gavin Johns explained: “The extensive work required to put in an application to the Office for Road and Rail (ORR) for operating trains to Wareham has been very detailed and has taken longer than expected – it has probably been the most challenging project in the 45-year history of the Swanage Railway.

“Trading conditions and economic uncertainties permitting, we plan to run a 90-selected day trial train service to the main line Wareham during 2023.

“I would like to thank everyone who has worked so hard on the Wareham project which has been a Swanage Railway ambition since British Rail closed the branch line to Corfe Castle and Swanage in January, 1972,” he added.

The two 1950s former British Railways heritage diesel multiple unit trains that the Swanage Railway has refurbished and upgraded, for running on to the main line at Wareham, are a three-carriage Class 117 and a one-carriage Class 121 ‘Bubble Car’.

I wonder whether we'll see any SWR through services this Summer.

My prediction is, "DfT says no."

Disappointing but totally understandable.

And your prediction would be a correct one as the Saturday Waterloo-Weymouth via Salisbury service that provided the unit that ran to Corfe Castle was on the list of services withdrawn along with Bristol to Waterloo. Apologies I don’t have a link to this.

There’s a paragraph about the summer Saturday “rail tour” in the SWR Dec 2022 consultation:

“SWR has previously trialled a Special Saturday Service from Salisbury to Weymouth via Yeovil, providing one train in each direction on Saturdays during the summer peak season.
Due to the disproportionate cost of running these services that could not be sustained by the revenue they generated, there are no plans to reintroduce this special service in the future.”
From this:
https://www.southwesternrailway.com/plan-my-journey/timetables/~/media/527b019ecca54d708c71c6a9600f0bca.ashx