Swanage Railway - return of passenger services and reopening to Wareham

[whole diary]

[paul7575]

Found a summary of everything they still need to do, I think it's fair to say that there's nothing much to do with Network Rail holding the project up - assuming the area re-signalling is completed on time (that should be done within the next few weeks according to posters up at SWT^▸ (South West Trains) stations). 

ISTM that there are still significant infrastructure improvements needed on the branch, not least a level crossing re-instatement to modern standards.

http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/project-wareham

Paul

[phile]

Should this nothave  been on the Wider Picture Board as it is not an FGW^▸ (First Great Western) matter.

[Chris from Nailsea]

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. 

[rogerw]

If anyone is interested there is a special train running from Salisbury to Swanage on Thursday 8th May in aid of the Swanage lifeboat appeal.  Details http://www.ukrailtours.com/tourshow.asp?tourtype=excursion_trains&tourfile=140508_THE_SWANAGE_LIFEBOATMAN.txt  I shall be on board, catching 0753 from Trowbridge to connect.

[phile]

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. 

Thanks Chris.
Phil

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Line lease boosts Swanage - Wareham rail reconnection


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."

[Red Squirrel]

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

Being a bit picky here, but I reckon it's over 6 miles from Norden P&R^▸ (Park and Ride) to Swanage. 5.5 miles would however get you to Corfe Castle...

[CLPGMS]

More on this at http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/news/detail/historic-lease-signed-to-enable-trial-passenger-train-service-linking-swanage-and-corfe-castle-with-wareham

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Swanage to Wareham rail reconnection works begin



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.



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.



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.



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.



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.

[ChrisB]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Not quite "Animals ON the line, but nearly....

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^▸ (Member of Parliament) 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."

[phile]

Suggest this thread should be on "The Wider Picture" thread as it is not connected with FGW^▸ (First Great Western).

[Chris from Nailsea]

A fair point, phile - I've therefore moved and merged that topic here, where we have already discussed the Swanage to Wareham link. 

[grahame]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-34986104

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.

[Oberon]

How can a level crossing coast half a million quid, do they ever put these sorts of jobs out to competitive tender? It sounds as if they don't..

[Chris from Nailsea]

The proposed disabled access ramp up to platform 1 at Nailsea & Backwell station could be created at a cost of ^1 million, apparently: see http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=8366.0.