The Swanage Railway has withdrawn its plans for a train service to connect Swanage with the mainline at Wareham.
Trial services ran in 2017 and 2023 and saw a train service connect Swanage and Wareham via the mainline connection at Worgret Junction.
Frank Roberts, chairman of the Swanage Railway Trust, says that whilst the trials were operationally a success, they did not deliver commercially.
Frank also said that any future service would need to be subsidised to allow it to be commercially viable.
Whilst this is disappointing, the mainline connection at Worgret Junction allows a number of mainline tours each year to visit the Swanage Railway and also allows for mainline certified locomotives to visit the heritage railway.
Swanage Railway Trust chairman Frank Roberts said: “I would like to thank our dedicated and professional staff and volunteers who worked so hard to put the infrastructure in place so the Swanage Railway could operate its two-year trial heritage diesel train service to the main line at Wareham in 2017 and 2023.
“My grateful thanks are also due to our valued and appreciated partners and stakeholders – local councils, Network Rail, South Western Railway – previously South West Trains – and the Government's Coastal Communities Fund – for their enduring commitment, help and assistance in enabling our two-year trial heritage train service to Wareham.
“While our trial heritage train service on the busy Network Rail main line into Wareham was operationally successful, it did not deliver commercially and any future service to Wareham would require a subsidy so it could operate. We appreciate the disappointment this may cause to people in the Isle of Purbeck.
“Operating on 90 selected days between April and September in 2017 and 2023, the 2023 trial heritage train service to Wareham was operated against the background of the Government underwriting reduced price £2 tickets for bus journeys in England.
“The Swanage Railway's important connection with the national railway network at Worgret Junction – a mile west of Wareham on the main line from London – enables excursion trains from anywhere in the country to run to Corfe Castle and Swanage; bringing several hundred passengers on each train and much needed business to the Isle of Purbeck.
“During the two-year trial, our Wareham train ticket prices reflected the additional costs of running over the national railway network into Wareham while not detrimentally affecting the fare structure of our important steam and diesel heritage train services between Norden, Corfe Castle, Harman's Cross, Herston and Swanage.
“Our popular heritage train services between Norden and Swanage carried more than 150,000 passengers in 2023 with the Swanage Railway contributing more than £15 million a year to the local economy.
“Operating, maintaining and developing a heritage railway is growing increasingly expensive and I would like to thank our passengers for their continued and valued support which helps to preserve our important railway heritage for future generations to enjoy and learn from,” added Frank who lives in Swanage and has been a dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer for more than 40 years.
Would it not be viable to work out a leasing arrangement with SWR and/or the council for them to run scheduled services on the line, rather than letting the work and expense go to waste?
The traditional steam railway might be part of Swanage heritage, but it would serve as a useful connection to the main rail network system, something Swanage and Corfe would really benefit from and possibly alleviate some of the awful seasonal congestion on the roads. Although financial considerations must be at the forefront, there are also very important social considerations to take into account.
That lease revenue might also go to helping maintain the heritage part of the railway.
Can swr not operate the service?I know they were running a service to corfe castle a couple of years ago.
Very short sighted, had it been a regular fixture, you would have more than recouped the cost with people traveling on day trips from as far away as London. Many other railways have done this and it’s always been proven to be a success.
Oh well ….. and to think, not even Richard Beeching put the service on the chopping block. I’d wondered whether the lack a bay or of laying over accommodation at Wareham might prove a hurdle too far. Couple that with a service designed for grockles, of only occasional use to locals and unwelcome as it is I fear this announcement isn’t such a surprise.
Looking forward, I wonder whether a long term solution might lie with the VLR (Very Light Rail) currently under development for a proposed installation in Coventry. Here, I’d suggest heavy rail formed the backbone of a network within Purbeck and Bournemouth, able to efficiently funnel passengers to both the big railway AND the one us lot are interested in.
Beyond Purbeck, a VLR network might even serve to get the towns and villages left high and dry by closure of Castleman’s Corkscrew and(whisper it quietly) possibly the S&D in the hinterland of Bournemouth/Poole, perhaps even geting Bournemouth Airport rail connected.
Oh dear. What’s happened to my customary cynicism today?
I made the journey from Swanage to Wareham on
the train last year. It was the highlight of my visit as i have only gone as far as Norden previously. Sad to see it will not be continuing. Hopefully I will be back in Swanage in the summer and will use the railway again to give my support to such a worthwhile cause. I hope we never lose the heritage railways
This is disappointing news, especially with the current momentum with Restoring Your Railways. However the fact that it wasn’t commercially viable is not a total surprise. I traveled on the last Saturday of operation last September which unfortunately coincided with an ASLEF overtime ban. My train from Bournemouth was 15 minutes late at Wareham and I missed my connection as the Swanage train was in the down platform and had to leave to allow the main line service through. I then had to walk into Wareham town centre to get a bus to Corfe Castle and pick up the train back to Wareham, hence missing a run on the whole of the line. There were no announcements or advertising on SWR of the Swanage services.
The section from Norden to Wareham is through beautiful countryside and it will be a shame for people not to see that. If any of it could be used by the heritage railway, even to Blue Pool, then that would be something at least.
I think at £25 a return trip I’m not surprised it’s not being continued. Don’t Swanage Railway realise there’s a financial crisis going on.
The article says “During the two-year trial, our Wareham train ticket prices reflected the additional costs of running over the national railway network”, and that it “did not deliver commercially and any future service to Wareham would require a subsidy so it could operate”.
In other words, due to their own costs in running the service, resulting ticket prices were too expensive and too few people used it. Running it again would require external money to offset the costs and bring ticket prices down to a level the market will tolerate.
So yes, they know that £25 is too much in the current climate, but they also recognise that the current climate can’t deliver the subsidy they need. As a result, the service won’t run.
I run historic boat trips on a genuine Dunkirk Little Ship and charge the cost of opporation. People still ask for discounts.
Cost of fuel, license, maintenance, inspections not to mention insurance!
A great disappointment particularly after the long wait and all the hype. Although there would have been difficulties I believe the timetable should have been geared towards morning and evening commuter traffic. That may have improved the viability. So what now? Will we ever see a passenger service between Wareham and Swanage?
I would have gone this year if the DMU had been operating the connection, it’s doubtful I will go now.
Great shame but by not running on a Friday and Monday meant weekend breaks by train were not possible. The first arrival at Swanage at 12 noon was too late for the beach. Perhaps SWR could revitalise the Saturday service of a few years ago?
I understand why it is so difficult I am very disappointed as I live in Wareham and it was just magical to go to Swanage by train.I really hope it does happen at some point in the not too distant future Good luck and thank you
Such a shame We enjoyed the trips we made from Parkstone to Swanage, when they ran, one being a birthday treat in 2017, when much to the delight of my son his birthday was announced over the tannoy and passengers joined in singing.
Well done everyone for all the hard work you do. .
Changing from the mainline to the Swanage services at Wareham was a great convenience. I was a fairly regular user and I am very sad to see the service discontinued. I doubt if I’ll use the bus connection, let’s face it, that isn’t fun at all !
It didn’t help that the government had the £2 bus fare in place in 2023.As much as I like trains the journey on a double decker bus from Wareham to Swanage is very attractive scenically,you can see for miles on the upper deck
It is good however that the railway is connected to Network Rail as charter trains can use it and locomotives coming for galas etc
Perhaps South Western Railway could running limited summer trains in better times,financially,after cheap bus fares end?
Perhaps when times are better South Western Railway may consider running a limited summer service,after the cheap bus fare scheme ends?