Network Rail and the Swanage Railway have officially signed a new agreement, which will benefit both organisations.
The signing ceremony was held at Corfe Castle on 24th October.
Under the new agreement, the Swanage Railway will receive donations of redundant railway assets such as rail and sleepers.
These materials can be reused and given a new lease of life with the railway operating trains at slower speeds.
The agreement also allows for Network Rail to use the Swanage Railway to deliver hands-on training and skills development.
The agreement also sees a commitment from both organisations to explore new opportunities, such as trialling new technology on the Swanage Railway.
“Wherever we can, we will work with heritage railways across our network to forge a new partnership so that materials that would otherwise be recycled elsewhere to be re-used can find a new purpose.
“In turn, the Swanage Railway also has some excellent facilities which, because they are separate from the mainline network, provide the perfect opportunity for our colleagues to contribute to the local community.
“Working together through this ‘Route Agreement’ provides a clear framework and we are excited about the possibilities it brings, not only to Network Rail and the Swanage Railway, but wider society – and what better time to do it than in 2025, the bicentenary of the railway.”
Mark Goodall, Network Rail’s Wessex route director
“It has been a real pleasure to work with our Network Rail colleagues over the past months and I am very grateful for the guidance received from them.
“A decade ago, I led the project to reconnect the track from Swanage with the South West Main Line at Wareham which was successfully achieved and the signing of this Framework Agreement with Network Rail will help us strengthen our working arrangements.
“It is almost 50 years since volunteers started the restoration of the Swanage branch line. We have recently delivered an internal Governance Review which will streamline the Swanage Railway organisation just as Network Rail moves forward towards the new Great British Railways.
“The signing of this Agreement Framework is indeed a milestone in history and will provide both organisations with a good foundation on which to build for the future,” added Frank who has been a dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer for more than 40 years.”
Swanage Railway Trust trustee Frank Roberts
Responses
That’s excellent news, but it remains a great pity that the Swanage Railway no longer runs any trains into Wareham station to connect with mainline trains on Network Rail.
I understand that this was trialled but then abandoned by the Swanage Railway, even though they still have Network Rail authorisation to do so. As it is, they currently only go as far as Norden which is only half a mile or so from Corfe Castle, and well short of Wareham.
With the Watercress Line in Hampshire, the Bluebell line in Sussex, the N York Moors railway in Yorkshire, the Severn Valley Railway in Worcestershire and the Strathspey Railway in Scotland all making good use of their Network Rail mainline connections it seems a pity that the Swanage Railway don’t do so.