Project Wareham

Though not regular in anything like the same way as the Hampshire units, they did see use to Swanage on excursions, such as Rambler Specials. There are several photos extant from the late 1960s of 117 and similar units at Swanage. This was something that was noted in the Locomotive and Rolling Stock strategy documents produced in around 2005 - prior to the development of the Project Wareham plans.

 

There is a picture In Swanage Railway in Colour by Tim Deacon of what is captioned as a 12 coach ramblers special, (although it is only 2 coaches off the platform) in August 1971. Units are in blue, one coach seems a different series of DMU, hence 4 coach I guess, rear unit marked "416"

 

In answer to your direct question. Yes I am fortunate and would have £25 on my person as I am one of the obviously decreasing band of the population that prefers cash.

In addition to the ATM outside the Co-Op right opposite Swanage Station, as already mentioned, there is also an ATM a few yards down Station Road outside the premises of Nationwide. Additionally, there is an ATM outside the closed NatWest Branch [opposite The Mowlem theatre] at the start of Institute Road. I understand the re-located Post Office in Institute Road is expecting the installation of an ATM before the main summer season. All these facilities are within a radius of 300 yards or so of Swanage Station.
Corfe Castle also has cash withdrawal facilities (but no ATM I believe) in the post office area of Village Stores at the end of Station Road.

 

Yes thank you Peter for that update. My concern re cash is the "half a dozen of one, 6 of the other effect" that combined both the acceptance of cash and the means of getting it in the first place are declining quite rapidly. Who would have thought that over C7 years Swanage has lost the branches of all 4 of the main high street banks.

The fundamental point is that Swanage Railway has to make buying a ticket (and catching the train) as simple as possible so that there are no barriers putting people off travelling by train.

 

But Swanage and Corfe Booking Offices have landline linked payment card readers, so cash is only needed onboard train payments (there is no SR Booking Office/Kiosk at Wareham), but a lot of people will have got into the habit of paying online in advance (same day is possible), when the SWR online payment system includes Corfe and Swanage things should be better, but the SR onboard TTI may need a SWR smartcard or phone QR code reader (which may not need to be online if mobile data reception is not good?)

 

There was at least one 'Ramblers' train from the Thames Valley composed of WR DMU's

 

Different card companies have different policies regarding validation of cards. Different merchants have different appetites for risk if a payment is declined when put through offline.

 

Was not saying about payments off line, just saying it is possible to check pre purchased SWR smart tickets off line if on a moving train with the right reader software.

 

Buses and National Rail take contactless and seem to manage reception or not so I assume that they must have some sort of arrangement with the banks.

 

I was at a national trust site when the broadband failed, they seemed to have a limit for offline contactless payments without authorisation, then the payments started failing, presumably the limit had been reached, perhaps Buses and National Rail have a similar arrangements.

 

They will have. They can also negotiate better rates, and afford greater losses.


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Idea world you would have ticket barriers at Wareham. Obviously that will never happen

 

Ive been asked to account for 1 minute lost time on a light loco move at 0200 before!

 

Sorry that you got someone who didn't know the rules.
It deserves a silly answer, but that would only lead to more "jobsworth" questions...

Cheers, Neil

 

One of those days today that I suspect the SR dreaded.
Due to the "knock on" from the Waterloo issues no connections to any of the trains other than from the 10:03 from Weymouth (Wareham 10:34) for the 11:19 service
and the 11:10 from Bournemouth (Wareham 11:38) for the 13:05 service. So hardly "connections" for either service.
It does look now (15:55) that trains are again running to Waterloo so anyone on the 16:23 from Swanage may have a train to connect with.
Sort of surprised SWR could at least not run trains at least Bournemouth to Weymouth or maybe an hourly or two hourly to somewhere like Basingstoke or Woking, unless the signalling centre extends all the way own here. I actually thought it was all controlled from Basingstoke.
Puts the WSR "current debate" about a potential loco swap at a gala 7 years ago into perspective.

 

The signalling problem was in the area controlled by Wimbledon panel.

 

This is the week the kids all go back so be interesting to see how busy the warham service is.
£25 is such a high price for anyone other than the one time tourists, swanage wants this to be more of a 'commuter service' and I do personally belive that could work.

i do thnk swanage railway needs to heavily advertise their £100 year ticket or railcards, which I think need to be maybe strengthen, to 50% off for people in the local area to really use this service as more of a actual service.

£15 railcard with 50% off services makes wearham to swanage £12.50, still alot more than the bus but that's getting on really really good value fare for anyone other than one time (pee year) tourists

 

It's not a commuter service though, is it? No one is going to use it on a regular basis to get to and from Swanage or Wareham - why would you when it takes so long and gives you either 4 hours in Swanage or 6 hours in Wareham? It's simply a way of making it easier for passengers to get to Swanage from elsewhere without having to change on to a bus.

The annual season ticket is very good value at £99 for unlimited travel outside of event days. The one year discount railcard makes less sense though - by the time you've spent enough to recover the £30 outlay you may as well buy an annual ticket.

 

I do not believe that (other than a very long past) the railway has ever thought of this as a commuter service.
Who would use it as such anyway? The 07:45 50 bus is nearly always almost empty leaving Swanage and the 08:00 40 bus only carries a decent load because of school students going to Wareham you are not attending Purbeck School where special buses operate. So who is the market? It would need to connect with the 07:27 or 07:57 from Wareham to have any use as a commuter service. The 07:27 also being the first train that cheap tickets are available on if you wanted say a day in London. So that makes you have to leave Swanage at what 06:20?, plus the unit would have to be at Swanage but the depot is at Corfe so an ECS move at 05:50? Then what about the return, no good if it only works one way, trains running until when 19:00 or 22:00?
Totally impractical.
As @5944 said it is geared at inbound passengers. I have an appointment at Dorchester Hospital on Wednesday at 15:45 and looked at the train as an option but that only works if the appointment is bang on time, I get back to Dorchester South on a bus and the SWR train is on time to just make the last train.
It is never going to have enough local users without tourists, plus where are all the staff coming from, there are two or three threads on here already talking about lack of volunteers in the HR sector.

 

Tried the service today. Travelled from Taunton, changed at castle Cary, walked Dorchester West to South. Very much enjoyed seeing the DMU roll into Wareham. Fairly well filled, pleasant journey to Swanage. Only just had time to pick up a pasty from the station shop, then had to start the return journey.
Will get back to Taunton at 1936. Long day, but worth it. It's a pity we didn't get longer at Swanage, we were delayed by the outgoing steam at Harman's cross, perhaps the summer schedule might be better and allow time for a steam trip as well. Very friendly staff and an impressive facility. As someone said upthread, it can never be a commuter service, but it did keep our car off the road today.
What's with the loud and ugly "bing bong" just before the guard gives the two buzzes?
Ian C