Project Wareham

'Mildly sub-obtimal' - what a wonderful way of putting it!

 

Its a bit too late now to be talking about reinstating the bay platform, at Wareham, When the work was done to signal the branch connection, IMHO, it would have made more sence has the plan been then to bring the bay back into use for Swanage services, this would have enabled the SR service to been kept separated from the other services, and to have retained the flexibility for charters to use either of the through platforms

 

That was then, and such a change would require significant investment from Network Rail - which would be need funding from somewhere.

 

For personal interest, can anyone with solid knowledge of the answer advise please whether the 117/121 are getting a) full mainline registration or b) mainline derogation for Worgret Jcn-Wareham only?

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At the time it was very touch and go as to whether DCC would sign off on paying the £3M for the current arrangement. No chance they would have agreed on paying an extra couple of million for the bay platform as well.

 

I'm not surprised to hear that.

 

New update in the Swanning around magazine stating they are hopefully they will have an update about the 2023 trial in the next one at the end of Feb. Hopefully they are getting very close to getting their own licence which was one of the big reasons for the delay after 2017 (along with now having their stock which they have now got in the form of class 117/121 combo).
Be interesting to know the cost of the 2017 arrangements compared to this one now they can have their own licence, stock and staff, (as well as less track access charges due to not needing two big heavy locomotives, even tho, loco haulage is the best)

Would be fantastic and surprising if they announce a Easter start (which has been mentioned multiple times for a 90 day trial) considering its only 2 months away, but either way, Easter Summer or late summer, a 2023 trial will certainly make it a big year for the railway

 

From the latest Swanning Around one of the DMUs had a problem with a gearbox oil seal.
But by swapping the DMU coaches they were able to keep a service going whilst the seal was replaced.

 

It was an air seal in the gearbox.

 

A few years a similar update was promised. When the update came it was ‘we won’t be running services to Wareham this year’

Hopefully things will be different this time.

 

Timetable now up till the start of the Summer holidays, Blue timetable on Monday, Fridays and Sundays, which I believe in 2017 they said the Sundays were the least busiest days of the Wareham services. However nothing so far for the other days. Running to Wareham on 4 days over 90 days give them 22.5 weeks of running so from Easter all the way till End of August.

 

Link please! https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/calendar makes no mention of Wareham.
Edit: Or if it does I haven't found it.

 

I agree unless @Tom02 has some inside info all I see are identified event days and those days with the lowest service level have also been identified. Lots of days where the service yet to be announced.

 

Very interesting! I am also in the dark, so I guess it is a case of Please wait and/or listen for further announcements!

 

There appear to be some new Q paths in RTT. Still shown as WR for the TOC currently, but with the first and the last services ending at Corfe Castle. I assume this is because of the DMU depot there.
No idea if these are the paths that are planned but shows a first arrival in Swanage of 12:00 and a last departure of 16:23. Also shown as non passenger services, so I assume that means Swanage tickets only, unless I am making 2=2 +5 which of course is likely.

Example of today's RTT screen

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...000-2359?stp=WVS&show=non-passenger&order=wtt

 

I believe the paths have been there in previous years as placeholder paths. It doesn’t necessarily mean they will be used. Fingers crossed though.

 

The ones that were used in 2017 (starting and ending at Swanage) have been in the system since then, but not these paths where the day starts & finishes at Corfe. So some sort of update has happened.
Edit On studying the old timings some of the new ones differ from Wareham eg there wasa 13:15 which is now 13:05 on the new timings.

 

Green timetable showing first Wareham service on the 4th April. Arrives Swanage 11.58. Fare reported to be £20 return.

 

Thanks for highlighting that. What may be the pattern of service is here :https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...23-04-04/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt . Does the fact that the operator is shown as Swanage Railway mean that the operating licence is now granted?

It does seem quite odd that the SR website now makes no mention whatever of plans for Wareham services, even of an aspiration to operate them. Hopefully a blizzard of publicity will shortly break? The new service (if it really is happening) will need all the help it can get, particularly with impending strikes/overtime bans on the main line. I wonder what (if anything)is happening with through ticketing?

 

I guess at the moment with the £2 bus fare cap extended until June 30 it would be difficult to charge more than a £2 add on to the current Norden to Swanage return. Especially as the bus shows as slightly quicker.