Project Wareham

Although the Diesel and Beer gala date has been announced for May, no details yet, and if there will be a DMU train or bus service from Wareham station for those arriving by train.

 

Because I enjoy a beer or two (never 3!) as part of any visit to Swanage, I always go by public transport. Train to Wareham, over the footbridge & then bus to Swanage. I do this on normal operating days and on gala weekends, there’s always plenty of room on the bus, not sure why I would need the SR to lay on a special bus?

 

No real reason, but given the choice of a modern Plaxton or, say, an open topped Lodekka (and a sunny day!), which would you jump on?

 

Based on recent bus/train timetables maybe to guarantee a more reliable connection rather than a long wait. Who knows what service SWR will be offering by May, but recently connections have been quite tight so any late running trains could cause a long wait.
I of course have no idea if the railway are planning offering any connection or not.

 

I totally get the comment about an open topped Lodekka! I hadn’t thought about that. As for the connections, I agree they are rarely well timed, but that gives me time to stroll into Wareham for a coffee and catch the bus there.

 

From https://www.swanage.news/swanage-ra...ring-service-to-wareham-after-50-year-battle/
The Wareham service in May looks more likely
But from Swanning around last week from staff.co.uk
"There is currently no announcement about commencement of the 90-day trial of the service to
Wareham, but testing and exercises continue to ensure that both machinery and crews are ready to go
and fresh when required.
Part of this process is simulating a train failure and recovery operation, unlikely in practice we hope!"
Also some photos and an engine change on the 121, guess as these are over 60 years old not surprising, but good the SR can now change them and hopefully will be reliable in operation, and the faulty one can be repaired as a spare.

 

The question is; with the (again) delayed commencement of the Herston Carriage sidings Project will the SR have sufficient mechanically and cosmetically available rolling stock. no use running into Wareham with peeling roofs and faded paintwork!!

 

The Wareham DMUs were not going to use the Herston Carriage shed, so far they will look good if a Wareham to Corfe or Swanage service starts in May.

Long term storage will become important if the Wareham service is successful.
Corfe is still shown on the latest SWR maps, the SWR timetable is starting to be restored and maintenance to the line at Frome bridge was carried out last week. So just have to wait for the SR management to give the service a dicision.

 

One wonders what effect the SWR emergency timetable might be having on any potential Wareham announcement. As there is only one train per hour through Wareham, and the Railway is unable to access the Wareham down sidings, it must be hard to design a timetable to meet Weymouth and Waterloo bound trains…


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From the last SWR timetable consultation
"We are proposing to restore the Weymouth services to two trains an hour in both off-peak and peak periods providing additional journey opportunities for leisure travel."
We shall see if this happens?

 

Yes but that timetable consultation is for the December 2022 timetable, there’s no mention of what may happen in May 2022 timetable.

With the ongoing stock shortages across the network due to the failure to introduce the 701 class, I would be surprised if 2 trains per hour were re introduced in May 2022.


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There is also now the issue of what the Treasury is prepared to fund via the DfT. I understand from a different forum that expenditure over £500 needs to go to the Treasury for approval, so the TOC's are being micromanaged financially more than ever before.

 

and for the ORR to issue the licence including the derogation for the Class 117 and 121 DMUs to operate on the mainline in passenger carrying service.

 

The 455 and 456s life can be extended, rather than be scrapped, and some of the 707s are to be kept a bit longer,
https://www.southwesternrailway.com...ass-707-trains-in-boost-to-fleet-availability
So the SWR might have enough stock to run a full timetable if the 701 and refurbishment of the 458 Junipers are delayed.
They should have enough Desiros and Sprinters to run the Portsmouth, Exeter and Weymouth lines. Even with the scrapping of the 422s.

 

Except that the 456s have been withdrawn, and are now being towed to Long Marston for storage - as have some of the more knackered 455s.

 

Thought I saw a 456 with 455s, so if they have started to be scrapped agree SWR could have a problem if the 701s are further delayed

 

On the Realtime trains site if look at Wareham from mid May onwards the full timetable is shown,ie 2 trains each way 6 days a week as it was up to 2019 before Covid.Of course whether this happens or not only time will tell.

 

Saturday (5th February) marked the 7th Anniversary of the Commissioning of the £3.2Million Pound signalling system to enable trial passenger train services between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage.

https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/ne...ew-signalling-scheme-for-main-line-connection

 

Current SWR fleet as at 29/1:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/swr-metro-fleet-withdrawals.224866/page-17#post-5512319
according to UK Rail Forums

 

Are you sure.
I would go for the 14th /15th May 2014. That was the Saturday I had my retirement (as a SWT Mainline Guard) do at Poole.