Swanage Railway trial trains to Wareham

[Andy Y]

PROJECT MANAGER STARTS WORK TO HELP THE SWANAGE RAILWAY DELIVER HISTORIC TRIAL TRAINS TO WAREHAM

An experienced project manager – who also used to control trains running from Hampshire and Surrey into London's busy Waterloo station – has started work on helping the Swanage Railway deliver an historic trial train service to Wareham.

 

Thanks to a £1.47 million Coastal Communities Government grant, the trial train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham is due to begin in September, 2015, and operate on 140 selected days over two years.

 

Holding a degree in railway operational management from Glasgow University, 52-year old Frank Roberts – who lives in Swanage – has been a volunteer manager on the Swanage Railway in his spare time for 31 years, specialising in building and developing the line's telephone system.

 

During his working life to date, Frank served for 25 years in the Royal Corps of Signals around the world – again specialising in communications – before starting a successful career with South West Trains.

 

That saw him part of a team delivering a £6.8 million ticket vending machine project, then managing 12 stations in the Staines and Windsor area – including Olympic preparations at Eton Dorney – and finally being a route controller from Farnborough and Guildford into London's Waterloo station.

 

A member of both the Institute of Directors and the Institution of Railway Operators, Frank said: "I am immensely proud that I have the opportunity build a team to deliver an historic and pioneering two-year trial train service from Swanage and Corfe Castle to the main line at Wareham.

 

"I hope that I can use three decades of experience to ensure that the dream of rebuilding the Swanage Railway to Wareham that will make those two generations of people who have gone before us very proud indeed.

 

"There is a very heavy workload to get through – including some three miles of substantial track upgrade work, the construction of a level crossing at Norden and the refurbishment of two diesel multiple unit trains to main line standards," he added.

 

 

 

As a Swanage Railway volunteer, Frank spent 22 years building and developing the heritage railway's lineside telecommunications system for signalling systems and telephones – as well as developing and managing the line's Herston Halt on the outskirts of Swanage since 1997.

 

Frank explained: “The historic project to re-instate a train service to Wareham is really accelerating and while there is a lot of work to do, the implementation of many years of challenging planning is about to pay dividends."

 

Passionate about the seaside town where he has made his home, Frank had the honour of carrying the Olympic flame through a part of Swanage ahead of the Games during 2012.

 

Swanage Railway Company chairman Peter Sills said: " As well as improving access to the heart of Purbeck for tourists – and improving rail links out of Purbeck to Poole and Bournemouth for residents – it's estimated that a restored train service between Swanage, Corfe Castle and Wareham will create 40 new jobs indirectly and ten new jobs directly.

 

"The Swanage Railway has been campaigning to bring back regular trains to Wareham since 1972 – when British Rail controversially axed the service – and their re-introduction will give an important transport, tourism and employment boost to Purbeck as well as taking more cars off the road between Swanage, Corfe Castle, Wareham, Poole and Bournemouth.

 

"Connecting with the South West Trains service between London and Weymouth at Wareham, the re-connected rail link will become much easier for people to use public transport and so improve employment opportunities for Purbeck residents and increase the number of tourists," added Mr Sills.

 

Swanage Railway train times – and special event details – are available online at www.swanagerailway.co.uk or by telephone on 01929 425800.

[Ian J.]

Good to hear. Hopefully this trial will work out well, so that after there might be a chance of getting a service of some kind from Bournemouth to Swanage again.

[bike2steam]

Yes, and they couldn't pick a better person, I have known  'Sergeant' Roberts since the mid-80's, an excellent motivator, and organiser, he's been one of the best characters on Swanage Railway since the early years. Much of his time in the 'Royal Signals' was based at Blandford - very handy. It's good to hear that the recent siding improvements at Wareham will be put to good use.

[AngryMeerkat]

I love heading down to Swanage, it's such a beautiful place. The only reason I don't do it more often is the road traffic from Bournemouth to Swanage on a sunny weekend is just horrendous!!

 

However once this rail link is established I'm sure it will be VERY well used, hopefully once the DMU service is proven then some steam may take over and really make the experience relaxing and special.

 

Until then my special trips involve my boat, the anchor, and either my kayak or a swim to make land.

 

Mark

[bike2steam]

True, the Purbecks really suffer from their own popularity, that's one of the reasons why we decided to go further inland, than move to Swanage, when we wanted to get out of Bournemouth.

[PaulRhB]

Good news, didn't know he'd left SWT but having a project manager who's been so heavily involved for years should give much better value for money. Been a member for 25ish years so well aware of his record on the railway.

[Catkins]

Possibly a bit but didn't the Royal Signals do a lot of the telegraph on the Swanage Railway?

And if so, was it just a coincidence?

 

That's great news about the trials, I fancy a weekend on the south coast.

[PaulRhB]

And if so, was it just a coincidence?

 

Nope another of Frank's achievements. Seen his pic in the SR magazine a few times with them and he's always been credited with organising it. Edited April 22, 2014 by PaulRhB

[Gwiwer]

Excellent news and more steady progress.

 

As an aside it seems that financial support for the local bus between Poole, Wareham and Swanage is about to be withdrawn in the evenings so whether or not a future train service might be able to offer some sort of replacement is also something for the melting pot.

[roythebus]

Local bus services are being withdrawn all over the country, not just Purbeck! Good luck to the Swanage Railway on their venture.

[Robin Brasher]

The Swanage Railway may be operating trains to Wareham for a limited number of days later this year using a class 121 bubblecar.  This came back to Swanage a few days ago having been upgraded for main line use at Eastleigh. The upgrade included fitting electromagnets on the doors to prevent people opening them while the train was moving and possibly fitting new wheels.

 

For further information please see https://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/wareham-project-update.

[Joseph_Pestell]

They didn't want a Pacer then?

[eastwestdivide]

3 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

They didn't want a Pacer then?

Not "heritage" enough. Give them time.

[Gwiwer]

Excellent news.

 

I spotted the Swanage Railway's class 33 on the main line near Eastleigh on Wednesday and wondered if there might be movement of stock involved.  My trip was between Clapham Junction and Wareham and, ironically, would have been to Swanage had a train been available.  The bus "connections" were unfavourable and would have left me with too short a time with a friend living in Swanage so we met in Wareham.

 

Meanwhile the SWR Saturday train from Waterloo to Corfe Castle and back, plus its associated Wareham shuttles, is reported to be very busy.  Despite leaving the Capital at 06.35 and travelling via Yeovil and Weymouth it is often well loaded at the outset and picks up along the way.  Only a three-car unit can be accommodated on the Swanage Railway; one unit comes off at Yeovil to form an up service and the third unit I believe remains at Weymouth for the day.

 

 

[Robin Brasher]

The class 121 bubblecar has now left the bay platform under its own power which is encouraging.

 

I caught the South Western Railway train from Corfe Castle to Weymouth one Saturday on its return journey to Waterloo via Yeovil and Salisbury. Lots of passengers. I bought a return ticket to Weymouth for £10.  Unfortunately it does not come back so I spent an hour on the sea front at Weymouth. Next I caught a service train to Wareham which did connect with the no. 40 bus back to Swanage.

[Gwiwer]

Sorry to say the Salisbury - Weymouth - Corfe Castle service is not running today.  Neither will the shuttles or the return Corfe Castle - Weymouth - Salisbury service.  This is due to staff shortages.  The morning down train from Waterloo terminated at Salisbury.

[Paul.Uni]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Sorry to say the Salisbury - Weymouth - Corfe Castle service is not running today.  Neither will the shuttles or the return Corfe Castle - Weymouth - Salisbury service.  This is due to staff shortages.  The morning down train from Waterloo terminated at Salisbury.

 

Looking at RTT there was a ECS Salisbury to Weymouth, which then formed the service to Corfe Castle.

 

Tomorrow will see the start of the UK Railtours trips to Swanage.

[Gwiwer]

Interesting.  The full story hasn't emerged but if the e.c.s. reached Weymouth from Salisbury then it may have done so without a guard.  In which case there was a driver but no guard to take the passenger service onwards from Salisbury this morning.  

 

What ever eventuated at least the Wareham - Corfe service was salvaged and those aboard who were turfed off at Salisbury had time to reach Wareham via Southampton to continue their journeys.

[4630]

Resurrecting a long dormant thread, it looks as though the trial service will be operating on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 4th April to 10th September 2023.

 

Details on this recently published story on the Swanage Railway's website here.

 

 

[eastwestdivide]

Times are showing on realtimetrains for Wareham already, with operator code SP.

Here's a sample day, 22 April 2023:

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:WRM/2023-04-22/0600-2000?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=SP

 

Also, the regular Swanage/Norden trains are in RTT too (here the same day at Swanage):

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-pt:SGE/2023-04-22/0600-2000?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=SP

Edited March 15, 2023 by eastwestdivide
more info

[Robin Brasher]

To run a through service from Swanage to Wareham has involved a lot of hard work over the last 51 years.

[adb968008]

Not on SWR yet, but a great development none the less.

 

This will be on my to do list this summer.