Fare Dealer
RAIL fares expert Barry Doe notes a missed opportunity on the Swanage Railway.
OF the many private railways that could (but don’t) provide a service to connect with the national system, I have always said the West Somerset represents the greatest missed opportunity.
It links the important seaside resort of Minehead to a major National Rail station (Taunton). Minehead also has a large holiday camp (one of only three remaining Butlin’s, the others being at Bognor Regis and Skegness). Anyway, I gather a shuttle might yet happen between Taunton and Bishops Lydeard.
Contrary to that, the Swanage Railway always had as its main aim the restoration of through services. It was, therefore, potentially excellent news that a passenger service resumed on June 13.
Swanage closed in 1972. Incidentally, the Southern Region Area Manager at the time told me that in his opinion the closure was a great mistake, and that if he had his way he would close the Lymington branch instead, because numbers at Swanage were far higher.
With the line now fully restored and linked with Basingstoke Signalling Centre, the idea is initially for a trial to assess demand for a daily service for day trippers and commuters. Sadly, that’s where the good news ends, for the trial seems to do everything possible to deter demand - indeed, it will be unable to assess it.
Firstly, trains don’t run Mondays or Fridays, so that kills off use by anyone going to Swanage for the weekend. On the other days, the first train leaves Swanage at 1023 and Wareham at 1115, with the last from Wareham at 1715. There are just four journeys. Clearly no daily usage will result from that.
Next, there are no through bookings onto the national system. Even worse, no arrangement has been made for Wareham ticket office to sell tickets and the Swanage Railway has a mobile office of its own in the car