WAREHAM TRIAL SERVICES DELAYED UNTIL 2019

An expected second year of trial services over the Swanage Railway’s Wareham extension has been delayed until next year. The main line-connected extension, which is currently used during galas and by incoming railtours, was used for an initial 60-day trial period of timetabled passenger services from June-September last year, with a second, 90-day trial period planned during 2018. However, owing to delays in the overhaul of the railway’s singlecoach Class 121 ‘Bubblecar’ and three-coach Class 117 DMU to main line standards, the services have been pushed back to Easter 2019. The diesel units were planned to be used on last year’s trial services, but as they were not ready, the trains were run primarily using West Coast Railways’ locomotives, rolling stock and crews. In November last year, the train operating company announced that it was withdrawing some services to third-party organisations. The Swanage Railway’s Project Wareham director Mark Woolley said: “The performance of our Wareham trains was good, thanks to a robust timetable, and our connections with main line trains were well maintained. “Despite the operational success of the 60-day trial, the service was operated at a financial loss and the use of a contracted third-party operator cannot be repeated in 2018.” In future, the Swanage Railway plans to run services to Wareham using its own main line-certified motive power and crews. Some diesel and steam-hauled Wareham services may run later this year.