JOINED-UP THINKING
A dream is about to become reality for the Swanage Railway - connecting to the main line. General Manager MATTGREEN describes the journey ahead.
In 2017, the Swanage Railway will undertake the most significant development in its history: the beginning of a trial service between Swanage and Wareham, and reconnection with the national rail network. Restoring the railway between Swanage and Wareham, as an evocative preserved Southern branch line that also provides a community service, has been one of our ambitions for 40 years, and this year it becomes a reality. It is evident from the Swanage Railway archives that the early supporters of the railway believed that the decision to close the Swanage branch line was a disastrous mistake by British Rail. There was sufficient demand and the general feeling was that if British Rail didn’t think that the line was viable, then it should let the locals take over operation, and the branch could continue as before, albeit under new ownership. However, social, economic and technological changes over the past 40 years mean that the Swanage Railway is now operating in a different environment. Nevertheless, despite the growth in overseas travel, widespread access to cars and the National Concession Travel Scheme free bus pass, the Swanage Railway has become a successful business, operating steam services daily from the end of March until the end of October.
DAY TRIPPERS
Our principal traffic is day trippers visiting the Isle of Purbeck, taking advantage of the railway to visit both Corfe Castle and Swanage, having parked their cars at the Norden park and ride facility. Of over 200,000 passengers per annum, the vast majority are not steam railway enthusiasts as such, but they do enjoy a ride on a steam-hauled train as part of their days out. The Swanage Railway provides a genuine and much-needed link between the tourist attractions of Swanage and Corfe Castle: this is a railway that goes from somewhere to somewhere. Operating a daytime community service between Swanage and Wareham presents a number of challenges. On the face of it, services to Wareham are an extension of the service between Swanage and Norden. Unfortunately, the need to fit in with South West Trains movements along the main line from Worgret Junction to Wareham means that the clockface timetable will be abandoned and the Swanage Railway service frequency will become irregular. However, the number of services will remain the same. The fare structure also presents a challenge. Preserved railway fares reflect the service offered, in that they are not just a fare for transportation but payment for a living history experience. Extending the service to Wareham adds to the overall journey in terms of both time and distance, but the market would not tolerate a simple increase in the fare on a pence-per-mile basis. The fare set for travel between Wareham and Swanage will have to be attractive enough to encourage patronage, while not undermining the service.
WELL CONNECTED
The single most important benefit of the extension is that the branch will be reconnected to the main line, enabling passengers to travel from their local station to Wareham and then catch the connecting service to Swanage. An attractively priced supplementary fare will be offered to encourage this traffic. However, Wareham is not without its challenges. The station is quite a walk from the town centre, and its car park is quite small. It is therefore possible to envisage a future where our customer base is split: passengers arriving by car will park at Norden and use the higher frequency service between Norden and Swanage, while passengers arriving by train will connect at Wareham and use the lower frequency service between Wareham and Swanage. A further complication is that the Wareham services will be diesel multiple units, while the majority of services between Norden and Swanage will be steamhauled. All these factors (type of traction, frequency, fares, availability of car parking, and the appeal of Wareham) make it impossible to predict demand, which is why we’re undertaking a two-year trial. We will carry out a very comprehensive data and opinion-gathering exercise during the trial, and this will inform and influence the ultimate decision on the level of service we should offer in the future.
HEMMED IN
The railway benefits from a large customer base, but that only compounds the problems of running one of the most physically constrained preserved railways. In short, there is little space for the railway to develop the facilities it needs. What was once Swanage goods yard is now a supermarket car park. Corfe goods yard is occupied by a coal and timber merchant. But there are two glimmers of hope. At the site of the former Swanage gas works (now an industrial estate), it may be possible to acquire the freehold to some land and buildings to create a locomotive works. This could be rail-connected (as the former gas works once was); however, to build the necessary spur will require permission from various bodies, and a considerable amount of money. At Furzebrook, on the extension between Norden and Worgret Junction, there is a siding owned by Imerys, which once used it for the movement of clay. There is also an oil terminal depot,
This is a railway that goes from somewhere to somewhere Matt Green, who became the Swanage Railway’s general manager in 2015.
now owned by Perenco. Access to these sites may be possible, but they are landlocked within areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs) and sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs). Any activity on those sites would be very limited and strictly controlled. Furthermore, road access would be very restricted. The Swanage Railway is talking with all the interested parties, but progress is, understandably, slow.
HEARTS AND MINDS
While we can see the benefit to the entire community of the Swanage Railway developing its passenger services, people need to be convinced. Now, more than ever before, we need to project a professional image, and demonstrate that we can fulfil our promises, provide a genuine return on the capital (grants) invested in the railway and deliver the service the community both needs and deserves. A key element in developing and enhancing our reputation is to dispel the myth of preserved railways being run in the same fashion as in The Titfield Thunderbolt -a railway run by amateurs in an unsafe and comedic way. From our perspective, each member of staff (whether paid or volunteer) is a professional and is respected as such. We need to invest in all our staff and provide them with everything they’ll need to deliver the level of service our customers rightfully expect and increasingly demand. Slowly but surely, the Swanage Railway is developing the professionalism and skills of its staff. Individual development plans are being agreed with staff so that they can do the job and realise their potential. Finally, as we grow our reputation for being an organisation that develops its staff, we’ll become more attractive to both potential employees and volunteers, young and old. Young people are increasingly looking to invest their efforts in companies where they can develop their careers, or for a worthy cause on which to spend their precious spare time. Already, we have an unbelievable wealth of experience and skills within our staff. Unlocking that potential will enable us to realise our aspirations and operate a preserved railway that is second to none.