Swanage Railway General Discussion

Last year’s trains from Weymouth to Corfe Castle showed that there must at least be a potential market there, at weekends at any rate. In addition, judging by the paraphanelia being carried, my sense from having travelled on the Swanage Railway on summer weekends is that at least a reasonable number of passengers are heading straight for the beach, with the added bonus of a train ride: indeed, I’ve done it myself. All those passengers currently must be driving to Norden from further afield and parking to catch the train, whereas by your logic they would stay in the car all the way to Swanage.

Tom

 

And where does the extra mainline certified stock required come from?

Confining themselves to Wareham means the ability to run a fairly frequent service with only one unit and keeps costs down. In any case its not exactly a mission to change trains at Wareham and the mainline service is pretty frequent.

 

with the added bonus of a train ride

Was that added bonus a steam train operated by Swanage Railway volunteers or a DMU operated by SWT?

 

When you've queued for an age to get out of Swanage on the A359, an alternative way gains in attractiveness, even if it costs more. It doesn't cost £68 to travel and park in Whitby but there are sufficient families willing to pay that and travel by train from Pickering.

 

And that from a station that is not easy to park at.

 

And it costs money to park there!

 

I wouldn't bother Michael. Railway enthusiasts, just like politicians, are vulnerable to "Wouldn't it be nice"

 

But they're doing that as a day out as part of a holiday etc - not just as a means of travelling to Whitby

 

As, presumably, are a large proportion of existing Swanage Railway passengers. At present, I suspect this is difficult without using a car. The Wareham service will make it possible by public transport. There will undeniably be a market, and, as I suspect Wareham Station doesn't have a vast (or cheap) station car park, it is unlikely to overlap with those using Norden Park and Ride to any great extent. The question is whether it is, or perhaps will become, large enough to be commercially viable. That much of the setup cost has been covered by Grants both suggests those providing such funding believe that it is, and lowers the 'bar' for financial viability by reducing the cash cost of set up.

Steven

 

Or, as I said a couple of of posts ago, the effects of W.I.B.N. upon susceptible decision makers.

 

Sorry if this appears a little aggressive, but have you ever been even peripherally involved in convincing a grant funding to part with a 6 or 7 figure sum? They don't hand such grants out like sweeties, you know! I am sure there are plenty who have obtained the funding for the IoWSR who would concur with that!

Demand forecasts are a science which requires specialists to both prepare and assess, and major grants aren't readily handed out unless demand forecasts appear realistic. Just because you are fundamentally opposed to any form of preserved line extension doesn't make all such proposals misty-eyed WIBNness!

Steven

 

Running to Norden was a sensible means of providing park and ride facilities and relieving some of the through traffic pressure on Corfe. This was aided by a reasonable route mileage and, for once, "public transport" and visitor attraction functions seemed compatible enough. However a main line connection is pure WIBN.

 

Why? What is different to Smallbrook Junction? (I would point out I do not automatically assume that a mainline connection is lucrative because it all depends how accessible by rail that connection is).

Steven

 

It's on the Isle of Wight, and therefore above criticism or comparison!

 

Frankly that is a little bit silly. Nowhere is above either.

 

Fair comment - so, let's forget the jesting and just ask why:

Steven

 

According to SWR's own site, they carried in excess of 4000 passengers last year and that was with a much reduced service due to strike action. They would not be running an enlarged service this year if they did not see a clear business case in doing so.

 

Reply sent privately/

 

I picked up First Born for the Gala, & can confirm that the car park is neither vast or cheap.

But the Bike Shop people were lovely & fitted a new bike seat for middle son very quickly & efficiently

 

The other thing with the current SWR service (last years and this) is that it comes from an area not normally easy to get to the railway by rail or any public transport ie the Basingstoke to Exeter line. Plus SWR last year at least did a very cheap ticket as well, not sure what the deal is this year. I think SR did a £10 add on fare from memory so everybody won, and of course people off the Weymouth line could connect at Wareham.
Hopefully this weekend a driver might be rostered that signs beyond Pen Mill.