Wareham railway station
Wareham  | |
|---|---|
|
Main building at Wareham station, on the westbound platform. | |
| Location | |
| Place | Wareham |
| Local authority | District of Purbeck |
| Grid reference | SY919881 |
| Operations | |
| Station code | WRM |
| Managed by | South West Trains |
| Number of platforms | 2 |
| DfT category | D |
|
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries | |
| Annual rail passenger usage* | |
| 2007/08 | 0.337 million |
| 2008/09 |
 0.342 million |
| 2009/10 |
 0.333 million |
| 2010/11 |
0.335 million |
| 2011/12 |
0.358 million |
| 2012/13 |
0.351 million |
| 2013/14 |
0.349 million |
| 2014/15 |
0.345 million |
| History | |
| Key dates | Opened 4 April 1887 |
| National Rail – UK railway stations | |
| * Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Wareham from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year. | |
 UK Railways portal | |
Wareham railway station serves the town of Wareham in Dorset, England. It is situated about 0.6 miles (1 km) north of the town centre.
History
The current station opened in 1887 replacing the original which opened in 1847 and was sited east of what is now only a pedestrian crossing.[1] This station had two bay platforms which served the branch line to Swanage from 1885 until 1972, when the branch closed.[2]
The branch line to Swanage is now the preserved Swanage Railway, a steam locomotive operated heritage railway that currently operates between Swanage and a Park and Ride site at Norden just north of Corfe Castle.
The rail connection between the Swanage Railway and the Network Rail tracks at Worgret Junction has been restored, and there are plans to extend the Swanage Railway back into Wareham station on a regular basis, thus restoring a connection with the National Rail network.[3]
Services
Wareham station is served by two South West Trains services an hour from London Waterloo to Weymouth, usually a Class 444 express Desiro unit or Class 450 outer suburban Desiro unit. Prior to 9 December 2007 it was the terminus for an hourly local service from Brockenhurst but this has now been partially replaced by the additional Weymouth service.[4]
Until 1967, trains through the station were normally steam hauled. Class 205 (2H) diesel electric multiple units were used during the final years' of British Rail operations on the Swanage branch. Between 1967 and 1988, passenger services on the London-Weymouth line were normally provided by Class 33/1 diesel locomotives with Class 438 coaching stock (also known as 4-TC units). The line was electrified in 1988, using the standard British Rail Southern Region direct current third rail at 750 volts. Class 442 electric multiple units were initially used following electrification, until being displaced by new Class 444 electric multiple units in 2007.
Heritage
Although track is now complete through from Worgret Junction to the Swanage Railway, the normal service on the Swanage Railway still currently terminates at Norden station near Corfe Castle.
However special services occasionally work between Wareham and the Swanage Railway. The Swanage Railway have ultimate plans to have their regular services extended to and terminate at Wareham, allowing interchange with services on the main line.[5]
However, Swanage Railway trains cannot call at Wareham until works to replace and upgrade the signalling system between Weymouth and Poole are completed. A £1.47 million grant from the Coastal Communities Fund will pay to upgrade track and bridges and two 1960s heritage diesel trains to mainline running standards. Trial services were planned for 50 days in 2015 and 90 days in 2016 (this timeframe has since been pushed back until 2017-18).[3] It is hoped a year-round service will follow.[6]
| Preceding station | National Rail |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamworthy | South West Trains London-Weymouth express services |
Dorchester South | ||
| Hamworthy or Holton Heath |
South West Trains London-Weymouth semi-fast services |
Wool or Terminus | ||
 Heritage railways |
||||
| Terminus | Swanage Railway (special services only) |
Norden | ||
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wareham railway station. |
- ↑ "Purbeck Townscape Character Appraisal". Dorsetforyou.com. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
- ↑ "Steam train runs from town again". BBC News. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
- 1 2 "Project Wareham / The Purbeck Line"Swanage Railway website
- ↑ Table 158 National Rail timetable, May 2016
- ↑ London to Swanage train arrives after 37-year wait - Dorset Echo, 2 April 2009
- ↑ "Dorset rail service to be restored after 41 years". BBC News Dorset. 11 February 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
Coordinates: 50°41′35″N 2°06′54″W / 50.693°N 2.115°W