Wareham railway station

This article is about the railway station in Dorset. For the station in Massachusetts, see Wareham Train Station.
Wareham National Rail

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
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
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 Regulation 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

A Swanage branch train in 1966

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

A Class 450 at Wareham

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..

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.[4]

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 are planned for 50 days in 2015 and 90 days in 2016. It is hoped a year-round service will follow.[5]

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.
  1. ↑ "Purbeck Townscape Character Appraisal". Dorsetforyou.com. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  2. ↑ "Steam train runs from town again". BBC News. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  3. ↑ http://www.swanagerailway.co.uk/dailysvce.htm
  4. ↑ London to Swanage train arrives after 37-year wait - Dorset Echo, 2 April 2009
  5. ↑ "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