Wareham railway station
Encyclopedia
Wareham railway station serves the town of Wareham
in Dorset
, England. It is situated about one kilometre north of the town centre.
s which served the branch line to Swanage
from 1885 until 1972, when the branch closed.
The branch line to Swanage is now the 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. One of the bay platforms is now covered by part of the station car park, the other is clear, awaiting the eventual arrival of the Swanage Railway to the station.
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..
Although track is now complete through from Worgret Junction to the Swanage Railway
, the normal service on the Swanage Railway still 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 terminate at Wareham, allowing interchange with the main line.
However, Swanage Railway trains cannot call at Wareham until works to replace and upgrade the signalling system between Weymouth and Poole are completed.
Wareham, Dorset
Wareham is an historic market town and, under the name Wareham Town, a civil parish, in the English county of Dorset. The town is situated on the River Frome eight miles southwest of Poole.-Situation and geography:...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England. It is situated about one kilometre 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. This station had two bay platformBay platform
Bay platform is a railway-related term commonly used in the UK and Australia to describe a dead-end platform at a railway station that has through lines...
s which served the branch line to Swanage
Swanage
Swanage is a coastal town and civil parish in the south east of Dorset, England. It is situated at the eastern end of the Isle of Purbeck, approximately 10 km south of Poole and 40 km east of Dorchester. The parish has a population of 10,124 . Nearby are Ballard Down and Old Harry Rocks,...
from 1885 until 1972, when the branch closed.
The branch line to Swanage is now the Swanage Railway
Swanage Railway
The Swanage Railway is a long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. The railway follows the route of the Purbeck branch line between Norden railway station, Corfe Castle railway station, Harman's Cross railway station, Herston Halt railway station and Swanage...
, a steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
operated heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
that currently operates between Swanage and a Park and Ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
site at Norden just north of Corfe Castle. The rail connection between the Swanage Railway and the Network Rail
Network Rail
Network Rail is the government-created owner and operator of most of the rail infrastructure in Great Britain .; it is not responsible for railway infrastructure in Northern Ireland...
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
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
network. One of the bay platforms is now covered by part of the station car park, the other is clear, awaiting the eventual arrival of the Swanage Railway to the station.
Services
Wareham station is served by two South West TrainsSouth West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
services an hour from London Waterloo to Weymouth, usually a Class 444
British Rail Class 444
The British Rail Class 444 Desiro electrical multiple units were built in Germany by Siemens AG from 2003-04. Forty-five of these units were built for express services for South West Trains....
express Desiro unit or Class 450
British Rail Class 450
The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family and are more commonly known as the 'Blue Desiro'...
outer suburban Desiro unit. Prior to 9 December 2007 it was the terminus for an hourly local service from Brockenhurst
Brockenhurst
Brockenhurst is a village situated in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. The New Forest is a national park and Brockenhurst is therefore surrounded by woodland that attracts thousands of visitors all year round. The nearby towns surrounding Brockenhurst are Lymington and Lyndhurst. Brockenhurst...
but this has now been partially replaced by the additional Weymouth service..
Although track is now complete through from Worgret Junction to the Swanage Railway
Swanage Railway
The Swanage Railway is a long heritage railway in the Purbeck district of Dorset, England. The railway follows the route of the Purbeck branch line between Norden railway station, Corfe Castle railway station, Harman's Cross railway station, Herston Halt railway station and Swanage...
, the normal service on the Swanage Railway still terminates at Norden station
Norden railway station
Norden railway station is a railway station located half a mile to the north of the village of Corfe Castle, on the Isle of Purbeck in the English county of Dorset. It is the northern-most station on Swanage Railway, a heritage railway that currently operates from Norden to Swanage...
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 terminate at Wareham, allowing interchange with the main line.
However, Swanage Railway trains cannot call at Wareham until works to replace and upgrade the signalling system between Weymouth and Poole are completed.