Purbeck Community Rail Partnership (CRP) have announced the long-awaited rail link between Wareham and Swanage will operate on a trial basis between April and Spetember 2023.

Passengers will be able to travel all the way to Swanage by train from anywhere on the mainline network.

The trial service will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 4 April to 10 September 2023, with the first train departing Wareham at 11:19am and the last train leaving Swanage at 4:20pm – giving passengers the opportunity to spend four hours in Swanage or Corfe Castle. Tickets will be available from South Western Railway from the end of April.

Steven Booth, Community Rail Officer for Purbeck CRP, said: “This is a great way to travel to Corfe Castle and Swanage, taking in the picturesque Dorset countryside and avoiding the congestion on the roads, especially during the main tourist season.

“But this trial service is not just about a scenic railway for visitors to enjoy the county – it is about an ambition for a long-term, sustainable form of transport with links for ongoing travel that can be used by everyone on a regular basis.

“We thank all the hard work many people have put into this service to make it happen, especially the many volunteers involved in the Swanage Railway. We hope this venture continues to be supported so it can become a permanent service.”

Further details on the trial service can be found here.

You can keep up to date with future news, projects and events from Purbeck CRP via their website.