Railfuture Wessex

You have just one more week to send in your views on proposed changes to #ticketoffices. Take a look at our 101 unanswered Qs on the home page of Railfuture's website.

Popular RSPB Arne Summer Shuttle Bus returns running from Wareham Train Station to RSPB Arne nature reserve. The bus will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays from 2 May to 30 August 2023. rb.gy/29ltv

Wareham to Swanage Rail Link operating from April to September 2023. Tickets for the service will also be available from main line via South Western Railway so passengers can add tickets for Corfe Castle and Swanage to their main line tickets. rb.gy/ewiacg

GWR promised 5-car trains on the #PortsmouthCardiff service but our analysis shows most are 3-car with only 20% being 5-car over a typical week. Good luck with trying to squeeze on at busy times!

CrossCountry has published draft timetables for May 23 and it would appear that the full hourly Manchester to Bournemouth service is to be reinstated, with all trains calling at Winchester. A campaign win for Railfuture!

We would like more use to be made of the Basingstoke to Reading link during times of disruption to Waterloo trains. Tickets south of Basingstoke are valid into either Waterloo or Paddington. GWR and SWR, owned by the same parent company, need to work more closely together!

We've been told we can expect Network Rail's Solent-to-Reading Freight Study to be published in March/April. The study includes analysis of SW main line capacity and the possibility of a station at Chineham. Something to watch out for!

Railfuture has prepared a position paper "Where is Journey’s End for Ticket Offices?". It is available at railfuture.org.uk/article1898-Mo… A key point is that in person ticket selling continues to be essential, but that doesn't have to be from behind a window.

Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove youtu.be/eNXtGQwozVk via @YouTube

Welcome to Wareham youtu.be/DTpjSoTLNS4 via @YouTube @SwanRailway @RSPBArne @SW_Help @WarehamDorset @WarehamDistrict @SwanageTIC @SwanagePier @CorfeCastleUK @Morebusco @DorsetCouncilUK @Dorset_CF

Congratulations on this progress. More at #Campaign_targets" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">railfuture.org.uk/New-stations#C… #RailTransportForNewHomes

NR's consultation result shows strong public support for their Waterside Line proposals with 84% agreeing that the scheme will provide an improved transport offering. See networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/upl…

It will take you 5 mins to fill out NR's Waterside Line survey and give your fulsome support to the project. Do it now! consultations.networkrail.co.uk/communications…

It's great to see the passenger numbers being high on the Island Line! All that revenue lost last year is certainly making a come back this year!!

Yesterday we joined our friends from @BerylBikes, @DorsetCouncilUK and @TankMuseum at Wool station to unveil our new bike bays. If you’re travelling to Wool, why not leave the car at home and complete your trip in an environmentally friendly way? 🚴

There's been lots of talk of closing all Rail Ticket Offices. We set out our vision of what should replace them - and what else needs to change - and why the ability to buy tickets from people will remain essential: railfuture.org.uk/Press-release-…

Look out for events along the line in June to mark 175 years of the railway through Hampshire into Dorset. See purbeckcrp.org.uk/purbeck-commun…

Vegetation clearance and track renewals spotted along the 2-mile #HamworthyGoodsBranch for a possible resumption of freight traffic. Line has been dormant for several years since the last stone train.

Waterside Line plans are now scaled back to a half-hourly service between Southampton and Hythe only. But at least this shows the design team is forging ahead with the project and that they are keen not to incur cost overruns. Improvements will follow from the initial success!