Next Step for Weymouth Quay

WEYMOUTH QUAY

(Weymouth Quay 33 118 14.8.1986 Copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING ROUTES - WEYMOUTH TRAMWAY

A big step forward for the restoration of the iconic Weymouth Tramway is to extend its current status as temporarily out of use. As well as the heritage project there is also the important need for all docks and harbours to be rail connected as quickly as possible, a process that is well underway elsewhere.

There is currently a petition to assure the line's status and to guarantee no further entrechment takes place - at the very least the physical tracks need protecting to speed up reinstatement. To all of us normal people this does seem pretty obvious LOL - but dinosaurs still roam the Earth in places.

The working of the petition is - 

'27 Jan 2016 — There is a meeting next week that will determine the future of the quay branch line. The 'Temporary Out of Use' tag has outdated and needs to be renewed or turned to Permanently Disused'. Thankfully we have been invited to bring a spokesman along to say protest why the rail trail must stay.

Could you all please send in messages and emails of why you think the tramway must stay. Hopefully some of these will make it into the speech. And as always please share as much as you can.

This is it people, this could determine the future of the tramway, even Weymouth. We must not give up. We must make this dream become reality, in the hands of the Weymouth Quay Heritage Campaign.

~James Newall

Petition here

The Tramway in 1975

(All 3.5.1975  copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - RAIL THING ROUTES - WEYMOUTH TRAMWAY

Weymouth's 'tramway' isn't really a tramway at all, but a long street-running branch linking the main line (not Weymouth station) with Weymouth Harbour station. At the moment it is mothballed, but far too valuable an asset not to be revived when the time is right. The rails are still in the road, although they haven't seen a train in many years. The plan is to restore the route and extend it along the prom - a total no-brainer which should become a major - and unique in the UK - attraction.

This was a special run in 1975. I travelled the line a couple of other times, always on specials. I tried to use a timetabled service in about 1973 but was caught and thrown off by the guard after being told my rover ticket wasn't valid!

Weymouth station 25.10.1983

WEYMOUTH

(All pics 25.10.1983 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

FACEBOOK - 80s UK RAILSCENE

Weymouth was always a fascinating rail destination back in the 70s and 80s, with its ancient wooden buildings, the remains of its suburban network down to Portland, the disused miniature railway at Radipole Lake and, of course, the famous Weymouth Tramway, which saw mainline trains being hauled through the streets of the town.

Not long after I took these shots of the wooden station at Weymouth it was demolished and a smart station put in its place. Soon after the Tramway would fall into gradual disuse, though of course the track remains and the line looks like it will soon be running again, albeit as a heritage line.

In 1983 the main line was still diesel worked with class 33s pulling 4-TC sets, which continued to Waterloo from Bournemouth behind electric units. It was a smooth operation, all swept away with electrification. This line had of course been the last steam main line in the UK, with steam lasting until 9 July 1967. Weymouth's other route was the winding and scenic line through Dorchester West, up through Yeovil and on to Castle Cary, on its uppers in 1983 but now getting busier year on year.

I seemed to always be tired at Weymouth, it being just about the furthest place I could visit on a Southern Rover or Runabout Rover ticket - but every time I had a ticket I always found my way there!