Launched at the railway's 2025 Community Weekend, a new website for Swanage Railway visitors and passengers guides them through their journey along the restored branch line between Swanage and Norden - and on the line's extension to Wareham.
The site, accessed at lineguide.swanagerailway.co.uk/ includes site maps of each station on the railway and information on the facilities and attractions at each stop, but also lineside features and points of interest along the way. The launch coincides with the first public opportunity to try out the new high-speed internet access available at the railway's stations and on-board its trains. This ground-breaking service is a result of a substantial grant from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology in collaboration with Dorset Council and Excelerate Technology. Using Low Earth Orbit Satellites and Wi-fi, the project aims to deliver network speeds of up to 200Mb/s, and makes the Swanage Railway the UK's first heritage railway to offer on-board wi-fi.
Intended to help visitors to plan, navigate and enjoy their time at the railway, the new website can also be accessed via QR codes displayed at stations and on the trains. With intuitive navigation helping passengers follow their progress along the route, it's designed to be easy to use so as to enhance, rather than distract from, the journey on our heritage trains through the magnificent Purbeck countryside.
The Swanage Railway welcomes new volunteers and anyone interested in finding out more should contact the Swanage Railway volunteer recruitment and retention officer Lisa Gravett on 01929 475212 or email iwanttovolunteer@swanagerailway.co.uk. Details about volunteering can also be found at swanagerailwaytrust.org/volunteering.
Story by Derek Pattenson
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