Ancilliary "train" transport in the Bournemouth Poole and Christchurch area

[whole diary]

[grahame]

http://www.beach-huts.com/beach-huts-for-sale-location-mudeford-spit-hengistbury-head.php

although I am never sure whether they are taking the mick

Beach huts at Mudeford are amongst the most expensive in the country, in one of the most exclusive holiday regions/enclaves so I wouldn't take them as being particularly representative!

Original link broken ... but the land train there is in the news.    Not really an SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) topic, but neither is it "preserved"

From
https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/17615945.summer-opening-derailed-for-poole-park-miniature-railway/

POOLE Park's miniature railway will almost certainly not be up and running by the summer, despite council officials stating that was their intention when they brought the troubled attraction back in-house last year.

Borough of Poole (BOP) councillors agreed to invest £350,000 into the railway in October, last year, with a view to having it running again by summer 2019.

But with just two-and-a-half months until the schools break for summer holidays, the new BCP Council concedes a summer opening is now "unlikely."

and from
https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Articles/An-update-statement-on-the-Hengistbury-Head-Land-Train.aspx

An update - statement on the Hengistbury Head Land Train
Posted on Thursday 23rd May 2019
Hengistbury Head Land Train service information

Edward Alexander, Contracts Manager has the following update: “Summer is fast approaching, and due to the ongoing Health and Safety Executive investigation that led to the withdrawal of the traditional Hengistbury land trains, we will be introducing an interim train service using a different style of train.  This service will use one of the smaller seafront trains for the time being.  The service will run from 10am until 5pm daily, with finishing times extended at busy times.  The operating times will be displayed daily on the notice boards at each end of the route.  At busy times tickets may be sold whilst people are waiting for the train to improve turn-around times at each end.

[MVR S&T]

Dont mention the ongoing fiasco of the Poole Park Railway.
To cut a very sad story short:

An incident.
Council plan.
Lots of work by us and others to take other.
Council desicsion.
Rest is histrory.

We didnt get the contract by the way.

[MVR S&T]

Oh , and its now BCP council.  in alphabet order.

[grahame]

The story goes on - if outside our primary area, and on a tourist attraction rather than a mass transit public transport service, so our coverage has been patchy.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12898807/miniature-train-derails.html

An investigation has been launched after a ride-on miniature train derailed while carrying passengers.

The train, dubbed 'Howard', had been running normally on the Poole Park Miniature Railway until the electric engine struck a piece of debris on the line.

It caused it to 'jump' off the tracks and cause the green carriage to flip on its side.

The carriage was carrying people at the time but fortunately no one was injured during the incident.

The railway is operated by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP).

Andy Martin, the council's spokesperson for culture, said: 'The Poole Park train derailed on Friday morning with one carriage, which was carrying passengers tipping over.

Snip ...

It comes almost two months after another crash on 24 October.

The rail service does a loop around the large lake at Poole Park and costs £3.50 for a standard ticket and £13.50 for a family ticket.

It was privately run for decades until 2018 when BCP Council took it over.

But it wasn't until October 2022 that it was re-opened following work to upgrade the track, engines and carriages.