Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsRecreation of the Southern's Pullman express from Waterloo to Bournemouth behind a Bulleid Pacific, continuing to Swanage.
The Bournemouth Belle recalls the all-Pullman express that ran from Waterloo until 1967. The 2026 train is hauled by West Country Pacific 34028 Eddystone, a Bulleid design built for these lines, and leaves Waterloo at 07:00 with a stop at Woking.
The route runs via Basingstoke, Winchester and Southampton, then through the New Forest at Brockenhurst to Bournemouth. Passengers may leave the train there or stay aboard to Wareham and along the branch to Swanage, home of the Swanage Railway, for two hours by the sea. The return follows the coast via Fareham with diesel assistance.
Premier Dining, First Class and Standard seating are offered in restored Mark 1 carriages.
St Catherine's Hill, Southampton Water and Poole Harbour are all on the left heading west.
Sides are given facing the direction of travel. Miles are approximate from the start of the journey.
Yes, passengers alight at either and rejoin the same train in the afternoon.
Locomotives are subject to availability but Eddystone is the advertised engine.
Around 20:30 at Waterloo.
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