More steam-hauled charter trains will operate this year into and from Dorset than ever before.

The Dorset Coast Express from London to Bournemouth and Weymouth will run on July 5, 12, 19 and 26, then August 14, 15, 21 and 28, and September 13, 20 and 27.

The Weymouth Seaside Express from Bristol to Weymouth will run on July 1, 8, 15 and 22, then August 19 and 26, then September 16 and 23.   The gaps preventing a weekly service are due to the Olympic sailing events in Weymouth.

There will also be steam-hauled special trains to Swanage on April 19 (from Banbury and Oxford), June 14, 15 and 21 (from London) , September 13 and October 11 (also from London).  The trains on 15 June and 13 September will be extra special as they will be the all-Pullman Orient Express.

There will also be a steam-hauled special (The Royal Wessex) from Sussex to Bournemouth, Wareham and Weymouth on 30 June.

In the opposite direction there will be steam-hauled special trains (Bath Spa Express) from Poole and Bournemouth to Bath on Wednesdays April 18, May 16, June 20, August 15, September 5, October 3, November 28, December 5.
This year for the first time there will also be steam-hauled special trains from Poole and Bournemouth to Oxford (May 2 and September 19) and to Windsor (June 6 and August 22)

The trains will bring a variety of locomotives to Dorset.  It is provisionally planned that the train from Banbury to Swanage on April 19 will be hauled by "Princess Elizabeth", a very appropriate choice in the Queen's Jubilee Year.)