This route could start at Southhampton Central and Run to weymouth the stock for this route would be the class. Class 450 & 444 Desiro for the main services . Class 165/166 Turbo Networker for Ai services in southhampton and Drivable services between Weymouth, Upwey and Dorchester West with the potential for an addon of the Heart of Wessex Line. Class 158 in Great western Railway livery for Heart of Wessex and Ai in southhampton. Class 220 Voyager for Ai in Bournemouth. Class 377 Southern for Ai in southhampton. Diesel locomotives. Steam locomotives for railtours. The full Weymouth harbour tramway before it was filled in which could be drivable in freeroam which will add a bit of interest to the line. This route would cover about 50 miles of the Southwestern mainline. The highlights of the route would be Driving a train through the new forest and seeing Poole harbour as you drive past. In Dorchester there is potential to create a walkable link between the 2 stations as they are not that far apart the trains on the mainline run about every 20 - 30 minutes. There could also be potential for the Swanage railway to be included or have it as an expansion later. And Even the Lymington Branch could be included. I think this would add a Great variety for people to drive and it would be a busy route too.
I'd certainly love to see the SWML go as far as Weymouth but I do worry having just the last half of the route means a relatively empty Timetable. I could also do with a break from driving the Desiros with the cramped cab and tiny windscreens. I think we'd be more likely to see Bournemouth to Southampton or, if we're really luck, Waterloo.
Southampton to Bournemouth would be quite disappointing, it only takes about 30 minutes for a fast service. However it serves as a good base for a SWML route, whether it's extended all the way to Weymouth or extended either end to Poole and Winchester. I'd love both options but I'd prefer Winchester to Poole since not only would you get Bournemouth depot, you'd also get depots at Northam and Eastleigh and a section of 100mph running. It also takes an hour end-to-end and hour long routes seem to be the norm.
Or maybe take a WCML approach. DTG makes Woking to Poole and a third Party does Waterloo to Portsmouth with route hopping at Woking. I'd absolutely love that in any era from the mid-1960s to the first 3 weeks of March 2020 (the latter so we can have the shortlived refurbished 442s).
