The trial was meant to be in 2015 (60 days) and 2016 (90 days) but issues with the DMUs being refurbished created a hiatus. In 2017 the first year of the trial service (60 days) operated with hired in rolling stock and crews. The service carried some 13,000 passengers but incurred a loss of C£70K.
These events were outside the railway's control, rather like plans to overhaul the T9 and put it into service were scuppered by finding unexpected mechanical faults.
The wheels and axles of the DMU failed an ultrasonic test, therefore the unit would not get its mainline certificate without replacements which had to be sourced in the USA as British engineering does not work with Imperial anymore.
As part of the T&C of being granted finance to run the service, such as providing proper gates at Norden, the 2017 trial had to go ahead, and it was obvious from the start that hiring rolling stock and crews would result in a major loss. A repeat of this is unsustainable.
It was noted that 75% of all passenger journeys for the service arrived at Wareham by SWT train in 2017,
The service must prove itself viable in its current 90 day format before any consideration of increasing the level of service