Hengistbury Head land train out of action due to mechanical fault

This time operators are blaming a mechanical fault which occurred on Sunday, one of the hottest and busiest days of the year.

The train was unable to run on August 14 due to a last-minute family emergency and was out of action on August 7 and July 24 and 31 due to a shortage of drivers.

Operators said servicing requirements stopped the train running on July 17, less than three weeks after the service got back on track following staffing issues.

Staff sickness led to problems on June 18 and 19.

Posting on their Facebook page yesterday, operators said: “Unfortunately, due to a mechanical fault, which occurred on Sunday, the Land Train will not be running today. We are doing our best to get it back up and running as soon as possible. Apologies for the inconvenience.”

The service has been plagued with problems since an accident last October.

Two carriages broke free from one of the traditional, green noddy trains and a cyclist was injured.

A Health and Safety Executive inquiry was launched and it is still ongoing, meaning the green trains cannot be used.

Since May the route, which runs between the Hungry Hiker cafe at Hengistbury Head and Mudeford Sandbank, has been served by one of the smaller seafront trains.

Land train services are well-used in Bournemouth with more than 1,000 passengers carried on the seafront service in Bournemouth and Poole over the bank holiday weekend alone.

On Saturday one of the trains was halted when a little boy fell from a carriage to the west of Bournemouth Pier.

Barriers were placed around the train while the boy received first aid treatment from seafront staff and lifeguards. He was treated by paramedics when an ambulance arrived 40 minutes later.