Weymouth 25.10.1983

WEYMOUTH

(All pics 25.10.1983 copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing)

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Weymouth was always a fascinating rail destination back in the 70s and 80s, with its ancient wooden buildings, the remains of its suburban network down to Portland, the disused miniature railway at Radipole Lake and, of course, the famous Weymouth Tramway, which saw mainline trains being hauled through the streets of the town.

Not long after I took these shots of the wooden station at Weymouth it was demolished and a smart station put in its place. Soon after the Tramway would fall into gradual disuse, though of course the track remains and the line looks like it will soon be running again, albeit as a heritage line.

In 1983 the main line was still diesel worked with class 33s pulling 4-TC sets, which continued to Waterloo from Bournemouth behind electric units. It was a smooth operation, all swept away with electrification. This line had of course been the last steam main line in the UK, with steam lasting until 9 July 1967. Weymouth's other route was the winding and scenic line through Dorchester West, up through Yeovil and on to Castle Cary, on its uppers in 1983 but now getting busier year on year.

I seemed to always be tired at Weymouth, it being just about the furthest place I could visit on a Southern Rover or Runabout Rover ticket - but every time I had a ticket I always found my way there!

Shillingstone - making space for steam!

SHILLINGSTONE

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(All 29.11.2015 via The Somerset and Dorset Railway at Shillingstone Facebook group). 

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It's fantastic watching the progress from Shillingstone, which has had its ups and downs over the years! Today was time to move stock clear to allow for the arrival of the two steam locomotives that are coming.

The little Ruston loco was busy pulling bits and pieces of rolling stock including the mark three coach - punching well above its weight! These pics really remind me of Midsomer Norton ten years ago! The S&D is stirring all along the permanent way.

Hamworthy 5.6.2013

HAMWORTHY

(All copyright Steve Sainsbury/Rail Thing 5.6.2013)

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A couple of years ago I visited Hamworthy, which is the junction for the original line down to Poole and also once for the Ringwood loop line.

I remember this station from many years ago when I used to regularly use the Southern Region Rail Rover, but I think this was the first time I got to photograph the station.

This was at the end of a busy day checking out the S&D trackbed from here up to Broadstone and it was a relief to see a real working railway again after all the ghosts and shadows of former greatness!

More info (via Wikipedia)

History

The station opened with the Southampton & Dorchester Railway, which later became part of the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), in 1847 as Poole Junction. At that time the line to London then went via Broadstone Junction, Wimborne and Ringwood before joining what is now the South Western Main Line at Brockenhurst. The station was known as Hamworthy Junction until the 1970s. A causeway across Holes Bay opened later when the line through Poole to Bournemouth and Christchurch was built.

Motive Power Depot

A motive power depot with a coal stage was built at the station by the LSWR in 1847. It was closed by British Railways in 1954 and after several years in use as a storage facility, was eventually demolished.

Services

The station is served by South West Trains who currently operate an average of two trains per hour in each direction with trains going to London, Brockenhurst, Wareham and Weymouth. With a journey time of around 4 minutes the train is the fastest method of travel between Poole town centre and the area surrounding the station compared to the Wilts & Dorset bus service which takes around 14 minutes (not including delays caused by Poole Lifting Bridge).

Facilities

The platforms are able to accommodate trains of up to five coaches. Longer passenger trains are rarely seen past Poole. The station does not have a footbridge but has an underpass that also serves as a public footpath from Turlin Moor to Hamworthy. There was a foot crossing at the Poole end of the station for passenger in wheelchairs or with heavy luggage but this has been removed and access to the platform end fenced off. A light indicating if it is safe to cross remains at the end of platform 1 but is permanently switched off.

Hamworthy was one of two South West Trains stations not to receive a Scheidt & Bachmann Ticket XPress self-service ticket machine to replace the former "Quickfare" (Ascom B8050) machine installed during the Network SouthEast era due to fears of vandalism, although tickets could be bought from the ticket office at certain times of the day and a permit to travel could be purchased at all times. The Quickfare machine was removed in October 2006. South West Trains installed a Scheidt & Bachmann Ticket XPress self-service ticket machine in August 2008 and removed the permit to travel machine. The ticket machine is fitted with a security shutter and casing to protect it from vandalism.

This is the junction where the Hamworthy Freight Branch to Poole docks joins the main line. There is a disused third platform at the station facing the Poole docks line. The signal box which controlled the branch was at the Poole end of platform 2 but has since been demolished.

Hamworthy had the only remaining semaphore signal on the South Western Main Line but was removed in May 2014 as part of the signalling upgrade scheme.