Whitchurch Town railway station

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Whitchurch Town
Whitchurch Town station with 2-6-2T 41329.JPG
LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T No. 41329 passes the station in the 1960s.
General information
Location Whitchurch, Basingstoke and Deane
England
Coordinates 51°13′44″N1°20′36″W / 51.2289°N 1.3433°W / 51.2289; -1.3433
Grid reference SU459479
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original company Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Pre-groupingDidcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Post-grouping Great Western Railway
Key dates
4 May 1885 (1885-05-04)Opened as Whitchurch
1 July 1924Renamed Whitchurch (Hants)
4 August 1942Closed
8 March 1943Reopened as Whitchurch (Hants)
26 September 1949Renamed Whitchurch Town
7 March 1960Closed to passengers
6 May 1963Closed to goods
Location
Whitchurch Town railway station

Whitchurch Town railway station was a stop on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway between 1885 and 1960. It served the town of Whitchurch, in Hampshire, England.

Contents

History

The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DN&SR) was opened in stages. The section between Enborne Junction (to the west of Newbury) and Winchester was formally opened on 1 May 1885, public services beginning on 4 May; among the original stations was one named Whitchurch. [1] [2] [3] It was 12 miles 57 chains (20.5 km) from Enborne Junction, and 31 miles 64 chains (51.2 km) from Didcot. [4]

The town was already served by Whitchurch railway station (Hampshire) on the London and South Western Railway (LSWR), which survives to this day. The DN&SR had a choice of connecting to the LSWR and building a station nearby to aid interchange traffic; however, it decided to build the station further south, closer to the town. [5] [6]

Accidents and incidents

Facilities

The station was relatively large compared to others on this section of the line, including a larger station building on the northbound platform and a subway to link the two platforms. There was also a long passing loop and three sidings complete with a large goods shed. The station also had a water crane and water tower. [2]

Operations

The DN&S was worked by the Great Western Railway (GWR) and, at the 1923 Grouping, the DN&S was absorbed by the GWR. [8] The GWR had other stations also named Whitchurch and, to distinguish them, most were renamed; this one became Whitchurch (Hants) on 1 July 1924. [1]

Preceding stationDisused railwaysFollowing station
Litchfield
Line and station closed		  Great Western Railway
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway 		  Barton Stacey
Line and station closed

Closure

Like other stations on the former DN&S line, Whitchurch (Hants) station was closed temporarily on 4 August 1942, so that the line could be upgraded for wartime freight trains; it reopened on 8 March 1943. [1] [9]

Following the nationalisation of the railways in 1948, British Railways renamed the station Whitchurch Town on 26 September 1949, a name which it retained until closure to passengers on 7 March 1960. [1] Goods services continued, but these ceased as from 6 May 1963. [2]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Butt 1995, p. 248.
  2. 1 2 3 Judge 1984, p. 94.
  3. ↑ Sands 1971, pp. 18, 29.
  4. ↑ Sands 1971, p. 50.
  5. ↑ Sands 1971, p. 29.
  6. ↑ Conolly 1976, p. 4, section B3.
  7. 1 2 Bishop, Bill (1984). Off the Rails. Southampton: Kingfisher. pp. 57–65. ISBN   0-946184-06-2.
  8. ↑ Sands 1971, p. 38.
  9. ↑ Sands 1971, pp. 40–41.

Sources

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