Yeovil Pen Mill railway station

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4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge in June 1874. The B&ER line was mixed and had trains of both gauges from 12 November 1868 but broad gauge trains ceased operation after 30 June 1879 by which time the B&ER had been taken over by the GWR. [1]

The station originally had two platforms, one for each direction, with a train shed for protection. A fire on 18 April 1859 resulted in one building being burnt down. All trains then used the 'up' platform (that built for trains towards Frome and London Paddington) until the station was rebuilt in the 1880s. [1]

The GWR opened a locomotive depot at the station in September 1856, which operated until January 1959, when it was closed and the locomotives transferred to Yeovil Town depot.

A connection between the GWR line and the Southern Railway line to Exeter was established during World War II to allow trains direct access between Yeovil Junction and Yeovil Pen Mill. This was opened on 13 October 1943 and offered a new route for trains of war materials as well as a diversion route in the event of bomb damage. [1]

1913 accident

A passenger train, hauled by GWR City Class 4-4-0 No. 3710 City of Bath, overran a signal on 8 August 1913 and hit the rear of another passenger train. Two people were killed and ten injured. [2] [3]

Stationmasters

  • George Roberts ca. 1857
  • William Clarke 1860 [4] - 1863 (formerly station master at Warminster)
  • George Pinkerton 1863 - 1872 [5] (formerly station master at Taplow, afterwards station master at Salisbury)
  • George King Forster 1876 - 1887 [6]
  • Richard Stonnill 1887 - 1894 [7] (formerly station master at Aberdare, afterwards station master at Westbury)
  • Samuel Martin 1894 - 1899 [8]
  • J. Parry 1899 - 1907
  • W.F. Vaughan 1907 - 1916
  • Frank George Dunford 1916 - 1926
  • P. Williams 1926 - 1933 [9] (afterwards station master at Highbridge)
  • William Gard ca. 1942
  • L.E. Hole 1944 [10] - ca. 1956 (formerly station master at Maiden Newton)

Description

Yeovil Pen Mill has three platform faces but only two are in use. Platform 1 is used predominantly by trains heading north and platform 3 is used mostly by trains heading south to Weymouth. The former platform 2 is now unused; there is only a single track between platforms 1 and 2 but trains open their doors on the platform 1 side.

Services

South Western Railway (left) and Great Western Railway (right) trains Yeovil Pen Mill - SWR 159003 and GWR 150261.JPG
South Western Railway (left) and Great Western Railway (right) trains

Great Western Railway operate the majority of services at Pen Mill on their route between Weymouth and Gloucester, via Bristol Temple Meads. [11]

South Western Railway operate a few services between London Waterloo and Pen Mill, some via Yeovil Junction and others via Westbury. [12]

Yeovil Pen Mill
National Rail logo.svg
2016 at Yeovil Pen Mill - exterior.JPG
General information
Location Yeovil, South Somerset
England
Coordinates 50°56′42″N2°36′47″W / 50.945°N 2.613°W / 50.945; -2.613
Grid reference ST570163
Managed by Great Western Railway
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeYVP
Classification DfT category E
History
Original company Great Western Railway
Key dates
1854Opened
Passengers
2019/20Increase2.svg 0.144 million
 Interchange Steady2.svg 5,245
Preceding station National Rail logo.svg National Rail Following station
Castle Cary   Great Western Railway
Heart of Wessex Line
  Thornford
Castle Cary   South Western Railway
Heart of Wessex Line
  Yeovil Junction

The town is also served by Yeovil Junction, around two miles away, on the West of England Main Line; it is also served by South Western Railway. Commencing in December 2015, a limited regular passenger service began using the connection between the two lines.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Jackson, B.L. (2003). Yeovil, 150 Years of Railways. Usk: Oakwood Press. ISBN   0-85361-612-4.
  2. Hoole, Ken (1983). Trains in Trouble: Vol. 4. Truro: Atlantic Books. p. 17. ISBN   0-906899-07-9.
  3. "Great Western Railway" (PDF). Board of Trade. 27 August 1913. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
  4. "1835-1910 Clerks Vol.3". Great Western Railway Operating, Miscellaneous Depts: 105. 1899. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  5. "1838-1876 Clerks Vol.3". Great Western Railway Operating, Miscellaneous Depts: 22. 1899. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  6. "1835-1910 Clerks Vol.5". Great Western Railway Operating, Miscellaneous Depts: 492. 1899. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  7. "Presentation" . Western Chronicle. England. 7 December 1894. Retrieved 19 June 2021 via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Yeovil" . Bristol Mercury. England. 22 April 1899. Retrieved 19 June 2021 via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Highbridge Station Master Promoted" . Central Somerset Gazette. England. 5 January 1934. Retrieved 19 June 2021 via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Stationmaster's Appointment" . Western Gazette. England. 9 June 1944. Retrieved 19 June 2021 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Train Times". Great Western Railway. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  12. "Timetables". South Western Railway. 2 June 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.