Whitchurch Town railway station

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

Whitchurch Town
LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T No. 41329 passes the station in the 1960s.
LocationWhitchurch, Basingstoke and Deane
England
Coordinates51.2289°N 1.3433°W / 51.2289; -1.3433
Grid referenceSU459479
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyDidcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Pre-groupingDidcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
4 May 1885 (1885-05-04)Opened as Whitchurch
1 July 1924Renamed Whitchurch (Hants)
4 August 1942Closed
8 March 1943Re-opened as Whitchurch (Hants)
26 September 1949Renamed Whitchurch Town
7 March 1960Closed to passengers
6 May 1963Closed to goods

History

The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DN&S) 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]

Whitchurch was already served by one railway station on the LSWR which survives to this day. The DNSR 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

  • On 23 September 1954, a freight train overran signals and was derailed by trap points.[7]
  • On 12 February 1960, a freight train overran signals and was derailed by trap points.[7]

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 boasted a water crane and water tower.[2]

Working

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]

Temporary 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]

Final closure

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]

Routes

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Litchfield
Line and station closed
  Great Western Railway
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
  Barton Stacey
Line and station closed

Notes

  1. Butt 1995, p. 248.
  2. 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. 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.

References

  • Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Conolly, W. Philip (January 1976). British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer (5th ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0320-3. EX/0176.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Judge, Colin W. (1984). An Historical Survey of the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway. Poole: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-86093-149-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Sands, T.B. (1971). The Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway. The Oakwood Library of Railway History. Lingfield: Oakwood Press. OL28.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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