| Bruton | |
| Symbol Location: | gb |
| Symbol: | rail |
| Borough: | Bruton, South Somerset |
| Country: | England |
| Coordinates: | 51.1117°N -2.4473°W |
| Grid Name: | Grid reference |
| Manager: | Great Western Railway |
| Platforms: | 2 |
| Code: | BRU |
| Classification: | DfT category F1 |
| Original: | Great Western Railway |
| Years: | 1856 |
| Events: | Opened |
| Footnotes: | Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
Bruton railway station serves a largely rural area in the county of Somerset in England. The station is situated in the market town of Bruton. The station is on the Bristol to Weymouth line some 32.75miles south of Bath Spa. Trains on the Reading to Taunton line pass through the station but do not normally stop. Services are operated by Great Western Railway (who also manage the station) and South Western Railway.[1]
The station was opened by the Great Western Railway on 1 September 1856 on its Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth main line. At that time this was just a single track but a loop was provided at Bruton to allow trains to pass. Stone buildings were erected on both platforms, and a footbridge linked the platforms from 1895. A signal box was provided from 1877 at the west end of the station.[2]
The goods yard, which was on the north side of the line opposite the signal box, was closed on 5 April 1965 and the station was downgraded to an unstaffed halt from 6 October 1969 under the Western Region of British Railways.
W. Wilcox for six years in charge of the goods department at Warminster is reported as being appointed stationmaster in 1888[11] however, Arthur Dagg is still recorded as station master in the GWR Register of Clerks in 1890 and in the 1891 census.
The station has two platforms with a modern glass-and-metal waiting shelter on each. A footbridge enables passengers to cross the line. There is no wheelchair access to the far platform (for trains arriving from Bristol and going to Weymouth). The station has a bike rack and help points.
The cutting in which the railway is built is a Site of Special Scientific Interest as one of the best places in England to demonstrate the stratigraphic distinction of ammonites in the subcontractus zone and the morrisi zone.[12]
Great Western Railway operates eight trains each way on the Bristol to Weymouth line during the week and five on Sundays. It is not a regular service; there are some gaps of up to three hours between trains. To the north services run to and from and via . Most are extended beyond Bristol to and from . To the south trains run to and .[13]
Additionally, there are services provided by South Western Railway that operate between and, although these are relatively slow due to taking an indirect route towards London, reversing at and travelling via and the West of England Main Line.[14] A faster and more frequent service to London is available at both and Westbury on the same route, from where Great Western Railway operates trains between and . These trains pass Bruton, but do not stop.