Dorchester West railway station explained

Dorchester West
Symbol Location:gb
Symbol:rail
Borough:Dorchester, Dorset
Country:England
Coordinates:50.711°N -2.443°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Manager:Great Western Railway
Platforms:2
Code:DCW
Classification:DfT category F1
Original:Great Western Railway
Years:1857
Events:Opened
Footnotes:Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Dorchester West is one of two railway stations that serves the town of Dorchester in Dorset, England; the other is . It is managed by Great Western Railway, which also operates all services that stop here. The station is located on the Heart of Wessex Line between and, at the southern end of a single track section from . It is sited 161.63miles from, via and . The line becomes double at the station and remains so to just before nearby Dorchester Junction, where the line joins the South West Main Line from to Weymouth.

History

The station was opened by the Great Western Railway on 20 January 1857, when it completed the former Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth line from Castle Cary and Yeovil through to Weymouth.

In October 2021, a new ramp was opened allowing step-free access to platform 1.[1]

Stationmasters

Accidents and incidents

An accident occurred at this station in 1974 when an excursion train from Hereford to Weymouth, on its return journey, did not stop at the signal controlling the entry to the single line section, and ran into the sand drag. The locomotive (a Class 47) ran right through the sand drag and out the other side, followed by a couple of coaches. Eighteen passengers suffered minor injuries in the derailment, but no one was seriously hurt.[12] The passengers were taken home by train via Southampton later that evening, and the loco was subsequently re-railed and recovered during the night several weeks later.

Services

The station is served by Great Western Railway, who operate services between, and . Services generally operate every two hours in each direction.[13]

More frequent services, usually every hour, are available to Weymouth, as well as services to London Waterloo from the nearby Dorchester South station.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Smith. Roger. 2021-10-28. New access ramp at Dorchester West station provides easier access for passengers and new direct route to Dorset hospital. live. 2021-10-29. RailAdvent. en-GB. https://web.archive.org/web/20211028162607/https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/10/new-access-ramp-at-dorchester-west-station-provides-easier-access-for-passengers-and-new-direct-route-to-dorset-hospital.html . 28 October 2021 .
  2. . 1899 . 1835-1910 Clerks Vol.3 . Great Western Railway Operating, Miscellaneous Depts . 155 . 19 June 2021.
  3. . 1835 . 1835-1910 Clerks Vol.3 . Great Western Railway Operating, Miscellaneous Depts . 40 . 19 June 2021.
  4. . 1835 . 1835-1910 Clerks Vol.3 . Great Western Railway Operating, Miscellaneous Depts . 161 . 19 June 2021.
  5. News: . Dorchester. . Southern Times and Dorset County Herald . England . 14 January 1871 . 19 June 2021 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  6. News: . Presentation at Dorchester. Acknowledging the services of the late Stationmaster . Weymouth Telegram . England . 2 April 1901 . 19 June 2021 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  7. News: . Cawings from the Weston Rookery . Weston-super-Mare Gazette, and General Advertiser . England . 19 October 1907 . 19 June 2021 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  8. News: . Shepton Mallet News . Wells Journal . England . 3 March 1910 . 19 June 2021 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  9. News: . Westbury . Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser . England . 17 July 1926 . 19 June 2021 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  10. News: . Dorchester G.W.R. Stationmaster . Western Gazette . England . 2 September 1932 . 19 June 2021 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  11. News: . Stationmaster Retiring . Western Gazette . England . 9 October 1942 . 19 June 2021 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  12. http://www.railwaysarchive.co.uk/documents/DoE_Dorchester1974.pdf Dept of the Environment Railway Accidents - Report into the Derailment that occurred on 25 August 1974 at Dorchester West Station
  13. Web site: Train Times . Great Western Railway . 2 June 2024 . 14 July 2024 .

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