Weymouth Quay railway station explained

Weymouth Quay
Status:Disused
Borough:Weymouth, Dorset
Country:England
Grid Name:Grid reference
Original:Great Western Railway
Pregroup:Great Western Railway
Postgroup:Great Western Railway
Years:1 July 1889
Events:Opened
Years1:25 July 1940
Events1:Closed
Years2:15 June 1946
Events2:Reopened
Years3:26 February 1972[1]
Events3:Goods facilities withdrawn
Years4:26 September 1987[2]
Events4:End of regular scheduled passenger services
Years5:2 May 1999[3]
Events5:Visit by one-off charter service

Weymouth Quay is a disused[4] railway station in Weymouth, Dorset, England at the terminus of the Weymouth Harbour Tramway. Until September 1987 it was the regular terminus and starting point for boat trains to and from London Waterloo, linking to the ferry services with street running along the streets of the town.

After the regular boat trains were ended, the station was still occasionally used for special services, the last being a Pathfinder Tours charter on 2 May 1999.[3] The track and station were no longer used at all after that, although they were still part of the rail network. The station buildings are now offices for Condor Ferries which operated a ferry service to the Channel Islands. However, with the purchase of its new ferry in 2015, Condor ceased to serve the port of Weymouth.

The line was designated "Out of Use (temporary)" for a period of two years by Network Rail on 15 January 2007,[5] and again on 1 April 2009.[6] Closure of the branch was proposed by Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, which was proposing to acquire the trackbed.[7] In July 2014, it was reported that the sale of the line did not proceed and a campaign started to reopen the tram route claiming it would help with tourism and reduce car usage in the town.[8] In 2020 the local authority gained funding to pull up the line[9] and the track was removed in 2020/21.

External links

50.6086°N -2.4483°W

Notes and References

  1. Book: Clinker, C.R. . Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots in England, Scotland and Wales 1830-1977 . October 1978 . Avon-AngliA Publications & Services . Bristol . 0-905466-19-5 . 147.
  2. http://www.dft.gov.uk/foi/responses/2009/may/foi5216/foiresponse.pdf Department for Transport, Freedom of Information Act response, 13 May 2009.
  3. http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/90s/990502pt.htm Six Bells Junction, Way-Farer Railtour, 2 May 1999.
  4. Web site: Network Rail - Current Timetables . 2008-08-01 . 2008-04-18 . .
  5. Web site: NCG12007WESX001 Weymouth Tramway OOU (temporary) . February 2007 . Network Rail . 28 July 2009.
  6. Web site: NCG12009WESX001s Weymouth Traimway -->]. 18 June 2009 . Network Rail . 28 July 2009.
  7. Web site: 'Olympic' train line may be lost . 2009-01-30 . BBC News . 28 July 2009.
  8. News: Campaign to reopen Weymouth seafront train line . . 2014-07-03 . 2014-07-03.
  9. News: Disused Weymouth railway line removal plans win £1m. . 2020-10-11 . 2020-02-28.