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. | |
| Location | |
| Place | Whitchurch |
| Area | Basingstoke and Deane |
| Coordinates | 51.2289°N 1.3433°W |
| Grid reference | SU459479 |
| Operations | |
| Original company | Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway |
| Post-grouping | Great Western Railway |
| Platforms | 2 |
| History | |
| 4 May 1885 | Opened as Whitchurch |
| 1 July 1924 | Renamed Whitchurch (Hants) |
| 4 August 1942 | Closed |
| 8 March 1943 | Re-opened as Whitchurch (Hants) |
| 26 September 1949 | Renamed Whitchurch Town |
| 7 March 1960 | Closed to passengers |
| 6 May 1963 | Closed to goods |
| Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom | |
| Closed railway stations in Britain A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z | |
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
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
- Butt 1995, p. 248.
- Judge 1984, p. 94.
- Sands 1971, pp. 18,29.
- Sands 1971, p. 50.
- Sands 1971, p. 29.
- Conolly 1976, p. 4, section B3.
- Bishop, Bill (1984). Off the Rails. Southampton: Kingfisher. pp. 57–65. ISBN 0 946184 06 2.
- Sands 1971, p. 38.
- 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)