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Seaton Junction is a closed
Originally named "Colyton for Seaton" the station opened on 19 July 1860 on completion of the Exeter Extension of the 
The steady decline in holiday traffic resulting from increased car ownership in the 1960s led to a gradual run down of services and the branch line and junction station closed on 7 March 1966 by the
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
on the West of England Main Line
The West of England line (also known as the West of England Main Line) is a British railway line from , Hampshire, to in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter; the line intersects with the Wessex M ...
from London Waterloo
Waterloo station (), also known as London Waterloo, is a central London terminus on the National Rail network in the United Kingdom, in the Waterloo area of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is connected to a London Underground station of ...
to Exeter
Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol.
In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...
. It was situated 3 miles west of Axminster
Axminster is a market town and civil parish on the eastern border of the county of Devon in England. It is from the county town of Exeter. The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmou ...
and 7 miles east of Honiton
Honiton ( or ) is a market town and civil parish in East Devon, situated close to the River Otter, north east of Exeter in the county of Devon. Honiton has a population estimated at 11,822 (based on mid-year estimates for the two Honiton Ward ...
. It was previously known as Colyton for Seaton and Colyton Junction.
History
Originally named "Colyton for Seaton" the station opened on 19 July 1860 on completion of the Exeter Extension of the London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway (LSWR, sometimes written L&SWR) was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Originating as the London and Southampton Railway, its network extended to Dorchester and Weymouth, to Salisbury, Exeter ...
from Yeovil Junction
Yeovil Junction railway station is the busier, but less central, of two railway stations serving the town of Yeovil in England. The station is outside the town, in the village of Stoford. Although Yeovil is in Somerset, the station was in Dor ...
to Exeter Queen Street.
With the opening of the Seaton & Beer Railway on 16 March 1868 the name was changed to "Colyton Junction", before finally becoming "Seaton Junction" on 18 July 1869.
Originally trains arriving from the Seaton branch had to reverse into "down" (westbound) platform, however the station was reconstructed in 1927–8 with two through tracks on the main line and loops to the newly extended platforms. At the same time a new branch line platform was added, set at an angle of 45° to the main line.
The location of the station created a major problem for westbound trains stopping at Seaton Junction since it was situated at the start of a six miles climb at 1 in 80 to the summit of the line at Honiton tunnel.
The steady decline in holiday traffic resulting from increased car ownership in the 1960s led to a gradual run down of services and the branch line and junction station closed on 7 March 1966 by the Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right on completion of the "Organising for Quality" initiative on 6 April 1992. The Region consisted principally of ex- Great ...
.
Stationmasters
*George Evans 1868 - 1879 (afterwards station master at Chard) *G. Smith ca. 1881 *James Lock 1882 - 1888 (afterwards station master at Torrington) *Mr. Geoghan 1888 - ca. 1895 (formerly station master at Lapford) *John Hobbs 1898 - 1904 (formerly station master at Camelford, afterwards station master at Sidmouth Junction) *William J. Brown 1904 - 1909 (formerly station master at Whimple, afterwards station master at Chard) *William Thomas Smith 1909 - 1912 (formerly station master at Bridstowe) *Arthur J. Hatyer 1912 - 1926 (afterwards station master at Axminster) *W.A. Palmer 1926 *H.R. Evans 1926 - 1933 (afterwards station master at Hither Green) *A.G. Carter 1933 - 1939 (afterwards station master at Petersfield) *W.H.W. Beer 1939 - 1945Present day
The station building is now a private residence. The platform is still visible (albeit overgrown). The footbridge from the island platform still survives today. Trains still pass the site on theWest of England Main Line
The West of England line (also known as the West of England Main Line) is a British railway line from , Hampshire, to in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter; the line intersects with the Wessex M ...
.
See also
*Seaton Tramway
The Seaton Tramway is a narrow gauge electric tramway in the East Devon district of South West England. The route runs alongside the Axe Estuary and the River Coly, running between the coastal resort of Seaton, the village of Colyford, an ...
References
* ''The Salisbury to Exeter Line'' by Derek Phillips and George Pryer. Oxford Publishing Company. 1997. {{coord, 50, 45, 47, N, 03, 03, 58, W, region:GB_scale:20000, display=title Disused railway stations in Devon Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1860 Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1966 Former London and South Western Railway stations Beeching closures in England