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Washford railway station is a station on the
The station was opened on 16 July 1874 by the Minehead Railway. The railway was operated by the Bristol and Exeter Railway which was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway in 1876. The Minehead Railway was itself absorbed into the GWR in 1897 which, in turn, was nationalised into British Railways in 1948.
The signal box was closed in 1952, goods traffic ceased in 1964, and the station was unstaffed from 1966. The line was eventually closed on 4 January 1971, but was reopened by the West Somerset Railway on 28 August 1976.
The Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust has been based at Washford from 1976, however they and the WSR are in negotiations about the future use of the former goods yard. The Trust's collection contains relics of the
Trains run between and at weekends and on some other days from March to October, daily during the late spring and summer, and on certain days during the winter.
West Somerset Railway's website – Washford Station
Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust
{{authority control West Somerset Railway Heritage railway stations in Somerset Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1874 Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1971 Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1976 Former Great Western Railway stations Museums in Somerset Railway museums in England
West Somerset Railway
The West Somerset Railway (WSR) is a heritage railway line in Somerset, England. The freehold of the line and stations is owned by Somerset County Council; the railway is leased to and operated by West Somerset Railway plc (WSR plc); which i ...
, a heritage railway in England. The station is situated in the village of Washford
Washford is a village on the Washford River in the civil parish of Old Cleeve, Somerset, England. The village is next to Cleeve Abbey, one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in England. It centred in a valley close to the Bristol Channe ...
, which is itself within the civil parish of Old Cleeve
Old Cleeve (https://www.oldcleeveparishcouncil.org/) is a village south east of Minehead in the Somerset West and Taunton district of Somerset, England, and also a civil parish.
The civil parish of Old Cleeve covers an area of and includes t ...
in the county of Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
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History
The station was opened on 16 July 1874 by the Minehead Railway. The railway was operated by the Bristol and Exeter Railway which was amalgamated into the Great Western Railway in 1876. The Minehead Railway was itself absorbed into the GWR in 1897 which, in turn, was nationalised into British Railways in 1948.
The signal box was closed in 1952, goods traffic ceased in 1964, and the station was unstaffed from 1966. The line was eventually closed on 4 January 1971, but was reopened by the West Somerset Railway on 28 August 1976.
Description
Washford is the second highest station on the line and is situated in a gap between the coastal cliffs and theBrendon Hills
The Brendon Hills are a range of hills in west Somerset, England. The hills merge level into the eastern side of Exmoor and are included within the Exmoor National Park. The highest point of the range is Lype Hill at above sea level with a secon ...
. It is accessed by two very steep inclines for steam trains – climbing up from trains face a section at 1 in 65 (1.5%), the steepest on the line. The station has a single platform on the south side of the line, although there is an extensive yard on the opposite side of the line from the platform which is where the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust is housed.
Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust Museum
The Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust has been based at Washford from 1976, however they and the WSR are in negotiations about the future use of the former goods yard. The Trust's collection contains relics of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, also known as the S&D, SDJR or S&DJR, was an English railway line connecting Bath (in north-east Somerset) and Bournemouth (now in south-east Dorset but then in Hampshire), with a branch from Evercreech ...
(S&DJR), including station nameboards, lamps, tools, signalling equipment, tickets, photographs, handbills, rolling stock and steam locomotives. The Trust's Peckett and Sons
Peckett and Sons was a locomotive manufacturer at the Atlas Locomotive Works on Deep Pit Road between Fishponds and St. George, Bristol, England.
Fox, Walker and Company
The company began trading in 1864 at the Atlas Engine Works, St. George, ...
0-4-0ST No. 1788 "Kilmersdon" was based there for many years when not on hire but has now moved to the Mid-Hants Railway (Watercress Line).
Next to the original stone station building of 1874 is a much smaller wooden building, which originally was the Great Western Railway's signal box. This structure housed a recreation of the interior of the S&DJR signal box at . A second signal box was used as part of a signalling display in the yard and was formerly used on the S&DJR at . Most of the stock and artefacts have now been moved to new locations - the main new location is Alresford, on the Mid-Hants Railway (Watercress Line), where a new secondary main lines museum has been established.
Services
Trains run between and at weekends and on some other days from March to October, daily during the late spring and summer, and on certain days during the winter.
References
External links
West Somerset Railway's website – Washford Station
Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust
{{authority control West Somerset Railway Heritage railway stations in Somerset Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1874 Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1971 Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1976 Former Great Western Railway stations Museums in Somerset Railway museums in England