Whitchurch Town railway station was a station on the

Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DN&SR) was a cross-country railway running north–south between Didcot, Newbury and Winchester. Its promoters intended an independent route to Southampton and envisaged heavy traffic from the Midl ...

in England. It served the town of

Whitchurch, Hampshire Whitchurch is a town in the borough of Basingstoke and Deane in Hampshire, England. It is on the River Test, south of Newbury, Berkshire, north of Winchester, east of Andover and west of Basingstoke. Much of the town is a Conservation Area. ...

, between 1885 and 1960.

History

The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DN&S) was opened in stages. The section between Enborne Junction (to the west of ) and Winchester was formally opened on 1 May 1885, public services beginning on 4 May; among the original stations was one named ''Whitchurch''. It was from Enborne Junction, and from . Whitchurch was already served by one railway station on the

LSWR 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 ...

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.

Accidents and incidents

*On 23 September 1954, a freight train overran signals and was derailed by trap points. *On 12 February 1960, a freight train overran signals and was derailed by trap points.

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.

Working

The DN&S was worked by the

Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 mill ...

(GWR), and at the

1923 Grouping The Railways Act 1921 (c. 55), also known as the Grouping Act, was an Act of Parliament enacted by the British government and intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, by "grouping" them into four la ...

, the DN&S was absorbed by the GWR. The GWR had other stations also named Whitchurch, and to distinguish them, most were renamed: this one became ''Whitchurch (Hants)'' on 1 July 1924.

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.

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. Goods services continued, but these ceased as from 6 May 1963.

Routes

Notes

References

* * * *

External links

Whitchurch Station on navigable 1947 O.S. map
{{Closed stations Hampshire Disused railway stations in Hampshire Former Great Western Railway stations Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1885 Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1942 Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1943 Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1960 Whitchurch, Hampshire