Axminster railway station

File:Axminster station circa 1905.jpg

The station opened on 19 July 1860 by LSWR with its Exeter Extension from {{stnlnk|Yeovil Junction}} to Exeter Queen Street. Main offices and a goods shed were east of the line and a small engine shed existed for the locomotive kept here to help early trains up the 1-in-80 (1.25%) climb through Seaton Junction to {{stnlnk|Honiton}}. A signal box was built in 1875 (at the south end of the westbound platform).{{cite book |last= Phillips |first= Derek |author2=Pryer, George |title= The Salisbury to Exeter Line |year= 1997 |publisher= Oxford Publishing Company |location= Sparkford |isbn= 0-86093-525-6 }}{{page needed|date=December 2016}}

The established service pattern was interposed express trains between London Waterloo and other Devon final destinations or Cornwall and local services between Salisbury or Yeovil and Exeter. In 1903 Axminster became a junction when the Lyme Regis branch line was opened. A bay platform (terminus) was built (on the west side) yet the branch climbed at 1 in 80 (1.25%) to cross the main line south of the station by a bridge. A short 1-in-40 connection ran from the goods yard directly to the branch removed in 1915. The engine shed was demolished to make room for the new branch, but a new coal stage and water tank was built next to the terminus. The lever frame in the signal box was extended in 1903 to accommodate the new line, and three years later full signalling on the branch required the building to be extended.{{page needed|date=December 2016}}

In 1923 the LSWR became part of the Southern Railway during the Grouping of 1923. The platforms were lengthened in the 1930s to accommodate longer trains{{cite book| last = Oakley| first = Mike| title = Devon Railway Stations| publisher = The Dovecote Press| year = 2007| location = Wimbourne| isbn =978-1-904349-55-6 }}{{page needed|date=December 2016}} and the new Axminster Carpets factory making Axminster carpets opened alongside the goods yard in 1937.{{page needed|date=December 2016}}

On 1 January 1948 the Southern Railway was nationalised to become the Southern Region of British Railways. January 1963 saw all the lines in the area transferred to the Western Region and this was soon followed by the Reshaping of British Railways report. On 29 November 1965 the Lyme Regis branch line was closed; goods traffic had been withdrawn in 1960. On 11 June 1967 the main line was rationalised{{page needed|date=December 2016}} – Axminster was now in the middle of a {{convert|15.26|mi|km}} single-track section between Chard Junction and Honiton.{{cite book| last = Jacobs| first = Gerald| title = Railway Track Diagrams Book 3: Western| publisher = Trackmaps| year = 2005| location = Bradford-on-Avon| isbn = 0-9549866-1-X |at=maps 17B, 17C }}

In the late 1980s the line found itself part of British Rail's Network SouthEast sector, which invested in new Class 159 trains{{page needed|date=December 2016}} and extended the platform southwards{{page needed|date=December 2016}} to remove the need of passengers to pass beneath a narrow bridge arch to reach the 1930s extension at the north end of the site. The privatisation of British Rail in the 1990s saw the line and station franchised to South West Trains.

Work started February 2009 on a £20 million project which included building a new platform on the site of the disused platform, installing a new footbridge, lifts and waiting shelter, strengthening seven bridges and 20 culverts, installing 12 new signals, replacing three miles of signal cables and modernising the signalling panel at Chard Junction signal box and completed that December with a {{convert|3|mi|km|adj=on}} passing loop incorporating the station tracks. This allowed the previous sparse, irregular timetable{{NRtimes|May 2009|160}} to be replaced with a regular hourly frequency; trains being timetabled to pass at Axminster.{{NRtimes|December 2009|160}}{{cite press release| url=http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=4120&NewsAreaID=2&SearchCategoryID=7| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807195455/http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/content/detail.aspx?releaseid=4120&newsareaid=2&searchcategoryid=7| archive-date= 7 August 2011|author=Network Rail| title=REDOUBLING AT AXMINSTER BEGINS| date= 2 Feb 2009}}

The small building at the end of the main platform since 2009 reopened as a café, situated in the old parcels office.

Since December 2012 Rail Gourmet UK has had its satellite (auxiliary) service centre on site. An at-seat catering service serves many services from Axminster to Waterloo by hosts based at Axminster on morning train services. The service centre doubles as a turn-around station for its staff based at Salisbury.{{citation needed|date=February 2014}}

{{div col}}

• James McLees 1860{{cite journal |author= |date=1851 |title=1851-1924 No.2. Salaried Staff |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1728/images/32167_626640_0483-00163?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.10333493.1452363196.1626376022-1722903150.1624101322&pId=1925481 |journal=London and South Western Railway |volume= |issue= |pages=773 |doi= |access-date=3 July 2021}} - 1863 (afterwards station master at Honiton)
• George R. Stevens 1878 - 1902{{cite news |author= |title=Funeral of Mr. Stevens of Axminster | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002063/19021213/087/0006 |newspaper=Chard and Ilminster News |location=England |date=13 December 1902 |access-date=17 July 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} (formerly station master at Lympstone)
• W.J. Ball 1903 - 1906{{cite news |author= |title=Death of Axminster Stationmaster| url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19060212/063/0004 |newspaper=Western Times |location=England |date=12 February 1906 |access-date=17 July 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} (formerly station master at Torrington)
• Frederick Reuben Heath 1906 - 1909{{cite journal |author= |date=1839 |title=1839-1920 Clerical Staff |url=https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1728/images/32167_636897_0321-00102?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&_ga=2.88965275.1080648411.1626552049-1722903150.1624101322&pId=1878131 |journal=London and South Western Railway |volume= |issue= |pages=151 |doi= |access-date=18 July 2021}} (formerly station master at Botley, afterwards station master at Wadebridge)
• Harry Hother 1909 - 1919{{cite news |author= |title=Mr. H. Hother| url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000511/19191016/009/0001 |newspaper=Exeter and Plymouth Gazette |location=England |date=16 October 1919 |access-date=17 July 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} (formerly station master at Wadebridge)
• Arthur J. Hatyer 1926 - 1934{{cite news |author= |title= 46 years' rail service | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19340316/081/0013 |newspaper=Western Times |location=England |date=16 March 1934 |access-date=17 July 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} (formerly station master at Seaton Junction)
• J. Budd 1934{{cite news |author= |title= Axminster | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19340525/101/0012 |newspaper=Western Times |location=England |date=25 May 1934 |access-date=17 July 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} - 1938 (formerly station master at Parkstone)
• Walter James Grayer 1938{{cite news |author= |title= Eggesford Stationmaster leaving for Axminster | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000265/19380408/005/0002 |newspaper=Western Times |location=England |date=8 April 1938 |access-date=17 July 2021 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }} - ca. 1950

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The station is on the west/south-west edge of the compact but linear town centre.

The main building was designed by the LSWR's architect Sir William Tite and Edward Clifton in mock gothic style.{{cite book |last1=Pevsner |first1=Nikolaus |last2=Cherry |first2=Bridget |title=The Buildings of England. Devon |date=January 2002 |publisher=Yale University Press |page=143 |isbn= 9780300095968}}{{page needed|date=December 2016}} Immediately south of the main building is the 2009-built footbridge between the two platforms. Unusually trains ran on the right but in late 2012, this was reversed: trains now run on the left.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}}

File:Axminster - SWR 158890+159011 arriving from London.JPG train arriving from London Waterloo]]

Off-peak, all services at Axminster are operated by South Western Railway using {{brc|158}} and {{brc|159|n}} DMUs.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:{{NRtimes|May 2022|160}}

• 1 tph to {{stn|London Waterloo}} via {{stnlnk|Salisbury}}
• 1 tph to {{stnlnk|Exeter St Davids}}

The station is also served by a single weekday peak hour service from {{stnlnk|Barnstaple}} which terminates at Axminster. This service is operated by Great Western Railway.{{cite web|url=https://www.gwr.com/~/media/gwr/pdfs/plan-journey/timetables/2022/train-times-15-may-to-12-dec-2022/d2-train-times-15-may-to-10-dec-22-updated-110522.pdf?la=en|title=Train times: Exeter to Barnstaple and Okehampton|work=Great Western Railway|access-date=16 May 2022}}

{{rail start}}

{{rail line|rows2=2||previous={{stnlnk|Crewkerne}}|route=South Western Railway
{{smalldiv|West of England Main Line}}|next={{stnlnk|Honiton}}|col={{SWR colour}} }}

{{s-rail-national|hide2=yes|next=Honiton|toc=Great Western Railway|route={{smalldiv|West of England Main Line}}|notemid={{smalldiv|Limited Service}}}}

{{Historical Rail Insert}}

{{rail line|previous={{stnlnk|Chard Junction}}
{{smalldiv|Line open, station closed}}|route=British Rail
Western Region
{{smalldiv|West of England Main Line}}|next={{stnlnk|Seaton Junction}}
{{smalldiv|Line open, station closed}}|col={{BR(W) colour}} }}

{{Disused Rail Insert}}

{{rail line |route=British Rail
Western Region
{{smalldiv|Lyme Regis Branch Line}}|next={{stnlnk|Combpyne}}
{{smalldiv|Line and station closed}}|col={{BR(W) colour}} }}

{{s-end}}

{{Clear}}

• Southern Railway routes west of Salisbury

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Axminster railway station}}

{{stn art lrnk|AXM|EX135PF}}

• [http://www.semgonline.com/location/axmin.html Southern E-group: Axminster Station]
• [http://www.npemap.org.uk/tiles/map.html#329,98,1 The station on navigable O.S. map]

{{Devon railway stations}}

{{SWT Stations|Salisbury=y|Suburban None=y|IL None=y}}

Category:Railway stations in Devon

Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1860

Category:Railway stations served by South Western Railway

Category:Former London and South Western Railway stations

Category:William Tite railway stations

Category:Industrial archaeological sites in Devon

Category:Axminster

Category:Railway stations served by Great Western Railway

Category:DfT Category D stations