Whitchurch Town railway station
{{Short description|Disused railway station in Hampshire, England}}
{{distinguish|Whitchurch railway station (Hampshire)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2017}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Whitchurch Town
| status = Disused
| image = Whitchurch Town station with 2-6-2T 41329.JPG
| caption = LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T No. 41329 passes the station in the 1960s.
| borough = Whitchurch, Basingstoke and Deane
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|51.2289|-1.3433|type:railwaystation_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name = Grid reference
| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|SU459479|25|SU459479}}
| platforms = 2
| original = Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
| pregroup = Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
| postgroup = Great Western Railway
| years = {{Start date|1885|05|04|df=yes}}
| events = Opened as Whitchurch
| years1 = 1 July 1924
| events1 = Renamed Whitchurch (Hants)
| years2 = 4 August 1942
| events2 = Closed
| years3 = 8 March 1943
| events3 = Re-opened as Whitchurch (Hants)
| years4 = 26 September 1949
| events4 = Renamed Whitchurch Town
| years5 = 7 March 1960
| events5 = Closed to passengers
| years6 = 6 May 1963
| events6 = Closed to goods
}}
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.
History
The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DN&S) was opened in stages. The section between Enborne Junction (to the west of {{stnlnk|Newbury}}) and Winchester was formally opened on 1 May 1885, public services beginning on 4 May; among the original stations was one named Whitchurch.{{sfn|Butt|1995|p=248}}{{sfn|Judge|1984|p=94}}{{sfn|Sands|1971|pp=18,29}} It was {{convert|12|mi|57|chain|km}} from Enborne Junction, and {{convert|31|mi|64|chain|km}} from {{stnlnk|Didcot}}.{{sfn|Sands|1971|p=50}}
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.{{sfn|Sands|1971|p=29}}{{sfn|Conolly|1976|loc=p. 4, section B3}}
Accidents and incidents
- On 23 September 1954, a freight train hauled by BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76017 overran signals and was derailed by trap points.{{cite book |first=Bill |last=Bishop |title=Off the Rails |publisher=Kingfisher |location=Southampton |year=1984 |pages=57–65 |isbn=0-946184-06-2}}
- On 12 February 1960, a freight train hauled by BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 No. 76026 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.{{sfn|Judge|1984|p=94}}
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.{{sfn|Sands|1971|p=38}} The GWR had other stations also named Whitchurch, and to distinguish them, most were renamed: this one became Whitchurch (Hants) on 1 July 1924.{{sfn|Butt|1995|p=248}}
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.{{sfn|Butt|1995|p=248}}{{sfn|Sands|1971|pp=40–41}}
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.{{sfn|Butt|1995|p=248}} Goods services continued, but these ceased as from 6 May 1963.{{sfn|Judge|1984|p=94}}
Routes
{{Disused Rail Start}}
{{Rail line |previous={{stnlnk|Litchfield}}
Line and station closed |next={{stnlnk|Barton Stacey}}
Line and station closed |route=Great Western Railway
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway |col={{GWR colour}} }}
{{end box}}
Notes
{{reflist|colwidth=20em}}
References
- {{cite book |last=Butt |first=R.V.J. |title=The Directory of Railway Stations |year=1995 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Yeovil |isbn=1-85260-508-1 |id=R508 }}
- {{cite book |last=Conolly |first=W. Philip |title=British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer |edition=5th |date=January 1976 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton |isbn=0-7110-0320-3 |id=EX/0176 }}
- {{cite book |last=Judge |first=Colin W. |title=An Historical Survey of the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway |year=1984 |publisher=Oxford Publishing Co |location=Poole |isbn=0-86093-149-8 }}
- {{cite book |last=Sands |first=T.B. |title=The Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway |series=The Oakwood Library of Railway History |year=1971 |publisher=Oakwood Press |location=Lingfield |id=OL28 }}
External links
- [http://www.npemap.org.uk/tiles/map.html#445,147,1 Whitchurch Station on navigable 1947 O.S. map]
{{Closed stations Hampshire}}
Category:Disused railway stations in Hampshire
Category:Former Great Western Railway stations
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1885
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1942
Category:Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1943