More lost and abandoned railway stations of Dorset

With many budding trainspotters and enthusiasts among us, we thought we'd take a look at some more railway stations that have been deserted over the years. 

READ MORE: The lost and abandoned railway stations of Dorset

READ MORE: The lost and abandoned RAF bases of Dorset

There has been a lot of development in the rail industry most astonishingly switching from coal powered locomotives to diesel and now making the switch to electric lines.

Consequently there has been a lot of change to our lines through the years leading to new stations and the downfall of some of the old ones.

Here are some more of Dorset's forgotten railways stations:

Avon Lodge station

(Avon Lodge c early 20th century, copyright photo from John Alsop collection.)

Avon Lodge was a private untimetabled railway station that was first opened on 3 November 1862 by the Ringwood, Christchurch and Bournemouth Railway. 

Before its opening, visitors would reach Bournemouth and Christchurch by bus from Poole. 

By the late 1850s railway promoters were keen to develop this district so in 1859 the Ringwood, Christchurch and Bournemouth Railway were given powers to build a short 7.45 mile track along the Avon from Ringwood to Christchurch.

Christchurch then became the railhead for access to Bournemouth - but by 1863 Bournemouth East station was opened followed by Boscame (later Pokesdown) and Boscombe. 

The station was taken into the Southern Railway in the grouping of 1923 and was sadly closed on 20 September 1935. 

West Bay station

(By Chris Downer, CC BY-SA 2.0,)

West Bay railway station in Bridport was first opened in 1884, a year after construction first started. 

The station was called West Bay by the Great Western Railway in order to encourage holiday traffic.

The line between West Bay and Bridport closed to passengers in 1930, and operated for goods services only until its final closure in 1962.

The historic building, with its neat limestone structure and slate roof with deep eaves, has had many uses since it closed as a railway station. 

In the 90s a short part of the railway was restored by The Swanage Railway and it has since been used as a cafe and restaurant. 

Melcombe Regis station

(Melcombe Regis station looking north on the opening day. Photo - John Alsop Collection.)

Melcombe Regis was a station on the Portland Branch Railway that was first opened in 1909.

The station consisted of a single 400ft timber platform on the down side of the line. 

There was a timber-built station building that was faced with corrugated iron and the roof extended over the platform to act as a canopy. 

The station was closed officially, along with the branch, on 3 March 1952.

However, goods trains continued to pass the site on their way to the Admiralty sites on Portland until 1965.

Toller station

(Toller Station by Britmax (talk) -)

Another station to close was Toller which was part of the Bridport Railway and served the village of Toller Porcorum.

It was opened on 31 March 1862, five years after the branch and consisted of a single platform and modest wooden building.

The station served just this small village and a number of local farms.

On Boxing Day in 1857 vandals replaced the iron tracks at Toller and on 8 January 1858 a large boulder was placed on the line at Bridport, blocking the railway.

The station was sadly closed to passengers on 5 May, 1975 and the platform has since been demolished although part remains as a public footpath. 

West Moors station

First opened in 1867 West Moors became the junction of the Southampton and Dorchester Railway and the Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway. 

The station was used during the summer by holidaymakers as the ideal spot to transition between east and west seaside resorts. 

Although passenger services were withdrawn in 1964 as a result of the Beeching Report, the line remained open until 1974 for freight trains serving the Royal Army Ordnance Corps fuel depot at West Moors.

The track was lifted in 1974 and a road is now in its place.