Broadstone (Dorset) railway station
Encyclopedia
This article refers to the former station in Dorset, England. For the similarly named station in Ireland see Broadstone (Dublin) railway station
.
Broadstone was a railway station in the northern part of the town of Poole
in the county of Dorset
in England. It opened in 1872 under the name of New Poole Junction and closed to passengers in 1966 and to goods in 1969. Between these dates there were several changes of name for a station which at its height provided a suburb of Poole with four substantial platforms and a goods yard. A prominent feature of the station was the large footbridge needed to span the four running lines.
Opened as New Poole Junction in 1872, as part of the Southampton and Dorchester Railway
, the station was the junction for the new line into Poole that superseded the old station at Lower Hamworthy. When the line was extended to Bournemouth West
Broadstone became the junction for the trains to the Bournemouth station. Then the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
constructed a cutoff line to avoid the need to reverse in Wimborne
and Broadstone became the meeting point of two lines, although the construction of further cutoffs to improve access to Bournemouth
reduced its importance.
from Ringwood, closed in 1964. The line to Hamworthy Junction
was lifted in 1966. This same year, the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
lost its passenger services. This left Broadstone the junction of two goods lines, one to serve a goods depot at Blandford via a stub of the SDJR and one which passed through Wimborne to serve the RAOC fuel depot at West Moors
. The Blandford freight line closed and was lifted in 1969 but the track to the oil depot kept tracks running through the site until policy changed to the use of road transport. The last track through Broadstone was lifted in 1977.
skirts the edge of the former site before regaining the old trackbed on the way to Wimborne.
Broadstone (Dublin) railway station
Broadstone railway station, , the former Dublin terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway, is currently the headquarters of Bus Éireann, housing most of their administration and also one of their main garages...
.
Broadstone was a railway station in the northern part of the town of Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
in the county of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
in England. It opened in 1872 under the name of New Poole Junction and closed to passengers in 1966 and to goods in 1969. Between these dates there were several changes of name for a station which at its height provided a suburb of Poole with four substantial platforms and a goods yard. A prominent feature of the station was the large footbridge needed to span the four running lines.
Opened as New Poole Junction in 1872, as part of the Southampton and Dorchester Railway
Southampton and Dorchester Railway
-Planning and Construction:The Southampton and Dorchester Railway, operating in the counties of Hampshire and Dorset, received Parliamentary Assent in 1845 and opened in 1847. The railway was promoted by a Wimborne solicitor, Charles Castleman...
, the station was the junction for the new line into Poole that superseded the old station at Lower Hamworthy. When the line was extended to Bournemouth West
Bournemouth West railway station
Bournemouth West railway station was a railway station in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. It closed on 4 October 1965. The station was the southern terminus of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, as well as being the terminus for trains from London Waterloo and other local trains.-Closure:The...
Broadstone became the junction for the trains to the Bournemouth station. Then the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
constructed a cutoff line to avoid the need to reverse in Wimborne
Wimborne railway station
Wimborne was a railway station in Wimborne Minster in the county of Dorset in England. Open from 1 June 1847 to 2 May 1977, it was sited just north of the River Stour in what is still Station Road. Built for the Southampton and Dorchester Railway, the station was operated from the start by the...
and Broadstone became the meeting point of two lines, although the construction of further cutoffs to improve access to Bournemouth
Bournemouth railway station
Bournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
reduced its importance.
Decline and closure
The first line through Broadstone to close was the Old RoadSouthampton and Dorchester Railway
-Planning and Construction:The Southampton and Dorchester Railway, operating in the counties of Hampshire and Dorset, received Parliamentary Assent in 1845 and opened in 1847. The railway was promoted by a Wimborne solicitor, Charles Castleman...
from Ringwood, closed in 1964. The line to Hamworthy Junction
Hamworthy railway station
Hamworthy railway station serves Hamworthy, an area of Poole in Dorset.-History:The station opened with the Southampton & Dorchester Railway, which later became part of the London and South Western Railway , in 1847 as Poole Junction...
was lifted in 1966. This same year, the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway – almost always referred to as "the S&D" – was an English railway line connecting Bath in north east Somerset and Bournemouth now in south east Dorset but then in Hampshire...
lost its passenger services. This left Broadstone the junction of two goods lines, one to serve a goods depot at Blandford via a stub of the SDJR and one which passed through Wimborne to serve the RAOC fuel depot at West Moors
West Moors
West Moors is a village in East Dorset, England, on the northern fringe of the Poole-Bournemouth conurbation, just outside the larger settlements of Ferndown and Verwood...
. The Blandford freight line closed and was lifted in 1969 but the track to the oil depot kept tracks running through the site until policy changed to the use of road transport. The last track through Broadstone was lifted in 1977.
The site today
Today the site is occupied by Broadstone Leisure Centre, its car park and a traffic roundabout. A subway to Broadstone's shopping area passes under the roads where the railway bridge used to be. This, and the building of some houses on the old trackbed north of the station site, mean that the Castleman TrailwayCastleman Trailway
The Castleman Trailway is a footpath in Southern England. Portions of the trailway are also a cyclepath but the middle section from West Moors to Wimborne is not cyclable....
skirts the edge of the former site before regaining the old trackbed on the way to Wimborne.
External references
- Broadstone station on navigable 1946 O. S. map
- Station picture on Broadstone.net
- Broadstone station on Subterranea Britannica