Castle Cary Cut-Off
Encyclopedia
The Langport and Castle Cary Railway is a railway line from Castle Cary railway station
to Cogload Junction
near Taunton
, Somerset
, England, which reduced the length of the journey from London to Penzance
by 20¼ miles.
in Cornwall
started running in 1867 taking a circuitous route over the Great Western Railway
(GWR) to Bristol
, then the Bristol and Exeter Railway
through Taunton
to Exeter
, the South Devon Railway
to Plymouth Millbay railway station
, the Cornwall Railway
to Truro
, and finally completing their journey on the West Cornwall Railway
. By 1889 the whole route was controlled by the GWR, but trains still had to take the "Great Way Round" through Bristol.
There had been several schemes to build a shorter route to Cornwall such as the Exeter Great Western Railway, but these came to nothing. Finally in 1895 the GWR directors announced that new lines were to be constructed to enable trains to reach Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance in a shorter time. The first stage was to lay a second track on the Berks and Hants Extension Railway from Hungerford
to Patney and Chirton railway station, from where new line was opened in 1900 that reduced the distance to Westbury
on the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Line
by 14¼ miles.
The first section of the Castle Cary Cut-Off was opened on 1 July 1905 from Castle Cary
as far as Charlton Mackrell, then on 2 April 1906 goods trains started running east from the new Cogload Junction
to Somerton and was extended to Charton Mackrell on 20 May 1906. The route followed part of the Yeovil branch – which was rebuilt with a second track and at a higher level to avoid flooding – from to Athelney to Curry Rivel Junction near Langport.
Passenger trains first ran through Somerton on 2 July 1906 which then became the route for express trains to Devon
and Cornwall
. The prestige Cornish Riviera Express
could now leave London Paddington station twenty minutes later yet arrive at Penzance
at the same time as before. The new lines between Patney and Chirton and Cogload reduced the distance from London to Penzance from 325½ to 305¼ miles; Taunton was now 143 instead of 163¼ miles from London – a 12½% reduction. Two additional short cut-off lines were opened in 1933 to allow non-stop trains to avoid sharp curves at Westbury and Frome railway station
s on the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Line, but this has not resulted in a shorter published mileage.
Cogload Junction
was a flat junction which meant that trains from Taunton to Castle Cary had to cross the line used by trains from Bristol to Taunton. On 15 November 1931 a flyover was brought into use to allow the down trains from Bristol to pass above the two Castle Cary lines, and from there to Taunton and Norton Fitzwarren
there were now four running lines. From East to West these were: Down Bristol, Down Castle Cary, Up Castle Cary, Up Bristol, but crossovers at Cogload were added later that allowed trains to run on the adjacent line when necessary.
but CrossCountry
also use the line as a diversionary route should the main Bristol to Taunton Line be blocked, travelling over the Wessex Main Line
via Bath Spa
and Westbury
to reach Castle Cary. Their drivers' knowledge in recent years has been maintained by running a summer Saturday service from Bristol to Paignton
over this route.
. A siding was opened for military goods traffic on 15 September 1940. The halt closed on 10 September 1962.
. The main building was on the eastbound platform and the small goods yard was behind this platform at the east end.
was the terminus of the temporary branch from Castle Cary. In common with other stations between Castle Cary and Cogload Junction it was closed on 10 September 1962. The main building was on the eastbound platform and a goods shed and yard was situated behind this platform at the east end with the signal box
opposite.
". It was in a cutting close to the centre of Somerton
. The main building was on the eastbound platform with the goods shed at the west end of this platform. The original signal box
was sited opposite the goods yard but a new signal box was opened late in 1942 to control some new loop lines installed to the west of the station to allow goods trains to be overtaken.
Although passenger trains were withdrawn on 10 September 1962, goods traffic continued to be handled until 6 July 1964.
but named after the larger villages of Long Sutton
and Pitney
, both about a mile distant south and north of the line respectively. The station had small corrugated iron shelters on both platforms.
Although passenger trains were withdrawn on 10 September 1962, goods traffic continued to be handled until 6 July 1964.
was opened on 1 October 1853 on the Yeovil Branch Line. With the opening of the town's second station on 2 July 1906 it was renamed "Langport West" while the new one became "Langport East".
The new station gave access to direct trains to London but was unusual for stations on the line as the main building was on the westbound platform. Between the station and Curry Rivel Junction, where the Cut-Off joined the old branch line, the line crossed some moors on a low viaduct and the River Parrett
on a 105 feet (32 m) girder bridge.
was also served by trains from Yeovil
and so remained open until 15 June 1964.
The original building was on the north side of the single track. With the doubling of the line in 1906 a second platform was added and a large wooden building was sited on this which then became the main offices. A signal box
dating from 1881 on the north side of the line was replaced at the same time by one on the south side., which remained in use until 5 April 1986 to control a level crossing
and has since been rebuilt at Staverton
on the South Devon Railway
.
The station master's house and some railwaymen's houses still stand at Athelney. The main station building was moved to Stoke St Gregory
Playing field and is now the Cricket and Tennis Pavilion.
Castle Cary railway station
Castle Cary railway station serves a largely rural area of the county of Somerset in England. The station is situated approximately north of the town of Castle Cary, and south of Shepton Mallet....
to Cogload Junction
Cogload Junction
Cogload Junction is a railway junction in Durston, Somerset, England. It is where the 1906-opened London to Penzance Line via Castle Cary joins the original line that runs via Bristol...
near Taunton
Taunton railway station
Taunton railway station is a junction station on the route from London to Penzance, from London Paddington station. It is situated in Taunton, Somerset, England and is operated by First Great Western...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England, which reduced the length of the journey from London to Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
by 20¼ miles.
History
Through trains from London Paddington station to PenzancePenzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
started running in 1867 taking a circuitous route over the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR) to Bristol
Bristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
, then the Bristol and Exeter Railway
Bristol and Exeter Railway
The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter.The company's head office was situated outside their Bristol station...
through Taunton
Taunton railway station
Taunton railway station is a junction station on the route from London to Penzance, from London Paddington station. It is situated in Taunton, Somerset, England and is operated by First Great Western...
to Exeter
Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western.-History:...
, the South Devon Railway
South Devon Railway Company
The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel-Chronology:* 1844 South Devon Railway Act passed by parliament...
to Plymouth Millbay railway station
Plymouth Millbay railway station
Plymouth Millbay railway station was the original railway terminus in Plymouth, Devon, England. It was used for passenger trains from 1849 to 1941.- History :...
, the Cornwall Railway
Cornwall Railway
The Cornwall Railway was a broad gauge railway from Plymouth in Devon to Falmouth in Cornwall, United Kingdom. The section from Plymouth to Truro opened in 1859, the extension to Falmouth in 1863...
to Truro
Truro railway station
Truro Station serves the city of Truro, Cornwall, UK. It is the situated on the Cornish Main Line and is the junction for the Maritime Line to Falmouth. The station is operated by First Great Western....
, and finally completing their journey on the West Cornwall Railway
West Cornwall Railway
The West Cornwall Railway was a railway company in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, formed in 1846 to operate the existing Hayle Railway between Hayle and Redruth and extend the railway to Penzance and Truro....
. By 1889 the whole route was controlled by the GWR, but trains still had to take the "Great Way Round" through Bristol.
There had been several schemes to build a shorter route to Cornwall such as the Exeter Great Western Railway, but these came to nothing. Finally in 1895 the GWR directors announced that new lines were to be constructed to enable trains to reach Exeter, Plymouth and Penzance in a shorter time. The first stage was to lay a second track on the Berks and Hants Extension Railway from Hungerford
Hungerford railway station
Hungerford railway station is a railway station in the town of Hungerford, Berkshire, England. First Great Western trains serve the station.-History:...
to Patney and Chirton railway station, from where new line was opened in 1900 that reduced the distance to Westbury
Westbury railway station
Westbury railway station serves the town of Westbury, Wiltshire, England. The station is managed by First Great Western.The station is a major junction, serving the Reading to Plymouth Line with services to and from Penzance and London Paddington, the Wessex Main Line with services to and from...
on the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Line
Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway
The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway was a broad gauge railway that linked the Great Western Railway at Chippenham in 'Wilts' with Weymouth in Dorset, England. Branches ran to Devizes, Bradford-on-Avon and Salisbury in Wiltshire, and to Radstock in Somerset. The majority of the line survives...
by 14¼ miles.
The first section of the Castle Cary Cut-Off was opened on 1 July 1905 from Castle Cary
Castle Cary railway station
Castle Cary railway station serves a largely rural area of the county of Somerset in England. The station is situated approximately north of the town of Castle Cary, and south of Shepton Mallet....
as far as Charlton Mackrell, then on 2 April 1906 goods trains started running east from the new Cogload Junction
Cogload Junction
Cogload Junction is a railway junction in Durston, Somerset, England. It is where the 1906-opened London to Penzance Line via Castle Cary joins the original line that runs via Bristol...
to Somerton and was extended to Charton Mackrell on 20 May 1906. The route followed part of the Yeovil branch – which was rebuilt with a second track and at a higher level to avoid flooding – from to Athelney to Curry Rivel Junction near Langport.
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. The prestige Cornish Riviera Express
Cornish Riviera Express
The Cornish Riviera Express is a British express passenger train that has run between London and Penzance in Cornwall since 1904. Introduced by the Great Western Railway, the name Cornish Riviera Express has been applied to the late morning express train from London Paddington station to Penzance...
could now leave London Paddington station twenty minutes later yet arrive at Penzance
Penzance railway station
Penzance railway station serves the town of Penzance, Cornwall, UK. The station is the western terminus of the Cornish Main Line from London Paddington station. The current journey time to or from London is about five hours....
at the same time as before. The new lines between Patney and Chirton and Cogload reduced the distance from London to Penzance from 325½ to 305¼ miles; Taunton was now 143 instead of 163¼ miles from London – a 12½% reduction. Two additional short cut-off lines were opened in 1933 to allow non-stop trains to avoid sharp curves at Westbury and Frome railway station
Frome railway station
Frome railway station serves a largely rural area of the county of Somerset in England, and is situated in the town of Frome.The station is located on a long branch line which loops off the main line railway, which carries services on both the Reading to Taunton line and Bristol to Weymouth route...
s on the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Line, but this has not resulted in a shorter published mileage.
Cogload Junction
Cogload Junction
Cogload Junction is a railway junction in Durston, Somerset, England. It is where the 1906-opened London to Penzance Line via Castle Cary joins the original line that runs via Bristol...
was a flat junction which meant that trains from Taunton to Castle Cary had to cross the line used by trains from Bristol to Taunton. On 15 November 1931 a flyover was brought into use to allow the down trains from Bristol to pass above the two Castle Cary lines, and from there to Taunton and Norton Fitzwarren
Norton Fitzwarren railway station
Norton Fitzwarren railway station is an untimetabled station on the West Somerset Railway in Somerset, England. It was built in 2009 about north of the site of the old station that served the village of Norton Fitzwarren from 1873 until 1961...
there were now four running lines. From East to West these were: Down Bristol, Down Castle Cary, Up Castle Cary, Up Bristol, but crossovers at Cogload were added later that allowed trains to run on the adjacent line when necessary.
Current services
Trains now run non-stop between Castle Cary and Taunton. The regular service is operated by First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
but CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
also use the line as a diversionary route should the main Bristol to Taunton Line be blocked, travelling over the Wessex Main Line
Wessex Main Line
The Wessex Main Line is the railway line from Bristol Temple Meads to Southampton. Diverging from this route is the Heart of Wessex Line from Westbury to Weymouth.- Places served :The places served are listed below.*Bristol*Keynsham*Oldfield Park*Bath...
via Bath Spa
Bath Spa railway station
Bath Spa railway station is the principal railway station in the city of Bath, in South West England.-Architecture:Bath Spa station was built in 1840 for the Great Western Railway by Brunel and is a grade II* listed building...
and Westbury
Westbury railway station
Westbury railway station serves the town of Westbury, Wiltshire, England. The station is managed by First Great Western.The station is a major junction, serving the Reading to Plymouth Line with services to and from Penzance and London Paddington, the Wessex Main Line with services to and from...
to reach Castle Cary. Their drivers' knowledge in recent years has been maintained by running a summer Saturday service from Bristol to Paignton
Paignton railway station
Paignton railway station is the railway station serving Paignton in Devon, England. It is the terminus of the Riviera Line from Exeter and is also an interchange between National Rail services and the preserved Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway.-History:...
over this route.
Stations
The new line enabled the construction of six new stations but these all closed on 10 September 1962. Trains also served Athelney station and (from 1928) Lyng Halt on the old Yeovil branch, and Durston and Creech St Michael railway stations on the Bristol to Exeter Line, but fast trains avoided the middle two of these by using the new line from Athelney to Cogload.Alford Halt
This small halt was opened on 21 July 1905, three weeks after the line was opened as far as Charlton Mackrell, to serve the village of AlfordAlford, Somerset
Alford is a village and parish on the River Alham, in Somerset, England, situated south of Shepton Mallet and two miles west of Castle Cary in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 63. It lies on the River Cary.-History:...
. A siding was opened for military goods traffic on 15 September 1940. The halt closed on 10 September 1962.
Keinton Mandeville
This station was the first one west of Castle Cary when the line opened on 1 July 1905 and was situated a mile south east of Keinton MandevilleKeinton Mandeville
Keinton Mandeville is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Castle Cary in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 991...
. The main building was on the eastbound platform and the small goods yard was behind this platform at the east end.
Charlton Mackrell
For the first year after opening on 1 July 1905, the station at Charlton MackrellCharlton Mackrell
Charlton Mackrell is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated three miles east of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 996....
was the terminus of the temporary branch from Castle Cary. In common with other stations between Castle Cary and Cogload Junction it was closed on 10 September 1962. The main building was on the eastbound platform and a goods shed and yard was situated behind this platform at the east end with the signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
opposite.
Somerton
This station, opened on 2 July 1906, was officially known as "Somerton (Somerset)" to avoid confusion with "Somerton (Oxon)Fritwell & Somerton railway station
Fritwell & Somerton railway station was on the to line of the Great Western Railway, and was opened four years after the line, in September 1854. It was in the village of Somerton, Oxfordshire.-History:...
". It was in a cutting close to the centre of Somerton
Somerton
Somerton is a small town and civil parish in the South Somerset district of the English county of Somerset. It gave its name to the county of Somerset, was briefly, around the start of the 14th century, the county town, and around 900 AD was possibly the capital of Wessex...
. The main building was on the eastbound platform with the goods shed at the west end of this platform. The original signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was sited opposite the goods yard but a new signal box was opened late in 1942 to control some new loop lines installed to the west of the station to allow goods trains to be overtaken.
Although passenger trains were withdrawn on 10 September 1962, goods traffic continued to be handled until 6 July 1964.
Long Sutton and Pitney
This was an additional station opened on 1 October 1907 over a year after passenger trains started running on the line. It was situated in a cutting west of Somerton Tunnel near Upton NobleUpton Noble
Upton Noble is a village and civil parish on the River Frome. It is roughly north-east of Bruton, and from Frome town centre, in the Mendip district of Somerset, England....
but named after the larger villages of Long Sutton
Long Sutton, Somerset
Long Sutton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 862....
and Pitney
Pitney
Pitney is a village and parish in Somerset, England, located east of Langport and west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. In 2002, the village had a population of 416....
, both about a mile distant south and north of the line respectively. The station had small corrugated iron shelters on both platforms.
Although passenger trains were withdrawn on 10 September 1962, goods traffic continued to be handled until 6 July 1964.
Langport East
The first station at LangportLangport
Langport is a small town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated west of Somerton in the South Somerset district. The town has a population of 1,067. The parish includes the hamlets of Bowdens and Combe...
was opened on 1 October 1853 on the Yeovil Branch Line. With the opening of the town's second station on 2 July 1906 it was renamed "Langport West" while the new one became "Langport East".
The new station gave access to direct trains to London but was unusual for stations on the line as the main building was on the westbound platform. Between the station and Curry Rivel Junction, where the Cut-Off joined the old branch line, the line crossed some moors on a low viaduct and the River Parrett
River Parrett
The River Parrett flows through the counties of Dorset and Somerset in South West England, from its source in the Thorney Mills springs in the hills around Chedington in Dorset...
on a 105 feet (32 m) girder bridge.
Athelney
Although served by local trains between Castle Cary and Taunton, the station at AthelneyAthelney
Athelney is located between the villages of Burrowbridge and East Lyng in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England. The area is known as the Isle of Athelney, because it was once a very low isolated island in the 'very great swampy and impassable marshes' of the Somerset Levels. Much of the...
was also served by trains from Yeovil
Yeovil Pen Mill railway station
Yeovil Pen Mill railway station is one of two stations serving the town of Yeovil, Somerset. The station is situated just under a mile to the east of the town centre.The station is located south of Bristol Temple Meads, on the Heart of Wessex Line...
and so remained open until 15 June 1964.
The original building was on the north side of the single track. With the doubling of the line in 1906 a second platform was added and a large wooden building was sited on this which then became the main offices. A signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
dating from 1881 on the north side of the line was replaced at the same time by one on the south side., which remained in use until 5 April 1986 to control a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
and has since been rebuilt at Staverton
Staverton railway station
Staverton railway station is situated on the South Devon Railway, a heritage railway in Devon, England. It serves the village of Staverton.The station was opened by the Buckfastleigh, Totnes and South Devon Railway on 1 May 1872...
on the South Devon Railway
South Devon Railway Trust
The South Devon Railway Trust is a charitable organisation that operates a heritage railway from Totnes to Buckfastleigh in Devon, alongside the River Dart...
.
The station master's house and some railwaymen's houses still stand at Athelney. The main station building was moved to Stoke St Gregory
Stoke St Gregory
Stoke St Gregory is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated east of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The parish has a population of 920, and includes the hamlet of Stathe.-History:...
Playing field and is now the Cricket and Tennis Pavilion.