Grimstone and Frampton railway station
Encyclopedia
Grimstone and Frampton railway station was a station on the Wiltshire, Somerset & Weymouth Railway, part of the Great Western Railway
between Maiden Newton
and Dorchester
. It was in the hamlet of Grimstone
which was in the parish
of Stratton
but also relatively close to the parish of Frampton
which it was also intended to serve. It is directly south of Grimstone Viaduct
.
When the line opened on 20 January 1857 it was called Frampton Station but in July 1857 it changed name to Grimstone Station and in July 1858 it was renamed again to its final name of Grimstone and Frampton Station. The station became unstaffed from 11 April 1966 and closed on 3 October 1966.
Refer to Mike Oakley's booklet for more details.
A fatal accident occurred on Saturday 16 May 1914 when a watercress
seller named Carter was killed at the station. If had been customary for him to gather watercress which was grown on the Sydling Water
and then return to Dorchester to sell it. He arrived at 4:40 and was apparently to return on the 5:12 train. He left his empty baskets on the down platform and crossed to the up platform via the footbridge. Then as the 4:38 express from Weymouth passed through at 4:57 he walked onto the line and was killed instantly, despite the express sounding warning whistles as it approached the station. An inquest was held on the Monday at which it emerged that he had not gathered any watercress and despite what he had said he had not forwarded any to Dorchester. The jury recorded a verdict that he was accidentally knocked down.
He was always referred to as Carter and no one knew his Christian name. However a postcard was found which had the initial F on it. His age was unknown but estimated to be about 50 and he was thought to have a sister in Ealing
. He had lodged at a public house in Dorchester for some years. He was buried at Stratton
Church on Tuesday 19 May 1914.
The station master was Thomas Charles Olding, the engine driver was Albert Clifton Webb. The express resumed its journey after an 11 minute delay.
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...
between Maiden Newton
Maiden Newton railway station
Maiden Newton railway station is a railway station serving the village of Maiden Newton in Dorset, England. The station is located on the Heart of Wessex line between and .-History:...
and Dorchester
Dorchester West railway station
Dorchester West railway station is one of two railway stations serving the town of Dorchester in Dorset.The station is located on the Heart of Wessex Line between and and is at the southern end of a single track section from...
. It was in the hamlet of Grimstone
Grimstone
Grimstone is a hamlet at the confluence of Sydling Water and the River Frome in the western part of the civil parish of Stratton, Dorset.The Great Western Railway opened Grimstone and Frampton railway station and Grimstone Viaduct in 1857 and British Railways closed the station in 1966.Grimstone's...
which was in the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Stratton
Stratton, Dorset
Stratton is a civil parish in West Dorset, England, in the Frome valley about north-west of Dorchester. The parish includes the village itself and the hamlets of Grimstone, Ash Hill and Wrackleford, all of which lie on or near main road, the A37. Ash Hill is a small estate east of the village near...
but also relatively close to the parish of Frampton
Frampton, Dorset
Frampton is a village in west Dorset, England, situated in the Frome valley three miles north west of Dorchester at . The village has a population of 456 , 6.9% of dwellings are second homes ....
which it was also intended to serve. It is directly south of Grimstone Viaduct
Grimstone Viaduct
The Grimstone Viaduct is a railway bridge on the Castle Cary-Weymouth "Heart of Wessex" line. It passes over the road from Grimstone to Sydling St. Nicholas and Sydling Water flows underneath it. It is in the hamlet of Grimstone at the western edge of the parish of Stratton.The viaduct is directly...
.
When the line opened on 20 January 1857 it was called Frampton Station but in July 1857 it changed name to Grimstone Station and in July 1858 it was renamed again to its final name of Grimstone and Frampton Station. The station became unstaffed from 11 April 1966 and closed on 3 October 1966.
Refer to Mike Oakley's booklet for more details.
A fatal accident occurred on Saturday 16 May 1914 when a watercress
Watercress
Watercresses are fast-growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plants native from Europe to central Asia, and one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by human beings...
seller named Carter was killed at the station. If had been customary for him to gather watercress which was grown on the Sydling Water
Sydling Water
The Sydling Water is an eight km long river in Dorset, England, which flows from north to south from Up Sydling until it joins the River Frome near Grimstone....
and then return to Dorchester to sell it. He arrived at 4:40 and was apparently to return on the 5:12 train. He left his empty baskets on the down platform and crossed to the up platform via the footbridge. Then as the 4:38 express from Weymouth passed through at 4:57 he walked onto the line and was killed instantly, despite the express sounding warning whistles as it approached the station. An inquest was held on the Monday at which it emerged that he had not gathered any watercress and despite what he had said he had not forwarded any to Dorchester. The jury recorded a verdict that he was accidentally knocked down.
He was always referred to as Carter and no one knew his Christian name. However a postcard was found which had the initial F on it. His age was unknown but estimated to be about 50 and he was thought to have a sister in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
. He had lodged at a public house in Dorchester for some years. He was buried at Stratton
Stratton, Dorset
Stratton is a civil parish in West Dorset, England, in the Frome valley about north-west of Dorchester. The parish includes the village itself and the hamlets of Grimstone, Ash Hill and Wrackleford, all of which lie on or near main road, the A37. Ash Hill is a small estate east of the village near...
Church on Tuesday 19 May 1914.
The station master was Thomas Charles Olding, the engine driver was Albert Clifton Webb. The express resumed its journey after an 11 minute delay.