Highbridge and Burnham railway station
Encyclopedia
Highbridge and Burnham railway station is situated on the Bristol to Taunton Line in the town of Highbridge
in Somerset
, England
and also serves neighbouring Burnham-on-Sea
. It is unstaffed but managed by First Great Western
who operate all the regular services.
Until 1966 the station was also used by trains on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
line which crossed the main line on the level at the north end of the platforms.
opened its broad gauge
line as far as Bridgwater
. A road crossed the line at the north end of the platforms, and a goods shed
was provided beyond this on the west side of the line. This company was amalgamated
with the Great Western Railway
on 1 January 1876.
On 28 August 1854 the Somerset Central Railway was opened from Highbridge to Glastonbury
. This later became the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway
, but it was worked by the Bristol and Exeter company and was also broad gauge for the first few years and a connection was provided between the two railways in the goods yard. A separate set of platforms were provided on this line which eventually had two terminus platforms and two platforms on a through line that led on to an extension to Burnham-on-Sea
. To reach this the line crossed the Bristol & Exeter main line on the level just north of the road bridge. The Somerset & Dorset goods traffic was mainly handled at Highbridge Wharf which was on the Burnham-on-Sea branch.
Highbridge was not only an important station on the Somerset & Dorset: it was also the site of the company's locomotive works, which closed in 1930, and a small engine shed
that remained open until the line and station finally shut in 1966.
Following the nationalisation of the railways, the Somerset & Dorset line platforms were shown in timetables from 26 September 1949 as 'Highbridge East', and the Bristol & Exeter line platforms were known as 'Highbridge West' from 5 May 1950. Regular through trains to Burnham ceased on 29 October 1951, though the line remained open for occasional summer special trains until 8 September 1962. Following this closure the station became 'Highbridge and Burnham-on-Sea' on 30 June 1962.
The remaining Somerset & Dorset line passenger services to Evercreech Junction
were withdrawn on 7 March 1966 which left just the main line platforms, as had been the case before 1854. Milk trains continued to run on the Somerset & Dorset line as far as Bason Bridge
and a new connection from the southbound main line was installed 4 April 1971 but the trains were withdrawn and the line closed on 2 October 1972; goods traffic at Highbridge itself had ceased on 2 November 1964.
On 6 May 1974 the 'and Burnham-on-Sea' was dropped and the station reverted to its original name of 'Highbridge', but became 'Highbridge and Burnham' on 17 May 1991.
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The original buildings have all been demolished. The footbridge remains but has been truncated following the closure of the Somerset & Dorset platforms. No trace of the engine shed and works now remains. A couple of old wagon wheels sit on a short length of track on a plinth as a reminder of Highbridge's railway past.
The main entrance to the station is on the town side of the line and this gives access to Bristol-bound platform. The Taunton-bound platform can be reached by the footbridge, or through the housing estate that occupies the site of the former Somerset & Dorset platforms. Both main line platforms extend south across the tidal River Brue
.
A loop on the west side of the line south of the station can be used by goods trains in either direction, southbound trains crossing over to run wrong line through the northbound platform to do so. This crossing also allows terminating passenger trains from the north to reverse here if required.
The station and all train services are operated by First Great Western
. The basic service pattern comprises one train in each direction each hour between Cardiff Central
and Taunton
. A few peak period services to and from London Paddington also call.
Highbridge, Somerset
Highbridge is a small market town situated on the edge of the Somerset Levels near the mouth of the River Brue. It is in the County of Somerset, and is approximately north west of Taunton, the county town of Somerset. Highbridge is in the District of Sedgemoor, being situated approximately north...
in 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and also serves neighbouring Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea is a town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Burnham was a small village until the late 18th century, when it began to grow because of its popularity as a seaside resort. It forms part of the parish of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge...
. It is unstaffed but managed by First Great Western
First 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....
who operate all the regular services.
Until 1966 the station was also used by trains on 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...
line which crossed the main line on the level at the north end of the platforms.
History
The station was opened as 'Highbridge' on 14 June 1841 when the Bristol and Exeter RailwayBristol 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...
opened its broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
line as far as Bridgwater
Bridgwater railway station
Bridgwater railway station serves Bridgwater in Somerset, England. It is on the Bristol to Taunton Line and is operated by First Great Western. Originally built to the designs of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the station is now a Grade II* listed building.-History:...
. A road crossed the line at the north end of the platforms, and a goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
was provided beyond this on the west side of the line. This company was amalgamated
Consolidation (business)
Consolidation or amalgamation is the act of merging many things into one. In business, it often refers to the mergers and acquisitions of many smaller companies into much larger ones. In the context of financial accounting, consolidation refers to the aggregation of financial statements of a group...
with 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...
on 1 January 1876.
On 28 August 1854 the Somerset Central Railway was opened from Highbridge to Glastonbury
Glastonbury and Street railway station
Glastonbury and Street railway station was the biggest station on the original Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway main line from Highbridge to Evercreech Junction until closed in 1966 under the Beeching axe...
. This later became 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...
, but it was worked by the Bristol and Exeter company and was also broad gauge for the first few years and a connection was provided between the two railways in the goods yard. A separate set of platforms were provided on this line which eventually had two terminus platforms and two platforms on a through line that led on to an extension to Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea railway station
Burnham-on-Sea railway station at Burnham-on-Sea was the terminus of the Burnham branch of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. Opened as Burnham by the Somerset Central Railway on 3 May 1858, it was renamed in 1920.- History :...
. To reach this the line crossed the Bristol & Exeter main line on the level just north of the road bridge. The Somerset & Dorset goods traffic was mainly handled at Highbridge Wharf which was on the Burnham-on-Sea branch.
Highbridge was not only an important station on the Somerset & Dorset: it was also the site of the company's locomotive works, which closed in 1930, and a small engine shed
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
that remained open until the line and station finally shut in 1966.
Following the nationalisation of the railways, the Somerset & Dorset line platforms were shown in timetables from 26 September 1949 as 'Highbridge East', and the Bristol & Exeter line platforms were known as 'Highbridge West' from 5 May 1950. Regular through trains to Burnham ceased on 29 October 1951, though the line remained open for occasional summer special trains until 8 September 1962. Following this closure the station became 'Highbridge and Burnham-on-Sea' on 30 June 1962.
The remaining Somerset & Dorset line passenger services to Evercreech Junction
Evercreech Junction railway station
Evercreech Junction was a railway station at Evercreech on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway.Originally opened in 1862 as "Evercreech" on the original S&D line from Burnham-on-Sea to Broadstone, it became in 1874 the junction for the northwards extension towards Bath that bankrupted the company...
were withdrawn on 7 March 1966 which left just the main line platforms, as had been the case before 1854. Milk trains continued to run on the Somerset & Dorset line as far as Bason Bridge
Bason Bridge railway station
Bason Bridge railway station was a station on the Highbridge branch of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. Opened by the Somerset Central Railway in 1856, the station consisted of a wooden platform and buildings...
and a new connection from the southbound main line was installed 4 April 1971 but the trains were withdrawn and the line closed on 2 October 1972; goods traffic at Highbridge itself had ceased on 2 November 1964.
On 6 May 1974 the 'and Burnham-on-Sea' was dropped and the station reverted to its original name of 'Highbridge', but became 'Highbridge and Burnham' on 17 May 1991.
Description
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The original buildings have all been demolished. The footbridge remains but has been truncated following the closure of the Somerset & Dorset platforms. No trace of the engine shed and works now remains. A couple of old wagon wheels sit on a short length of track on a plinth as a reminder of Highbridge's railway past.
The main entrance to the station is on the town side of the line and this gives access to Bristol-bound platform. The Taunton-bound platform can be reached by the footbridge, or through the housing estate that occupies the site of the former Somerset & Dorset platforms. Both main line platforms extend south across the tidal River Brue
River Brue
The River Brue originates in the parish of Brewham in Somerset, England, and reaches the sea some 50 km west at Burnham-on-Sea. It originally took a different route from Glastonbury to the sea, but this was changed by the monastery in the twelfth century....
.
A loop on the west side of the line south of the station can be used by goods trains in either direction, southbound trains crossing over to run wrong line through the northbound platform to do so. This crossing also allows terminating passenger trains from the north to reverse here if required.
Services
First 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....
. The basic service pattern comprises one train in each direction each hour between Cardiff Central
Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
and 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...
. A few peak period services to and from London Paddington also call.