St Denys railway station
Encyclopedia
St Denys railway station is a railway station serving the St. Denys
and Portswood
suburbs of Southampton
in Hampshire
, England.
Built in 1865, it is named after the surrounding area, which in turn is named after the Priory of St Denys, a major landmark in medieval Southampton.
The station is at the site of the junction between the London to Weymouth mainline
and the West Coastway Line
running between Southampton and Portsmouth
. It is currently owned and served mainly by South West Trains
, with irregular services operated by Southern
. There are four platforms; two on the main line and two on the branch line.
The original station was opened by the London and South Western Railway
on 1 May 1861 and named Portswood after the small village to the west of the main line. Shortly after, to accommodate the Portsmouth branch line, a new station building was built a quarter of a mile to the south; the relocated station was opened on 5 March 1866. However to avoid confusion with Portsmouth, the station was renamed to St Denys on 1 January 1876.
The station buildings themselves are fine examples of Victorian architecture. The original station building on platform 1 is listed, although it is now privately owned. Platforms 2 and 3 house the waiting room and ticket window, whilst the old station buildings on platform 4 house The Solent Model Railway Group, a local organisation.
St. Denys, Southampton
St Denys is a district of Southampton, England, approximately 3 miles north of the city centre, opposite Bitterne Park on the River Itchen, to which it is linked by Cobden Bridge. It is now bounded by the river, and by the railway and A335 bypass, which divided part of the original parish from the...
and Portswood
Portswood
Portswood is a suburb and Electoral Ward of Southampton, England. The suburb lies to the north-east of the city centre and is bounded by Freemantle, Highfield, Swaythling, St. Denys and Bevois Valley....
suburbs of Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England.
Built in 1865, it is named after the surrounding area, which in turn is named after the Priory of St Denys, a major landmark in medieval Southampton.
The station is at the site of the junction between the London to Weymouth mainline
South Western Main Line
The South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
and the West Coastway Line
West Coastway Line
The West Coastway Line is a railway line in England, along the south coast of West Sussex and Hampshire, between Brighton and Southampton, plus the short branches to Littlehampton and Bognor Regis....
running between Southampton and Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. It is currently owned and served mainly by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
, with irregular services operated by Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
. There are four platforms; two on the main line and two on the branch line.
History
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
on 1 May 1861 and named Portswood after the small village to the west of the main line. Shortly after, to accommodate the Portsmouth branch line, a new station building was built a quarter of a mile to the south; the relocated station was opened on 5 March 1866. However to avoid confusion with Portsmouth, the station was renamed to St Denys on 1 January 1876.
The station buildings themselves are fine examples of Victorian architecture. The original station building on platform 1 is listed, although it is now privately owned. Platforms 2 and 3 house the waiting room and ticket window, whilst the old station buildings on platform 4 house The Solent Model Railway Group, a local organisation.