Sturminster Newton railway station was a station in the town of Sturminster Newton, in the English county of Dorset. It was located on the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway.
Sturminster Newton | |
|---|---|
 Entrance to site of former station | |
| General information | |
| Location | Sturminster Newton, North Dorset England |
| Grid reference | ST789141 |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Other information | |
| Status | Disused |
| History | |
| Pre-grouping | Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway |
| Post-grouping | SR and LMSR Southern Region of British Railways |
| Key dates | |
| 31 August 1863 | Opened |
| 7 March 1966 | Closed |
History edit
The station was opened on 31 August 1863 by the London and South Western Railway as part of the Dorset Central Railway. A passing place on a stretch of single line, the station had two platforms with shelters, and a small goods yard. This and the passing loop were controlled from a signal box.
The station become part of the Southern Region of British Railways when the railways were nationalised in 1948.
The goods yard gave milk trains access to the private sidings of the local creamery. Started in 1913 by local farmers to produce cheddar cheese and pasteurised milk, it was taken over by the Milk Marketing Board in 1937. Milk trains ceased in 1966 upon closure of the line, with the creamery remaining in operation until 2000, when it was closed by owners Dairy Crest.[1]
The station was closed when the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway closed on 7 March 1966[2] and subsequently demolished leaving no trace of the station.
Subsequent usage edit
As of 2022, the site is a trading estate, arts centre and small park with a set of commemorative gates at the entrance.[3]
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shillingstone Line and station closed |
Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway LSWR and Midland Railways |
Stalbridge Line and station closed |
References edit
- ^ "The Creamery at Sturminster Newton". Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival. Archived from the original on 28 December 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
- ^ Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
- ^ https://stur-exchange.co.uk/about/
Further reading edit
- RVJ Butt (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Patrick Stephens. ISBN 1-85260-508-1
- JH Lucking. Railways of Dorset. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society 1968. (no ISBN)
External links edit
- Sturminster Newton station map Ordnance Survey, 1946
- Sturminster Newton Station Dorset Stations