Winchester (Chesil) railway station
Encyclopedia
Winchester railway station was, for the first six years after the opening of the line, the terminus of the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
(DNSR), until the line was extended to link up with the Southern Railway line to Southampton. The station buildings were larger than those of any other DNSR station but were built to the standard designs used by the Great Western Railway
(GWR). The station buildings were located on the northbound platform. At the northern end of the station the line passed into the double tracked Chesil tunnel. The station also included a loading bay and single siding at its southern end accessible from the northbound line.
The station was opened with the line from Newbury on 4 May 1885, originally being named Winchester Cheesehill. Originally a terminus, since the intended line southwards to Southampton was never completed, it became a through station on 1 October 1891 when a connecting line to the London and South Western Railway
(LSWR) was opened, joining the latter at Shawford Junction.
The station closed temporarily on 4 August 1942, reopening on 8 March 1943.
The station was renamed from Winchester Cheesehill to Winchester Chesil on 26 September 1949.
Like the other stations on the southern part of the line, Winchester Chesil closed on 7 March 1960; but unlike the others, it was reopened for the next two summers: 18 June 1960 to 10 September 1960 and 17 June 1961 to 9 September 1961, on Saturdays only.
Further to the south of the station was an area of extensive sidings known as the Bar End Yard. There were 4 sidings, two passing loops, a large goods shed, and a ten ton crane. The goods facilities were withdrawn from 4 April 1966.
To the east of the line, adjacent to the goods shed, there was an engine shed which opened . This was one of two which provided locomotives for DNSR services, and the only one to actually be located on the line; the other (Didcot
) was on a GWR line, but Winchester was a sub-shed of Didcot. It was 83 feet (25.3 m) long, and 17 feet (5.2 m) wide, built of stone and brick, with a slate roof supported by a timber framework. The shed housed a single line of rails, and there was a water tank above the northern end; to the south were a small coal stage and a turntable. On 31 December 1947, two GWR locomotives were based at this shed: Bulldog class 4-4-0
no. 3419, and 2251 class 0-6-0
no. 2252. It closed in July 1953.
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway was a cross-country railway running north-south between Didcot, Newbury and Southampton although it actually reached the latter by running over the London and South Western Railway tracks from Shawford Junction, south of Winchester...
(DNSR), until the line was extended to link up with the Southern Railway line to Southampton. The station buildings were larger than those of any other DNSR station but were built to the standard designs used by 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). The station buildings were located on the northbound platform. At the northern end of the station the line passed into the double tracked Chesil tunnel. The station also included a loading bay and single siding at its southern end accessible from the northbound line.
History
The station was opened with the line from Newbury on 4 May 1885, originally being named Winchester Cheesehill. Originally a terminus, since the intended line southwards to Southampton was never completed, it became a through station on 1 October 1891 when a connecting line to the London and South Western Railway
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...
(LSWR) was opened, joining the latter at Shawford Junction.
The station closed temporarily on 4 August 1942, reopening on 8 March 1943.
The station was renamed from Winchester Cheesehill to Winchester Chesil on 26 September 1949.
Like the other stations on the southern part of the line, Winchester Chesil closed on 7 March 1960; but unlike the others, it was reopened for the next two summers: 18 June 1960 to 10 September 1960 and 17 June 1961 to 9 September 1961, on Saturdays only.
Further to the south of the station was an area of extensive sidings known as the Bar End Yard. There were 4 sidings, two passing loops, a large goods shed, and a ten ton crane. The goods facilities were withdrawn from 4 April 1966.
To the east of the line, adjacent to the goods shed, there was an engine shed which opened . This was one of two which provided locomotives for DNSR services, and the only one to actually be located on the line; the other (Didcot
Didcot Railway Centre
Didcot Railway Centre, located in the town of Didcot in the English county of Oxfordshire, is based around the site of a comprehensive "engine shed" which became redundant after the nationalisation of the UK railways, due to the gradual changeover from steam to diesel motive power.-Description:The...
) was on a GWR line, but Winchester was a sub-shed of Didcot. It was 83 feet (25.3 m) long, and 17 feet (5.2 m) wide, built of stone and brick, with a slate roof supported by a timber framework. The shed housed a single line of rails, and there was a water tank above the northern end; to the south were a small coal stage and a turntable. On 31 December 1947, two GWR locomotives were based at this shed: Bulldog class 4-4-0
GWR 3300 Class
The Bulldog and Bird were classes of 4-4-0 steam locomotives used for passenger services on the Great Western Railway. These two classes were broadly similar, so are treated together here. Twenty locomotives were rebuilt from Duke Class locomotives; the rest were built new...
no. 3419, and 2251 class 0-6-0
GWR 2251 Class
The Great Western Railway 2251 Class was a class of 0-6-0 steam tender locomotive designed for medium-powered freight. They were introduced in 1930 as a replacement for the earlier Dean Goods 0-6-0s and built up to 1948.- Overview :...
no. 2252. It closed in July 1953.