Bathampton railway station
51°23′54″N 2°19′15″W / 51.3983°N 2.3208°W / 51.3983; -2.3208
Bathampton railway station is a former railway station in Bath, England, serving the community of Bathampton. The station opened on 2 February 1857 and closed on 3 October 1966.[1] Very little remains, as the station site was replaced with improved trackwork for a nearby junction. The only significant remains are the gateposts at the head of the approach road.[2]
History
The main line of the Great Western Railway (GWR) opened in stages, and was completed on 30 June 1841 with the opening of the stretch between Chippenham and Bath; there were initially two intermediate stations, at Corsham and at Box.[3] The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway (WS&WR) opened between Thingley Junction (west of Chippenham) and Westbury on 5 September 1848; it was absorbed by the GWR on 14 March 1850.[4] The Act of Parliament authorising the WS&WR had stipulated that it should also build a branch line connecting its main line to Bath, in order to communicate with Bristol, but owing to difficulty in obtaining finance, this was not proceeded with.[5] A lawsuit was successfully brought against the GWR in 1853, and on 31 July 1854, the GWR obtained a fresh Act of Parliament granting an extension of time for the completion of the branch, and this was opened on 2 February 1857 from Bradford Junction, a triangular junction at Trowbridge on the former WS&WR line, to a new station at Bathampton on the GWR main line.[6] It had been planned that this station would be the interchange point for trains on the branch to Bradford-on-Avon, but once the Bradford-on-Avon service commenced, it normally ran through to Bath. Bathampton station was mainly used by the people who lived in eastern Bath.[7]
The station had two platforms, used by both main line and branch trains; the junction of the two routes was at the eastern end of the station.[7] The main and branch lines had been built to the broad gauge; during June 1874, the main line from the junction to the west was altered to mixed gauge, and the Bradford-on-Avon branch was converted to standard gauge;[8] the main line from the junction to the east was altered to mixed gauge in March 1875;[9] and the main line was altered from mixed gauge to standard gauge in May 1892.[10] The main line was always double track, but the branch, which had been built as single-track, was doubled in May 1885. The station had several sidings, some of which served a timber works. There were two signal boxes, Bathampton and Bathampton West, which were replaced by a single signal box on 21 September 1956.[7]
Proposed reopening
The reopening of Bathampton station was initially proposed as part of the MetroWest project for local rail services in the West of England. A study into its reopening was undertaken in 2015,[11] which concluded a cost of between £3 million and £11 million.
Accidents and incidents
- On 11 June 1875,a passenger train was derailed at Bathampton Junction. One person was killed and six were injured, three seriously.[12][13]
- On 2 July 1876, a freight train was derailed at Bathampton Junction.[14]
References
- ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 29. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
- ^ Oakley, Mike (2002). Somerset Railway Stations. Bristol: Redcliffe Press. p. 20. ISBN 1-904537-54-5.
- ^ MacDermot, E.T. (1927). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. I: 1833-1863. Paddington: Great Western Railway. pp. 130–1, 139, 857.
- ^ MacDermot 1927, pp. 286, 858
- ^ MacDermot 1927, p. 285
- ^ MacDermot 1927, pp. 395–6, 414–5, 861
- ^ a b c Clark, R.H. (1976). An Historical Survey of Selected Great Western Stations: Layouts and Illustrations. Headington: Oxford Publishing Co. p. 18. ISBN 0-902888-29-3.
- ^ MacDermot, E.T. (1931). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. II: 1863-1921. Paddington: Great Western Railway. pp. 67–70, 599. OCLC 55853736.
- ^ MacDermot 1931, pp. 71, 600
- ^ MacDermot 1931, p. 606
- ^ "Bathampton Station - Bath & North East Somerset Council" (PDF). www.bathnes.gov.uk. 1 May 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
- ^ "Railway Accident". The Times. No. 28340. London. 12 June 1875. p. 13.
- ^ "The Bathampton Railway Accident". The Times. No. 28341. London. 14 June 1875. col F, p. 13.
- ^ "Summary of this morning's news". The Pall Mall Gazette. No. 3548. London. 3 July 1876.
Further reading
- Mitchell, Victor E.; Smith, Keith (1 July 1995). Country Railway Routes: Westbury to Bath. Midhurst: Middleton Press. figs. 80–96. ISBN 978-1-873793-55-8.
- Mitchell, Victor E.; Smith, Keith (1 December 2002). Western Main Lines: Swindon to Bristol via Bath Spa. Midhurst: Middleton Press. figs. 58–65. ISBN 978-1-901706-96-3.
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Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
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Hampton Row Halt Line open, station closed | Great Western Railway Great Western Main Line | Bathford Halt Line open, station closed | ||
Great Western Railway Wessex Main Line / Heart of Wessex Line | Limpley Stoke Line open, station closed |