The new line enabled the construction of six new stations but these all closed on 10 September 1962. Trains also served Athelney station and (from 1928) Lyng Halt on the old
Yeovil branch, and
Durston and
Creech St Michael railway stations on the Bristol to Exeter Line, but fast trains avoided the middle two of these by using the new line from Athelney to Cogload.
Alford Halt This small halt was opened on 21 July 1905, three weeks after the line was opened as far as Charlton Mackrell, to serve the village of
Alford. A siding was opened for military goods traffic on 15 September 1940. The halt closed on 10 September 1962. • Halt on navigable O.S. map
Keinton Mandeville This station was the first one west of Castle Cary when the line opened on 1 July 1905 and was situated a mile south east of
Keinton Mandeville. The main building was on the eastbound platform and the small goods yard was behind this platform at the east end.
Charlton Mackrell For the first year after opening on 1 July 1905, the station at
Charlton Mackrell was the terminus of the temporary branch from Castle Cary. In common with other stations between Castle Cary and Cogload Junction it was closed on 10 September 1962. The main building was on the eastbound platform and a goods shed and yard was situated behind this platform at the east end with the
signal box opposite.
Somerton This station, opened on 2 July 1906, was officially known as "Somerton (Somerset)" to avoid confusion with "
Somerton (Oxon)". It was in a cutting close to the centre of
Somerton. The main building was on the eastbound platform with the goods shed at the west end of this platform. The original
signal box was sited opposite the goods yard but a new signal box was opened late in 1942 to control some new loop lines installed to the west of the station to allow goods trains to be overtaken. Although passenger trains were withdrawn on 10 September 1962, goods traffic continued to be handled until 6 July 1964.
Long Sutton and Pitney This was an additional station opened on 1 October 1907 over a year after passenger trains started running on the line. It was situated in a cutting west of
Somerton Tunnel near the hamlet of Upton but named after the larger villages of
Long Sutton and
Pitney, both about a mile distant south and north of the line respectively. The station had small corrugated iron shelters on both platforms. Although passenger trains were withdrawn on 10 September 1962, goods traffic continued to be handled until 6 July 1964.
Langport East between Langport East station and the junction with the Yeovil Branch Line. The first station at
Langport was opened on 1 October 1853 on the
Yeovil Branch Line. With the opening of the town's second station on 2 July 1906 it was renamed "Langport West" while the new one became "
Langport East". The new station gave access to direct trains to London but was unusual for stations on the line as the main building was on the westbound platform. Between the station and Curry Rivel Junction, where the cutoff joined the old branch line, the line crossed some moors on a low viaduct and the
River Parrett on a girder bridge. Passenger services were also withdrawn on 10 September 1962.
Athelney Although served by local trains between Castle Cary and Taunton, the station at
Athelney was also served by trains on the
Yeovil to Taunton Line and so remained open until 15 June 1964. ==References==