Southampton and Dorchester Railway

The London and Southampton Railway had been promoted with the intention of enabling a connection between the docks at Southampton and the capital. Sensing the opportunity to serve a wider area of the south coast, that company changed its name to the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) in 1839, and the Southampton main line was opened by the LSWR on 11 May 1840. The LSWR wished to expand its network towards Exeter, but had early on been frustrated by the success of the Great Western Railway (GWR) and its ally, the Bristol and Exeter Railway (B&ER) in extending into the region. Proposals were put forward as early as 1836, but it was not until 1847 that the company connected Salisbury in to its network, and that was a branch from Bishopstoke (Eastleigh), giving a circuitous route from London. Before that, in 1844, Charles Castleman, a solicitor prominent in Wimborne Minster, had independently proposed a westward line from Southampton via Ringwood to Dorchester, and possibly on via Bridport to Exeter from there. Many railway schemes had been improbable in conception and Castleman went to some trouble to ensure a practicable and worthwhile scheme; Captain William Moorsom, an experienced railway engineer, was appointed by Castleman's committee of "respected local persons" to survey a route. At a public meeting on 19 July 1844 Moorsom's proposed route was accepted, and the Weymouth interest was appeased for the time being by a statement of intent to eventually reach their town, and the possible renaming of the line the Southampton and Dorsetshire Railway; the renaming did not last long. The GWR agreed to discuss the matter, and after some weeks, a lease of the future line was signed by them. Throughout its early existence, the LSWR had been at pains to secure territory in which it might be the dominant, or only, railway company, and the gauge of the track with which a new line was to be built determined its alliance with the broad gauge interests (the GWR, the B&ER and other associated companies) or railways with the standard gauge of . (In this context the latter were usually referred to as "narrow-gauge" railways, and the competitive battles to ensure that new lines were specified to be built to the preferred gauge were referred to as the Gauge War.) The LSWR were therefore alarmed at this development, as it would bring broad gauge trains into Southampton Docks, the heart of territory the LSWR considered its own, and immediately promoted a rival scheme to reach Wimborne and Dorchester from Salisbury, which it had not yet reached. Opinion in local communities largely favoured the Southampton and Dorchester proposals, seeing the LSWR for the obstructive tactic that it was, and welcoming the competition that GWR alliance would bring to an area dominated by the LSWR. Moreover, Weymouth would get its connection, through the broad gauge Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway now being promoted via Dorchester; and some favoured a coastal line for its usefulness in defensive troop movements in the event of an attack by France. The major disadvantage was that there would be a break of gauge at Southampton for passengers and goods travelling between Dorset and London. An act secured Accordingly, the Southampton and Dorchester Railway got its act of Parliament, the '''''' (8 & 9 Vict. c. xciii), on 21 July 1845, with authorised capital of £500,000. The lease to the LSWR was authorised in the act. A branch from Hamworthy to the ballast quay at Poole was also authorised, and the broad gauge Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway (authorised in the same session of Parliament) could be required to lay narrow gauge rails to give LSWR trains access to Weymouth. this became the present-day Southampton station. From there the line was to run westerly, crossing the River Test at Eling, and then run south-west to Brockenhurst. but on 2 May 1847 there was a collapse of the newly constructed railway tunnel at Southampton. The damage extended about and opened to the surface near the western end of the tunnel; it was caused by disturbance to the ground created around the route of the old Southampton and Salisbury Canal tunnel through which the new tunnel had cut. This was quickly restored, and on 20 May Captain Coddington conducted the formal inspection of the route, which continued the next day. He was satisfied with the standard of workmanship of the line, but commented adversely on the narrow opening of the overbridges, and the fact that the entire line west of Redbridge was single: the longest such length in England, he thought. He also criticised the sharp curve at Northam where the line joined the existing LSWR route; the company agreed to alter the curve to a larger radius. The public opening was planned for 1 June, but on 30 May the interior of the Southampton tunnel suffered further problems, with a large bulge in the walls indicating a section was sinking. With no connection to the mainline to London, the Blechynden terrace station was the terminus; the LSWR had to transport their locomotives there by road through the streets of Southampton. The Poole branch (to Lower Hamworthy) opened at the same time. The tunnel was eventually opened in August 1847 after remedial works, Captain Coddington having returned and reported: About 50 or 60 years ago a Tunnel was constructed for canal purposes which proved a failure and was abandoned, I enquired what precautions had been taken at the crossing, and was informed that the old Tunnel had been completely taken out, and that in addition a length of twenty feet of the old tunnel on either side of the new one had been built solid with rubble masonry. It appears that Mr Peto the contractor, for the accommodation of those parties whose property lies above the line of the old Tunnel, agreed to strengthen it by building a certain number of cross walls at short intervals. The mode adopted in doing it was to drive a small gallery laterally from the side of the new Tunnel to reach the old one at a point some distance beyond the 20 feet which had been solidly built up. Through this gallery the materials were introduced and 3, 4 or more cross walls about 10 feet apart were built within it. The old tunnel having been on a level and open at its extremities whatever percolation of water entered it either from the sides or above flowed out at both ends. The crossing of the new tunnel in no way affected this drainage, but by the filling up solid of a portion of it, leaving a hollow interval, the accumulation of water in seeking an egress has entered into, saturated the soil on which the new Tunnel stands, and it is now incapable of supporting its weight. ==After opening day==

(1958) The Blechynden station was a temporary one because of a legal dispute; a permanent structure a little to the west came into use in 1850, later being renamed Southampton West. The section of line from Blechynden to the LSWR terminus only opened for traffic from the night of 5–6 August 1847, although there were passengers on a test train which ran on 29 July 1847. The LSWR was embarrassed by the public criticism of the lack of an electric telegraph system, and installed it "by the end of the year". The stations at opening were: • , sometimes referred to as "the Blechynden Terrace station" in contrast to the LSWR terminus; • • , sometimes known as Ashurst at first; • Beaulieu, or ; • ; • , sometimes known as Ossemley Ford or Osmondly Ford; • ; • Leonards Bridge; a rudimentary stopping place at a passing loop; probably discontinued during 1847 or 1848; • ; • ; • ; the terminal on the branch, on the south side of the inlet; there was a toll bridge to the town, the original Poole Bridge had been opened in 1834; • ; • ; • ; • . The Dorchester station was aligned for extension towards Bridport and Exeter, but its location was probably chosen to enable a joint station with the Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway, with which the Southampton and Dorchester was friendly at the time of planning the route. In the short independent life of the Southampton and Dorchester Railway there was no change to the number of stations or their location, although Leonards Bridge may not have survived long. In November 1846 the Company applied for Parliamentary powers for an ambitious group of extensions: a short branch to Eling, an industrial centre on an inlet from Southampton Water, and branches to Lymington, Blandford, and a line to Weymouth independent of the WS&WR. The Act obtained the Royal Assent in July 1847, but the financial collapse following the Railway Mania resulted in money becoming impossible to obtain. Only the short Eling line (usually referred to as "the Eling Tramway") was built, opening probably in April 1851. ==Amalgamation with the LSWR==

(1951) The Southampton and Dorchester line was worked from the outset by the larger LSWR, and was closely bound to it. Amalgamation was an obvious next step, proposed in 1846 and authorised on 22 July 1848 by the '''''' (11 & 12 Vict. c. lxxxix), taking effect on 11 October 1848. Southampton and Dorchester shareholders received LSWR shares one to one. John Mills joined the LSWR board, but Castleman did not do so until 1855, becoming chairman of the LSWR from 1873 to 1875. ==Part of the LSWR==

There were several major alterations of the original line after the change of ownership: Weymouth over the rival line was built to carry the Southampton & Dorchester Railway over the main drive to Canford House. The railway closed 3 May 1977 The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway (WS&WR) opened to on 20 January 1857, and according to the terms of the original Acts, they had laid narrow gauge rails, so that LSWR trains could run to Weymouth. They had a separate station at Dorchester, and a sharply curved, single-line connection between the LSWR line and the WS&WR line was built, the boundary being at the midpoint. The curve diverged from the LSWR line a short distance east of their Dorchester station, so that down LSWR trains ran into the terminal platforms; they then reversed to east of the junction, and proceeded forward towards Weymouth. Up LSWR trains passed the point of junction and then reversed into the terminal platform. The connection was doubled in 1878, and in 1880 a platform was provided on the curve for down trains; they could now run through normally, but up trains continued the reversing movement. This was perpetuated until a through up platform on the curve was provided as part of the Bournemouth Line electrification in 1967, which provided enhanced non-electrified services to Weymouth. Double track The Southampton and Dorchester line was doubled in stages by the LSWR: from Southampton to Redbridge was double from the beginning, and from Redbridge to Wimborne was doubled by 1 September 1858, The branch seems to have extended eastwards from Poole station to a "Ballast Quay" at the eastern extremity of the headland. From 1 November 1860 the Dorset Central Railway opened its line from Wimborne to Blandford. Their engines were serviced there, and LSWR engines took their goods wagons onwards to Poole. Moreover, as the price for the Dorset Central dropping a proposal to extend its own line into Poole, the LSWR was obliged to take Dorset Central through passenger coaches to Poole from Wimborne. In 1863, the Dorset Central merged with the Somerset Central Railway to form the Somerset and Dorset Railway. On 2 December 1872 the LSWR opened a new connecting line from what became station via the eastern side of Holes Bay to a new Poole station in the town itself, which connected end-on with the LSWR's new direct line through Bournemouth. The later Broadstone station was called New Poole Junction at first, in contrast to Poole Junction, which was renamed Hamworthy Junction on the same day. The old Poole station was renamed Hamworthy, and continued in passenger service until 1 July 1896 when it was reduced to goods-only status. New Poole Junction was renamed Poole Junction in January 1875, and after further renamings became Broadstone. Passengers from Poole to Dorchester had to change trains at Broadstone until the Holes Bay line (from Poole to Hamworthy Junction) opened in 1893. Stations after amalgamation The stations on the route have experienced some changes: • The original Blechynden station was replaced by a new station, called (sometimes Southampton West End), a short distance to the west, in July 1858. The station had two through lines, and was extended on 1 November 1892. It was much extended again with the provision of four through lines, opening as Southampton Central on 7 July 1935, and the line was quadrupled from the station to Millbrook. The suffix Central was dropped from 10 July 1967, but was reinstated on 29 May 1994. • station was opened as Southampton Millbrook on 1 November 1861, and renamed Millbrook (Hants) on 1 May 1980. • A station was opened at Eling Junction in 1859, and was renamed (sometimes Totton for Eling) later the same year. The junction for Eling and the signalbox called Eling Junction had been open for several years, and has led a website to assert erroneously that the station had opened in 1847. • Lyndhurst Road station was renamed in June 1997. • (sometimes referred to simply as Beaulieu in the early years). • . The Lymington branch line, opened on 12 July 1858, diverges from the main line at a new Lymington Junction, a little west of Brockenhurst, which became the junction station for the branch, and was called Brockenhurst Junction between 1876 and 1888. On opening of the line on 5 March 1858, Lymington Junction, and Brockenhurst as the junction passenger station, became more important still. Brockenhurst station was extended in 1936. • Christchurch Road was renamed from 14 November 1862. The station building was impressive, no doubt reflecting the importance of Christchurch rather than Holmsley, and survives today as a tea room. • . • was opened on 1 April 1927. • was opened on 1 August 1867; it was the station at which the Salisbury line of the friendly Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway converged. • . From 1 November 1860 the Dorset Central Railway joined here. Their engines were serviced at Wimborne, and LSWR engines took their goods wagons on to Poole. Moreover, as the price for the Dorset Central dropping a proposal to extend its own line to Poole, the LSWR was obliged to take Dorset Central through passenger coaches to Poole from Wimborne. • ; originally called New Poole Junction, opening on 2 December 1872; it was renamed Poole Junction in January 1875; then Poole Junction and Broadstone from July 1883; then Broadstone and New Poole Junction from January 1887; Broadstone Junction from February 1889; and Broadstone on 7 July 1929. The station had four through platform lines, reflecting its importance as an interchange station. • Poole; the terminal on the branch, on the south side of the inlet; there was a toll bridge to the town; Poole Bridge had been opened in 1834; Poole was renamed Hamworthy on 2 December 1872 when the new Poole line opened, and was reduced to goods only status from 1 July 1896. • : originally called Poole Junction until renaming as Hamworthy Junction on 2 December 1872; renamed Hamworthy on 1 May 1972. • , opened for goods in 1915 and passengers in 1924; • ; • ; • Moreton; • Dorchester, renamed on 26 December 1949. ==The line today==

The line remains open from Southampton to the site of Lymington Junction, a mile west of Brockenhurst, and from Hamworthy Junction to Dorchester. The middle section, between Lymington Junction and Hamworthy Junction closed to passenger traffic on 4 May 1964, although part of this section was kept open for freight access to private sidings for some time. Track lifting began on the section between Lymington Junction and Ringwood, being completed in 1965. The line from Broadstone to Hamworthy Junction was closed to freight in 1966. Freight traffic continued to Ringwood until August 1967 before being truncated yet again, this time back to a military fuel dump at West Moors. Trains continued to serve West Moors until 1974, before being cut back further still to Wimborne. A light freight service and the use of the sidings at Wimborne for stabling of an exhibition train kept the line open for a further 3 years. Finally the remaining stub from Holes Bay Junction to Wimborne was closed in 1977. , Broadstone Present-day passenger trains between London and Weymouth run from Lymington Junction via Christchurch and on the South West Main Line. The mileposts along the surviving portions of the Southampton & Dorchester Railway west of Hamworthy Junction are measured from London Waterloo via the direct route through Sway, Bournemouth and Poole. However, bridges on that route section retain their numbering via the Ringwood route from Southampton. Much of the disused portion between Ringwood and Hamworthy Junction forms the Castleman Trailway, a path which passes through the villages of Ashley Heath, West Moors, Oakley, Broadstone and Upton, as well as Upton Heath, Upton Country Park and Moors Valley Country Park ==Notes==