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Whitchurch Town railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It served the town of Whitchurch, Hampshire, between 1885 and 1960.

Whitchurch Town
LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T No. 41329 passes the station in the 1960s.
General information
Location	Whitchurch, Basingstoke and Deane England
Coordinates	51.2289°N 1.3433°W / 51.2289; -1.3433
Grid reference	SU459479
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Pre-grouping	Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Post-grouping	Great Western Railway
Key dates
4 May 1885 (1885-05-04)	Opened as Whitchurch
1 July 1924	Renamed Whitchurch (Hants)
4 August 1942	Closed
8 March 1943	Re-opened as Whitchurch (Hants)
26 September 1949	Renamed Whitchurch Town
7 March 1960	Closed to passengers
6 May 1963	Closed to goods

History

The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DN&S) was opened in stages. The section between Enborne Junction (to the west of Newbury) and Winchester was formally opened on 1 May 1885, public services beginning on 4 May; among the original stations was one named Whitchurch.[1][2][3] It was 12 miles 57 chains (20.5 km) from Enborne Junction, and 31 miles 64 chains (51.2 km) from Didcot.[4]

Whitchurch was already served by one railway station on the LSWR which survives to this day. The DNSR had a choice of connecting to the LSWR and building a station nearby to aid interchange traffic. However, it decided to build the station further south, closer to the town.[5][6]

Accidents and incidents

• On 23 September 1954, a freight train overran signals and was derailed by trap points.[7]
• On 12 February 1960, a freight train overran signals and was derailed by trap points.[7]

Facilities

The station was relatively large compared to others on this section of the line including a larger station building on the northbound platform and a subway to link the two platforms. There was also a long passing loop and three sidings complete with a large goods shed. The station also boasted a water crane and water tower.[2]

Working

The DN&S was worked by the Great Western Railway (GWR), and at the 1923 Grouping, the DN&S was absorbed by the GWR.[8] The GWR had other stations also named Whitchurch, and to distinguish them, most were renamed: this one became Whitchurch (Hants) on 1 July 1924.[1]

Temporary closure

Like other stations on the former DN&S line, Whitchurch (Hants) station was closed temporarily on 4 August 1942 so that the line could be upgraded for wartime freight trains; it reopened on 8 March 1943.[1][9]

Final closure

Following the nationalisation of the railways in 1948, British Railways renamed the station Whitchurch Town on 26 September 1949, a name which it retained until closure to passengers on 7 March 1960.[1] Goods services continued, but these ceased as from 6 May 1963.[2]

Routes

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Litchfield Line and station closed		Great Western Railway Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway		Barton Stacey Line and station closed

Notes

References

• Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
• Conolly, W. Philip (January 1976). British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer (5th ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0320-3. EX/0176.
• Judge, Colin W. (1984). An Historical Survey of the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway. Poole: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-86093-149-8.
• Sands, T.B. (1971). The Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway. The Oakwood Library of Railway History. Lingfield: Oakwood Press. OL28.

External links

• Whitchurch Station on navigable 1947 O.S. map

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