Axminster railway station
Encyclopedia
Axminster railway station serves the town of Axminster
in Devon
, England. Opened by the London and South Western Railway
(LSWR) in 1860, it is now served by South West Trains
’ London Waterloo to Exeter
services. It is 144.5 miles (232.5 km) from Waterloo.
. The main offices and goods shed
were situated on the east side of the line and a small engine shed
was provided for the locomotive that was kept here to help trains up the 1 in 80 (1.25%) climb through Seaton Junction to . A signal box
was provided in 1875, situated at the south end of the westbound platform.
Services for many years featured both express trains between London Waterloo and Devon
and Cornwall
as well as local services between Salisbury or Yeovil and Exeter, but in 1903 Axminster became a junction when the Lyme Regis branch line was opened. A bay platform was built on the west side of the station but the branch climbed a 1 in 80 (1.25%) to cross the main line south of the station by a bridge. There was also a short 1 in 40 connection from the goods yard directly to the branch, but this was removed in 1915. The engine shed was demolished to make room for the new branch, but a new coal stage and water tank was built next to the bay platform. The lever frame in the signal box was extended in 1903 to accommodate the new line, but alterations three years later to accommodate full signalling on the branch required the building to be extended.
In 1923 the LSWR became became part of the Southern Railway
during the Grouping
of 1923. The platforms
were lengthened in the 1930s to accommodate longer trains and a factory making Axminster carpets opened alongside the goods yard in 1937.
On 1 January 1948 the Southern Railway was nationalised to become the Southern Region of British Railways
. January 1963 saw the all the lines in the area transferred to the Western Region
and this was soon followed by the Reshaping of British Railways
report. On 29 November 1965 the Lyme Regis branch was closed, although goods traffic had been withdrawn in 1960. On 11 June 1967 the main line was rationalised – Axminster was now in the middle of a 15.26 miles (24.6 km) single track section between Chard Junction and Honiton.
In the late 1980s the line found itself part of British Rail’s Network SouthEast
sector, which invested in new Class 159
trains and extended the platform southwards to remove the need of passengers to pass beneath a narrow bridge to reach the 1930s extension at the north end of the site. The privatisation of British Rail
a few years later saw the line and station franchised to South West Trains
.
On 11 December 2009 a new 3 miles (4.8 km) loop was opened with Axminster at its centre. This allowed the previous sparse in irregular timetable to be replaced with a regular hourly frequency; trains are timetabled to pass at Axminster. Work had started in February 2009 on the £20m project which included building a new platform on the site of the disused platform, installing a new footbridge, lifts and waiting shelter, strengthening seven bridges and 20 culverts, installing 12 new signals, replacing three miles of signal cables and modernising the signalling panel at Chard Junction signal box
.
The small building at the end of the main platform has been reopened as a cafe.
in mock gothic style. An old parcels office next door now houses the station café. Immediately south of the main building is the 2009-built footbridge which links the two platforms. Unusually for England, trains normally run on the right so the main platform is used by trains to London, and the new platform on the opposite side is used by trains to Exeter.
operate hourly throughout most of the week between and London Waterloo station.
Axminster
Axminster is a market town and civil parish on the eastern border of Devon in England. The town is built on a hill overlooking the River Axe which heads towards the English Channel at Axmouth, and is in the East Devon local government district. It has a population of 5,626. The market is still...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. Opened by 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) in 1860, it is now served by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
’ London Waterloo to Exeter
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
services. It is 144.5 miles (232.5 km) from Waterloo.
History
The station was opened on 19 July 1860 when the LSWR opened its Exeter Extension from to Exeter Queen StreetExeter Central railway station
Exeter Central railway station is the most centrally located of the railway stations in Exeter, Devon, England. It is smaller than St Davids which is on the west side of the city but it is served by trains on the London Waterloo to Exeter main line, and is also by local services to , and . From...
. The main offices and goods shed
Goods shed
A goods shed is a railway building designed for storing goods before or after carriage in a train.A typical goods shed will have a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door...
were situated on the east side of the line and a small engine shed
Motive power depot
Motive power depot, usually abbreviated to MPD, is a name given to places where locomotives are stored when not being used, and also repaired and maintained. They were originally known as "running sheds", "engine sheds", or, for short, just sheds. Facilities are provided for refuelling and...
was provided for the locomotive that was kept here to help trains up the 1 in 80 (1.25%) climb through Seaton Junction to . A signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was provided in 1875, situated at the south end of the westbound platform.
Services for many years featured both express trains between London Waterloo and Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
as well as local services between Salisbury or Yeovil and Exeter, but in 1903 Axminster became a junction when the Lyme Regis branch line was opened. A bay platform was built on the west side of the station but the branch climbed a 1 in 80 (1.25%) to cross the main line south of the station by a bridge. There was also a short 1 in 40 connection from the goods yard directly to the branch, but this was removed in 1915. The engine shed was demolished to make room for the new branch, but a new coal stage and water tank was built next to the bay platform. The lever frame in the signal box was extended in 1903 to accommodate the new line, but alterations three years later to accommodate full signalling on the branch required the building to be extended.
In 1923 the LSWR became became part of the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
during the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1923. The platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
were lengthened in the 1930s to accommodate longer trains and a factory making Axminster carpets opened alongside the goods yard in 1937.
On 1 January 1948 the Southern Railway was nationalised to become the Southern Region of British Railways
Southern Region of British Railways
The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
. January 1963 saw the all the lines in the area transferred to the Western Region
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
and this was soon followed by the Reshaping of British Railways
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
report. On 29 November 1965 the Lyme Regis branch was closed, although goods traffic had been withdrawn in 1960. On 11 June 1967 the main line was rationalised – Axminster was now in the middle of a 15.26 miles (24.6 km) single track section between Chard Junction and Honiton.
In the late 1980s the line found itself part of British Rail’s Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast
Network SouthEast was one of three passenger sectors of British Rail created in 1982. NSE principally operated commuter trains in the London area and inter-urban services in densely populated South East England, although the network reached as far west as Exeter...
sector, which invested in new Class 159
British Rail Class 159
The British Rail Class 159 is a class of diesel multiple unit of the Sprinter family, built in 1989 - 1992 by BREL at the Derby Carriage and Wagon Works as Class 158...
trains and extended the platform southwards to remove the need of passengers to pass beneath a narrow bridge to reach the 1930s extension at the north end of the site. The privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
a few years later saw the line and station franchised to South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
.
On 11 December 2009 a new 3 miles (4.8 km) loop was opened with Axminster at its centre. This allowed the previous sparse in irregular timetable to be replaced with a regular hourly frequency; trains are timetabled to pass at Axminster. Work had started in February 2009 on the £20m project which included building a new platform on the site of the disused platform, installing a new footbridge, lifts and waiting shelter, strengthening seven bridges and 20 culverts, installing 12 new signals, replacing three miles of signal cables and modernising the signalling panel at Chard Junction signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
.
The small building at the end of the main platform has been reopened as a cafe.
Description
The station is situated on the western edge of the town centre. The main building was designed by the LSWR's architect Sir William TiteWilliam Tite
Sir William Tite, CB was an English architect who served as President of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He was particularly associated with various London buildings, with railway stations and cemetery projects....
in mock gothic style. An old parcels office next door now houses the station café. Immediately south of the main building is the 2009-built footbridge which links the two platforms. Unusually for England, trains normally run on the right so the main platform is used by trains to London, and the new platform on the opposite side is used by trains to Exeter.
Services
South West TrainsSouth West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
operate hourly throughout most of the week between and London Waterloo station.