Midford railway station
Encyclopedia
Midford railway station was a single-platform station on the Bath extension of the Somerset and Dorset Railway, just to the north of the point where the double-track became a single track. It served the village of Midford
. The station was closed with the rest of the line in March 1966 under the Beeching axe
, though it had been unstaffed for some years before that.
There was a small goods yard to the north of the station, towards the entrance to the Combe Down Tunnel
, which loaded Fuller's earth
from Tucking Mill
. South of the station, a signal box presided over the double track junction: the railway then ran across the Midford valley on a high viaduct that still exists.
For about four years from 1911 to 1915, Midford had a second railway station, Midford Halt
located on the GWR Camerton Branch, which passed under the S&DJR viaduct.
. The platform and remains of the goods shed survive.
The station is now owned by the New Somerset and Dorset Railway and has been cleared prior to rebuilding of the station building etc. Track laying may well take place in the not too distant future once the cycleway has been diverted.
As the initial objectives of the New S&D are focused on the southern end of the line (notably Blandford-Bournemouth), in the short term Midford will be restored as a cafe and information centre, along much the same lines as the existing Shillingstone Station Project
.
Midford
Midford is a village approximately miles south south east of Bath, Somerset, England within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. The station was closed with the rest of the line in March 1966 under the Beeching axe
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...
, though it had been unstaffed for some years before that.
There was a small goods yard to the north of the station, towards the entrance to the Combe Down Tunnel
Combe Down Tunnel
Combe Down Tunnel is on the now-closed Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway main line, between Midford and Bath Queen Square, below high ground and the southern suburbs of Bath, England, emerging below the southern slopes of Combe Down village....
, which loaded Fuller's earth
Fuller's earth
Fuller's earth is any non-plastic clay or claylike earthy material used to decolorize, filter, and purify animal, mineral, and vegetable oils and greases.-Occurrence and composition:...
from Tucking Mill
Tucking Mill
Tucking Mill is a small hamlet within the parish of Monkton Combe, Somerset, England. It lies on Midford Brook and was a key point on the now disused Somerset Coal Canal....
. South of the station, a signal box presided over the double track junction: the railway then ran across the Midford valley on a high viaduct that still exists.
For about four years from 1911 to 1915, Midford had a second railway station, Midford Halt
Midford Halt railway station
Midford Halt railway station existed for four years between 1911 to 1915. The halt was situated on the Limpley Stoke to Camerton railway that formed part of the Great Western Railway's development of the former Bristol and North Somerset Railway, and which followed the former Somerset Coal Canal...
located on the GWR Camerton Branch, which passed under the S&DJR viaduct.
Services
The Site Today
After a long period in private hands the site is now part of a surfaced cycleway and footpath — the Two Tunnels GreenwayTwo Tunnels Greenway
The Two Tunnels Greenway is a shared use path for walking and cycling under construction in Bath, Somerset, England.-Route:The route will follow the disused railway trackbed of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway from East Twerton through the Bath suburb of Oldfield Park to the Devonshire Tunnel...
. The platform and remains of the goods shed survive.
The station is now owned by the New Somerset and Dorset Railway and has been cleared prior to rebuilding of the station building etc. Track laying may well take place in the not too distant future once the cycleway has been diverted.
The New Somerset and Dorset Railway
The New Somerset and Dorset Railway formed in early 2009 aims to restore the complete line to mainline operations, so it is possible that Midford will one day see passengers again.As the initial objectives of the New S&D are focused on the southern end of the line (notably Blandford-Bournemouth), in the short term Midford will be restored as a cafe and information centre, along much the same lines as the existing Shillingstone Station Project
Shillingstone Railway Project
The Shillingstone Railway Project is a heritage railway project based at Shillingstone railway station on the former Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway. It is supported by the North Dorset Railway Trust...
.