Poole railway station
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Poole railway station is a railway station on the South Western Main Line
serving the town of Poole
in Dorset
, England. The station is situated in the town centre next to Holes Bay. It is one of four stations in the Borough of Poole.
The station is operated by South West Trains
and is served by London Waterloo to Weymouth
express and semi-fast services. It is also the terminus for the London Waterloo to Poole stopping service. Virgin Trains
used to operate services from Poole to the North West and Scotland but these now terminate at Bournemouth
. The station still sees occasional CrossCountry
trains on empty stock movements, especially on Sundays and bank holiday
s, using the terminus as a turning point.
in 1885, the platforms’ direction of travel was reversed. The Victorian buildings were replaced by a British Rail
prefabricated structure on the other side of the line in the 1970s. This was replaced by the current station building built in the late 1980s. In 2004 proposals were drawn up for the current station buildings and footbridge to be replaced as part of redevelopment plans for the old goods yard. A hotel was to be built on the site of the current station building, however as of 2010 these plans have not progressed.
Under the station name signs on the platforms are additional boards informing passengers that Poole is the home of Bournemouth University
, the main campus of which is located in the Talbot Village
area of the borough. The signs replaced most of the ones displaying the Condor Ferries
logo with information on alighting at the station for services to the Channel Islands
, though some remain on the station building. The Condor signs, the original version of which were installed in 1997, were in place due to the Condor Ferries Rail/Sea through ticketing scheme which includes a taxi
to the ferry port from the station.
Facilities include:
stopping service was replaced by a semi-fast service from London Waterloo to Weymouth. This is an extension of the stopping service that previously terminated at Poole and stops at all stations to Weymouth. The existing Weymouth service has become an express between Poole and Weymouth only stopping at Hamworthy
, Wareham, Wool
(at peak hours only), Dorchester South
and Weymouth but call additionally at Parkstone
and Branksome
. The current London Waterloo to Southampton Central service was extended to Poole (though it was originally proposed that this service terminate at Bournemouth) as a stopping service to compensate for the loss of the Wareham train and maintain service levels from the station. The stopping service is not recommended for use by passenger for London Waterloo due to its long stops at Brockenhurst
and Southampton Central or Eastleigh
where it is over taken by the express and semi-fast services. There are two early morning express services which by-pass Brockenhurst and Woking
. Three return journeys operate in the evening. The express service to London Waterloo takes approximately 2 hours, the semi-fast service 2 hours 15 minutes and the slow service 2 hours 45 minutes.
Poole railway station is a railway station on the South Western Main Line
South Western Main Line
The South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
serving the town of Poole
Poole
Poole is a large coastal town and seaport in the county of Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester, and Bournemouth adjoins Poole to the east. The Borough of Poole was made a unitary authority in 1997, gaining administrative independence from Dorset County Council...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England. The station is situated in the town centre next to Holes Bay. It is one of four stations in the Borough of Poole.
The station is operated 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...
and is served by London Waterloo to Weymouth
Weymouth railway station
Weymouth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Weymouth, Dorset, England. The station is the terminus of both the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo and the Heart of Wessex Line from and .-History:...
express and semi-fast services. It is also the terminus for the London Waterloo to Poole stopping service. Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
used to operate services from Poole to the North West and Scotland but these now terminate at Bournemouth
Bournemouth railway station
Bournemouth railway station, originally known as Bournemouth East and then Bournemouth Central , is the main railway station serving the town of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
. The station still sees occasional CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
trains on empty stock movements, especially on Sundays and bank holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
s, using the terminus as a turning point.
History
The original station buildings were built on the London-bound platform, close to the site of Towngate Bridge which replaced a level crossing in 1971. Following the opening of the Bournemouth Direct Railway line via SwaySway railway station
Sway railway station is a railway station serving the village of Sway in Hampshire, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth....
in 1885, the platforms’ direction of travel was reversed. The Victorian buildings were replaced by a British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
prefabricated structure on the other side of the line in the 1970s. This was replaced by the current station building built in the late 1980s. In 2004 proposals were drawn up for the current station buildings and footbridge to be replaced as part of redevelopment plans for the old goods yard. A hotel was to be built on the site of the current station building, however as of 2010 these plans have not progressed.
Description
The station has two platforms capable of handling trains of 12 coaches, platform 1 is bi-directional. Trains from London terminating at the station regularly use platform 1 before moving to the empty stock sidings further west and reversing for the return service. There was a goods line to Poole Quay which joined the main line at the Hamworthy end of the station. It ran along part of what is now the Holes Bay relief road and West Quay Road. It closed in May 1960 and was removed in 1961.Under the station name signs on the platforms are additional boards informing passengers that Poole is the home of Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth University is a university in and around the large south coast town of Bournemouth, UK...
, the main campus of which is located in the Talbot Village
Talbot Village
Talbot Village is located on the boundary of Bournemouth and Poole in Dorset, England.The old Talbot Village was built between 1850 and 1862 because of the generosity of two sisters, Georgina and Mary Talbot...
area of the borough. The signs replaced most of the ones displaying the Condor Ferries
Condor Ferries
Condor Ferries is an operator of ferry services between mainland England and the Channel Islands, between England and France, and between France and the Channel Islands.-Recent history:...
logo with information on alighting at the station for services to the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, though some remain on the station building. The Condor signs, the original version of which were installed in 1997, were in place due to the Condor Ferries Rail/Sea through ticketing scheme which includes a taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
to the ferry port from the station.
- Ticket office (x2)
- Quick Ticket machine
- News agent
- Photo booth
- Luggage trolleys
- Toilets
- Bicycle storage
- Taxi rank
- Bus stop
- Car park
Services
From 9 December 2007, the WarehamWareham railway station
Wareham railway station serves the town of Wareham in Dorset, England. It is situated about one kilometre north of the town centre.- History :...
stopping service was replaced by a semi-fast service from London Waterloo to Weymouth. This is an extension of the stopping service that previously terminated at Poole and stops at all stations to Weymouth. The existing Weymouth service has become an express between Poole and Weymouth only stopping at Hamworthy
Hamworthy railway station
Hamworthy railway station serves Hamworthy, an area of Poole in Dorset.-History:The station opened with the Southampton & Dorchester Railway, which later became part of the London and South Western Railway , in 1847 as Poole Junction...
, Wareham, Wool
Wool railway station
Wool railway station serves the town of Wool in Dorset, England. It is on the South Western Main Line between London Waterloo and .-History:...
(at peak hours only), Dorchester South
Dorchester South railway station
Dorchester South railway station is one of two railway stations serving the town of Dorchester in Dorset. The station is located on the London Waterloo–Weymouth main line.- History :...
and Weymouth but call additionally at Parkstone
Parkstone railway station
Parkstone railway station is a railway station serving the Parkstone area of Poole in Dorset. The platform sign used to say "Parkstone "....
and Branksome
Branksome railway station
Branksome railway station is a railway station serving the Branksome and Branksome Park areas of Poole in Dorset, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth.-History:...
. The current London Waterloo to Southampton Central service was extended to Poole (though it was originally proposed that this service terminate at Bournemouth) as a stopping service to compensate for the loss of the Wareham train and maintain service levels from the station. The stopping service is not recommended for use by passenger for London Waterloo due to its long stops at Brockenhurst
Brockenhurst railway station
Brockenhurst railway station is a railway station serving the village of Brockenhurst in Hampshire, England. It is located on the South Western Main Line from London Waterloo to Weymouth...
and Southampton Central or Eastleigh
Eastleigh railway station
Eastleigh railway station serves the town of Eastleigh in the county of Hampshire in England. It is located on the South Western Main Line and is the junction station for two other routes, the Eastleigh-Fareham Line and the Eastleigh-Romsey Line...
where it is over taken by the express and semi-fast services. There are two early morning express services which by-pass Brockenhurst and Woking
Woking railway station
Woking railway station is a railway station in England, serving the town of Woking, Surrey. It is a major stop on the South Western Main Line and is used by many commuters...
. Three return journeys operate in the evening. The express service to London Waterloo takes approximately 2 hours, the semi-fast service 2 hours 15 minutes and the slow service 2 hours 45 minutes.