IN DT1 on May 31, it states that Dorchester South Station opened for the first time on June 11847, and shows a picture of the station. However, the station shown isn’t the one that opened in 1867.
Originally, the straight section of the line to the east of the station carried on to the west into the start of what is now Copper Street, with the station itself to the north of the street. Trains arriving from London went straight on into the station and then, when they proceeded to Weymouth, had to back out of the station and cross a set of points before going forward again around the curve where the current station is now.
Trains from Weymouth had to travel around the curve to the straight section of track and then reverse into the station. The reason for this was that originally, it was intended to continue the line to the west, but this never happened.
It was probably in the early 1970s that the current station was built and, eventually, the original one was demolished.
Mike Boyce Priory House Portland
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