Weymouth train station memories

We are seeing a rapidly changing look to the station of late as it undergoes a £1m transformation.

A pocket park reflecting the history of the railway and former harbour tramlines is being created and the station forecourt has been revamped.

The oldest picture of the station here dates back to 1857 and shows the original goods shed with the Brunel-designed station building to the centre. The locomotive in the foreground is believed to be No. 40 Windsor.

Another photo shows the station in 1956 viewed from the top of the former Christ Church. The church was closed in 1939, served as a restaurant during the war and was demolished in 1956, the same year the photo was taken in.

To the left you can see the goods depot and carriage sidings; the latter built on land reclaimed from Radipole Lake.

And moving on to a more recent picture - Weymouth Railway Station photographed in May 1983.

Readers have informed us of their memories of the town's train station, some going back to many years ago and other more recent recollections.

Brian Ellis' first memory of the station was being stood outside with his mum in 1958. Dave Ward travelled from the station to London Waterloo many times in the 1980s.

Some seem to prefer the look of the station as it was, photographed in 1983. 'It was much better then', Sue Hilliar thinks, while 'it's how I remember it', Fiona Weaver tells us. Amanda Bristow writes: "It was so much better then."

Les Mason writes: "This is how I remember it, having walked past that very spot six days a week for five years when on my way to school in Dorchester."

Rod Wallis writes: "It’s how I remember it from the late early 70s as a teenager, with my home made luggage truck, taking holiday makers to their hotels and earning pocket money."

Being at the station was a way for Jerry Thorpe to earn pocket money too. He tells us: "It was where I had my first job as a barrow boy at the age of 9. Carry 'ya bags sir?'. I ended up at the end of the summer with a big glass jar full of money."

Patrick Bennett thinks of the station as 'a proper railway station', while Patrick Stappleton used the station 'loads of times in the 70s' when Weymouth was his home.

Station memories are very dear to the heart of Kavin Wyle, who writes: "I lived opposite the main entrance at 10 King Street from 1948 to 1961.

"It was a great area to grow up in, there was Melcombe Regis gardens, the beach just up the road, and Radipole Park Drive Gardens not too far away."

Amanda Wynn, who now lives in Australia but was born and bred in Weymouth, loved seeing the old picture of the station and says she misses the town.

For Sue Hogben the picture conjures up memories of buying a platform ticket to go and meet someone.

And thanks to Jon Smith who has identified the locomotive at the station. He writes: "For rail enthusiasts that’s a Type 33 peeping over the wall."

For Graham Ryan, the heyday of the station was when it had steam trains there.

Also a train enthusiast, Les Mason remembers seeing Sulzers, Deltics and Hymeks at the station and if he was lucky, an occasional Western.

Get in touch by calling 01305 830973 or by emailing joanna.davis@dorsetecho.co.uk if you'd like to share memories of Weymouth Railway Station.