Winchester (Chesil) railway station

Winchester (Chesil)
Location
Place	Winchester
Area	City of Winchester
Grid reference	SU487292
Operations
Original company	Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Pre-grouping	Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Post-grouping	Great Western Railway
Platforms	2
History
4 May 1885 (1885-05-04)	Opened as Winchester Cheesehill
4 August 1942	Closed
8 March 1943	Re-opened
26 September 1949	Renamed Winchester (Chesil)
7 March 1960	Closed
18 June 1960	Re-opened
10 September 1960	Closed
17 June 1961	Re-opened
9 September 1961	Closed
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A 1913 Railway Clearing House map showing (right) railways in the vicinity of Winchester (Chesil); shown here as G.W. PASS

[ v t e ] Winchester stations
Legend South Western Main Line Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway Mid Hants Railway King's Worthy Winchester (Chesil) Winchester City Hockley Viaduct South Western Main Line

Winchester (Chesil) railway station was, for the first six years after the opening of the line, the terminus of the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DNSR), until the line was extended to link up with the Southern Railway line to Southampton. The station buildings were larger than those of any other DNSR station but were built to the standard designs used by the Great Western Railway (GWR). The station buildings were located on the northbound platform. At the northern end of the station the line passed into the double tracked Chesil tunnel. The station also included a loading bay and single siding at its southern end accessible from the northbound line.

History

The station was opened with the line from Newbury on 4 May 1885, originally being named Winchester Cheesehill.^[1] Originally a terminus, since the intended line southwards to Southampton was never completed, it became a through station on 1 October 1891 when a connecting line to the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) was opened, joining the latter at Shawford Junction.^[2] The station closed temporarily on 4 August 1942, reopening on 8 March 1943.^[1] The station was renamed from Winchester Cheesehill to Winchester Chesil on 26 September 1949.^[1]

Bar End Yard

Further to the south of the station was an area of extensive sidings known as the Bar End Yard. There were 4 sidings, two passing loops, a large goods shed, and a ten ton crane.^[3] The goods facilities were withdrawn from 4 April 1966.^[2]

Engine shed

To the east of the line, adjacent to the goods shed, there was an engine shed which opened c. 1885.^[4] This was one of two which provided locomotives for DNSR services, and the only one to actually be located on the line;^[5] the other (Didcot) was on a GWR line,^[6] but Winchester was a sub-shed of Didcot. It was 83 feet (25 m) long, and 17 feet (5.2 m) wide, built of stone and brick, with a slate roof supported by a timber framework. The shed housed a single line of rails, and there was a water tank above the northern end; to the south were a small coal stage and a turntable. On 31 December 1947, two GWR locomotives were based at this shed: Bulldog class 4-4-0 no. 3419, and 2251 class 0-6-0 no. 2252. It closed in July 1953.^[4]

Closure

Like the other stations on the southern part of the line, Winchester Chesil closed on 7 March 1960; but unlike the others, it was reopened for the next two summers: 18 June 1960 to 10 September 1960 and 17 June 1961 to 9 September 1961,^[1] on Saturdays only.^[2]

Routes

Gallery

• 

  The railway near Cheesehill Station in August 1960

• 

  The view from the same vantage point in 2006

• 

  A modern view of the Old Station Approach

• 

  The entrance to the Chesil Tunnel still exists

• 

  The site of the station is now occupied by a multistorey car park.

• 

  Winchester Chesil goods shed

• 

  Inside the tunnel in 2007

References

Coordinates: 51°03′37″N 1°18′20″W / 51.0603°N 1.3056°W / 51.0603; -1.3056