Bournemouth West - Closure Objections?

[70014IronDuke]

The thread on the Pines Express has set me wondering about the fate of Bournemouth West. I have never 'done' any of the lines from Southampton to Weymouth, so it's not an area I know well. AIUI, Bournemouth West was essential for the S&D, presumably because there was no north-east junction that allowed S&D trains into Bournemouth Central.

But when the S&D closed, West lost its raison d'etre and BR (S) then closed it with electrification of the line to Waterloo. Presumably, the argument was that anyone who needed to train in the town could just go to Central station? But did the West station serve any local population? Were there any objections to closure?

Up to electrification, did all Waterloo - Bournemouth trains run into West, or did some terminate at Central?

I wonder too if BR just wanted to sell off the land and get the cash in to help balance the books, and this was, maybe, the underlying reason for closure?

 

[edwin_m]

As far as I can see, the layout allowed anything that went into Bournemouth West to continue to Central instead. And indeed I think there was a short period between closure of Bournemouth West and closure of the S&D when they did just that.

Neither station was particularly well located for the centre of Bournemouth, which is in a fairly steep-sided valley so it would be difficult to bring rail any nearer. An office district has grown up around the surviving Central station, but I imagine it was not central at all at the time of closure of West. My speculation is that it's unlikely BR would have wanted to maintain two major stations for Bournemouth and any need to do so was probably eliminated by the reduction in holiday extras. Central was the obvious one to keep, because it avoided reversal for trains continuing to Weymouth.

Another factor might have been the council wanting the trackbed at West for a ring road, but I don't know if that was a reason for closure or if they just made use of it afterwards.

 

[Gloster]

The thread on the Pines Express has set me wondering about the fate of Bournemouth West. I have never 'done' any of the lines from Southampton to Weymouth, so it's not an area I know well. AIUI, Bournemouth West was essential for the S&D, presumably because there was no north-east junction that allowed S&D trains into Bournemouth Central.

But when the S&D closed, West lost its raison d'etre and BR (S) then closed it with electrification of the line to Waterloo. Presumably, the argument was that anyone who needed to train in the town could just go to Central station? But did the West station serve any local population? Were there any objections to closure?

Up to electrification, did all Waterloo - Bournemouth trains run into West, or did some terminate at Central?

I wonder too if BR just wanted to sell off the land and get the cash in to help balance the books, and this was, maybe, the underlying reason for closure?

Not quite sure what you mean by no north-east junction: there used to be a triangle out at Branksome. Trains from London would often split at Central, with one portion going round to West and the rest continuing to Weymouth. The S&D trains ran up from Poole to Branksome and then diverged right towards West. I am not even sure if the S&D trains did run straight to Central for a period just before final closure.

I would think that with the introduction of EMUs and push-pull, plus the line closures (Castleman’s Corkscrew between Brockenhurst and Poole also closed), there were fewer trains and less marshalling to carry out. Far smaller facilities were required: it became possible to concentrate them on Central and the new depot outside the old West station. I don’t think that selling the land was a priority.

 

[30907]

West closed a couple of years before electrification, presumably to allow the construction of the depot (and because all the Wimborne line locals had been withdrawn).
The remaining S and D trains were switched to Central, and somewhere I have seen a reference to a through portion working Waterloo-Bath for those few months.
Prior to that, it was standard for Waterloo trains to run complete to West or detach a substantial portion (6-dining set typically) for there, but main line stoppers mostly terminated at Central from both directions (or worked through).
Central had the main MPD but otherwise was very tight for space - hence on summer Saturdays you had exotica like Cardiff-Pokesdown (via Salisbury and Wimborne).

Historically, West was opened before Central; the sequence was:
1. branch from Ringwood via Christchurch to what later became Central Goods
2. branch from Broadstone via Poole to (the later) West
3. direct line via Sway, the present main line, with East (later Central) station.

 

[Magdalia]

Bournemouth West closed before the Somerset and Dorset (S+D). According to Railway Observer Bournemouth West closed officially at start October 1965 though trains last ran at the beginning of September, with a bus connection for the last 4 weeks. The S+D closed in March 1966. In the intervening period some S+D trains ran through to Bournemouth Central while others terminated at Branksome.

From September 1965 the Pines Express and York trains were diverted to start/terminate at Poole instead of Bournemouth West.

From what I can work out the Bournemouth EMU depot was built on the old Bournemouth West carriage sidings, with closure of Bournemouth West being part of the electrification project.

 

[Western Sunset]

The railway geography of Bournemouth was rather complex, but 30907 gives a good brief overview above.

There were plans for a much more central terminal (near where the Town Hall now is, with a triangular junction to allow through running). Also various routes were surveyed to connect Bournemouth East (the original terminus) with Bournemouth West - some took the line closer to the town centre, others further out. Many in the town at the time were very against the railway spoiling their exclusive resort, by bringing in all and sundry.

The original terminus from the east (as an extension of the branch from Ringwood) was to have been located even further out of town at the junction of what is now Victoria Place with Holdenhurst Road. But minds were changed and the initial terminus was built where the later goods yard was situated. That's why the present route swings south after passing beneath Ashley Road bridge in Boscombe - the original intention being to continue the route in a straight line.

Whilst the viaducts to the east of Branksome were constructed at the same time - hence their identical styling - they weren't opened at the same time. The curving one into B'mth West being the first, with the northern side some years later when the line across Holes Bay in Poole opened.

 

[alf]

The headshunt of the emu depot runs a very long way almost to the site of the old Bournemouth West terminus.
The ring road, the Wessex way, is only a single carriageway & there is room for three tracks to the site of the terminus buffer stops It is still just huge underused car park.

I have often thought it could be reopened as the Bournemouth Cross Country terminus.
There is room at the depot to squeeze a running track beside the emu shed.

The legacy of Bournemouth West is that are still many hotels there all within five minutes of the beach.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

The original inbound and outbound main roads between Branksome and Bournemouth West still exist in part. Prior to 1986 the four road inspection shed (to the south of the site) straddled both these roads and one other road each side there of (former loops/sidings). The inbound main line remains (as siding No 3) to a point between bridges 18 & 19, 19 being the last bridge before the tracks formerly fanned out to enter the platforms at the West station.
The siding parallel to said inbound road now accommodates the Carriage washer, just East of Bridge 18, and as this forms the headshunt (at the East end) for the stabling sidings, still extends over bridge 19 (I believe) to within a hairs breath of the (site of) the platform ramp end of the former p6.
The outbound main road became No 2 siding, but when the inspection shed was rebuilt and extended Westwards in 1986 (ready for the Weymouth electrification and 442's) 2 road was truncated at the East end of the inspection shed, and its place through the now longer shed being replaced by a lowered floor, to allow easy access underneath units berthed on 1 & 3 roads.

The four road cleaning shed (to the North of the old S&D route in to the West), is the old carriage shed that was there in steam days, suitably patched up over the years no doubt, and the stabling sidings behind (North) of that were remodelled at the West end of the site, after services round the Bournemouth West Jn to Gasworks Jn curve ceased, so as to allow empty stock to depart from same and head out to Branksome.

It is this overall layout that dictated the reversal of line usage between Branksome station and the depot, whereby inbound (to depot) trains run over the old outbound line, and departing trains towards Branksome run over the old inbound line. This also simplifies reversal moves at Branksome in the EMU age.
If the old Bournemouth West Jn main line points were imagined today, they would curve in from Gasworks Jn and join the main line just inside the West end of the inspection shed as it is today. That said I have never heard of any instances of ghostly 7F's passing through the said shed.....

PS: the S&D shed was of course that known as 'Branksome' shed, situated within the triangle of Branksome-Bournemouth West Jn-Gasworks Jn. Access to it being off the southern most side of the triangle, Branksome-Bournemouth West Jn.

 

[Western Sunset]

And the old junction signal box is still here, hidden behind the new paint shop. This is a recent view of the old alignment looking up the line from the old West station by the carriage washer. The newish road, Wessex Way, is to the left out of shot. The 455 is on the alignment of the former down main. The site of B'mth West is behind me, cut in two by the Wessex Way. It's only just over 60ft from the end of the washer headshunt to the ends of the former West station platforms.

 

[Snow1964]

Bournemouth was approached by two separate companies, each of which had a terminus each side. The connecting line via Central (now the remaining Bournemouth station) was added later.

The final part was the second Bourne valley viaduct (the one currently in use) which allowed trains from Central to go to Branksome direct

 

[Big Jumby 74]

And a somewhat poorer image of Bournemouth West Jn box (looking towards Bournemouth West station) during the extension work to the inspection shed. Inbound trains to Bournemouth West would run (approximately) right to left, through what is the left hand (as viewed) open doorway in the new shed front.

The original (steam era) carriage shed is in the distance, on the far left.

 

[Western Sunset]

The surviving four-road carriage cleaning shed. When Bournemouth was in Hampshire, the county boundary went through this shed; the eastern end in Hants and the western end in Dorset.

 

[yorksrob]

I once took a railtour that went right into Bournemouth depot, presumably recreating the approach to West as far as possible.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Thanks for explanations. Obviously I had made false assumptions regarding the layout, assuming the S&D trains could not directly access Bournemouth Central.

In summary, regarding the closure of Bournemouth West station, more or less nobody seemed inconvenienced then, apart from perhaps a few train users who happened to live in the neighbourhood of West station itself - who henceforth had to cycle/bus/car/walk to Central to catch trains?

 

[Gloster]

There would have been objections, some of them of the ’on principle’ type and others of the ridiculous type (*), as very few closures, possibly only one, went through without objections. However, with a good local bus or trolleybus service and few traffic flows that could not have been catered for by Central or Branksome, there really wouldn’t have been grounds for refusal.

* - Like the woman who expected a North Eastern Region branch to be kept open because she used it once a year to visit her sister.

 

[Titfield]

Going slightly off on a tangent.

The closure of Bmth West itself was not a really big issue (for the reasons @Gloster and others have pointed out). The real issue was the loss of direct services to Bath, Bristol and connections to South Wales etc etc.

It really isnt an alternative to go either Bmth - Southampton - Bath - Bristol or Bmth - Dorchester South - walk - Dorchester West - Bath - Bristol.

 

[Western Sunset]

When I worked for the Council, with Bournemouth being in the South West region of the country, sometimes I had to attend meetings in Bristol, Exeter, Taunton etc. I tried to use the train, not least to get some "spotting" in, but it was a right pain going in the completely opposite direction to Soton, to pick up a service to Bristol. So I generally drove in the hire car provided by my employer.

 

[edwin_m]

It really isnt an alternative to go either Bmth - Southampton - Bath - Bristol or Bmth - Dorchester South - walk - Dorchester West - Bath - Bristol.

Why not? The former route has an hourly service, also calling at Salisbury and various lesser places that are far more important than anywhere on the S&D, with the possible exception of some at the southern end that could have been kept open. But as a through route, today's service via Salisbury is better than what the S&D would have had if it had survived.

 

[Western Sunset]

On Christmas Eve I was on the ex-SDJR bridge over the Bath - Bristol line at Oldfield Park (albeit heavily rebuilt for the electrification which never happened...). Difficult to think that Bullied Pacifics, 9Fs, and the rest once came across here. The SDJ route could've had an improved service, I suppose, though the single-line sections (like here) would've impacted on frequency and reliability.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

I once took a railtour that went right into Bournemouth depot, presumably recreating the approach to West as far as possible.

There were a couple of open days as I recall, when (IIRC?) shuttle trips may have run from Bournemouth Central. 1980s/1990's?

On Christmas Eve I was on the ex-SDJR bridge over the Bath - Bristol line at Oldfield Park

S&D Bridge No 3 as was....another view of same I took in 1982, looking towards Bath Jn I believe, as per your view. In danger of getting OT here, so apologies...

 

[43096]

There were a couple of open days as I recall, when (IIRC?) shuttle trips may have run from Bournemouth Central. 1980s/1990's?

1998 was one. I think I did a railtour to Bournemouth (pair of 73s) for a Class 159 into the depot.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

1998 was one. I think I did a railtour to Bournemouth (pair of 73s) for a Class 159 into the depot.

You are correct (year wise), having just consulted my old diary. I couldn't remember the years tbh. Weekend of 16/17th May, although I can't comment on the shuttle traction, as I was on duty within the depot on the Saturday, so no real time for 'hobby' stuff ! The attached taken in 1986 whilst on duty, from a position (MP 1 - from the buffers at Bournemouth West) approximately midway between Branksome and Bournemouth West Jn, facing the depot. The old Branksome shed was once over on the left, behind the mesh fencing, and the siding visible just in front of the fence is the siding that ran alongside the old shed. Its buffers, and the platelayers concrete hut in the distance, mark the spot where the curve from Gasworks Jn once came in from the left (just beyond those structures).

 

[43096]

You are correct (year wise), having just consulted my old diary. I couldn't remember the years tbh. Weekend of 16/17th May, although I can't comment on the shuttle traction, as I was on duty within the depot on the Saturday, so no real time for 'hobby' stuff !

I’ve looked the move up: 73129/131 on the tour and definitely 159s on the shuttles (159017 and 159022). Guess 159s were the only option as the juice rail would be off within the depot.

 

[d70g]

Any idea why track across the eastern Bourne Valley viaduct was lifted when Bournemouth West closed? Seems odd that trains from the Central direction have to reverse to access the TMD when it's such a short length of track. Something to do with depot space, perhaps?

 

[Gloster]

Any idea why track across the eastern Bourne Valley viaduct was lifted when Bournemouth West closed? Seems odd that trains from the Central direction have to reverse to access the TMD when it's such a short length of track. Something to do with depot space, perhaps?

Looking at Pryer and Paul‘s track layout diagrams, the new depot throat lay across the junction at the south end. To have retained the east curve from Gas Works Junction would have required the depot throat to be moved further south and, probably more importantly, made it necessary to reverse within the depot area to get into the carriage shed. The new inspection shed would also have to be have been built further south in order to avoid everything having to pass through it. Much easier from an engineering viewpoint to do the reversal in the platforms at Branksome.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Any idea why track across the eastern Bourne Valley viaduct was lifted when Bournemouth West closed? Seems odd that trains from the Central direction have to reverse to access the TMD when it's such a short length of track. Something to do with depot space, perhaps?

The reason given I believe at the time was that the viaduct structure was no longer fit for purpose, and although still standing.......who knows! The reality in relation to the depot (as is), is that the stabling sidings to the North of the cleaning shed (11-17 roads) were modified at the West end so as to have an exit route directly back to Branksome, making overall depot operational movements (in the then new EMU world) a much better and seemless scenario than would have been the case previously, when most of those sidings mentioned, were previously dead end roads, only accessible from the Bournemouth West station end. I would wager it also increased stabling capacity (number of cars) by a substantial amount in one hit, so to speak. From an operational point of view, the depot has (IMO) one of the best layouts of any depot on the SW network. Trains enter via 6 road, thence through washers, then reverse back in to the stabling sidings (or cleaning shed or inspection shed, as required), after which they are all in a position to depart again with either minimal or in most cases no conflicts with other inbound trains. Compared to the likes of Clapham Yard or Wimbledon Park (both hampered, and hemmed in by historical infrastructure restrictions), Bournemouth Depots layout is far better.

PS: Having said the above about seemless depot movements, I can also refer to a proposed revision of depot movements for exam purposes, the minutes of which I have in front of me, dated September 1968, which proposed a proportion of depot arrivals would run (from Branksome) direct to the inspection shed (1-4 roads) prior to running to the stabling sidings via the washer. This is no doubt a result of everyone still getting to grips with the (as was) brand new electric traction and everything that went with that, and also demonstrates why depot drivers are so important (at maintenance locations). More than likely this latter scenario still applies today for units (diagrams) that are required to go straight to the exam shed.

Bold: edited.