Holton Heath railway station

Coordinates: 50°42′40″N 2°04′41″W / 50.711°N 2.078°W / 50.711; -2.078
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Holton Heath
National Rail
General information
LocationWareham St Martin, Dorset Council
England
Grid referenceSY945901
Managed bySouth Western Railway
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeHOL
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Pre-groupingLondon and South Western Railway
Post-groupingSouthern Railway
Key dates
3 April 1916opened for Admiralty staff use
14 July 1924opened to public
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 28,368
2019/20Increase 30,270
2020/21Decrease 11,164
2021/22Increase 23,432
2022/23Increase 27,498
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Holton Heath railway station serves the area of Holton Heath in Wareham St Martin, Dorset, England. It is 118 miles 61 chains (191.1 km) down the line from London Waterloo. It was opened to serve the Royal Navy Cordite Factory, Holton Heath during the First World War. It did not open to the public until 1924.

History[edit]

Holton Heath has been unstaffed since 1964, with the signal box removed on 3 November 1969. On 20 April 1989 a fatal accident occurred just beyond the siding on the London side of the station, when a light locomotive, which had just completed shunting duties at Winfrith nuclear power station, collided with the rear of a freight train. The driver of the light locomotive, Clive Brooker, died in the accident.[1]

Description[edit]

The platforms are able to accommodate trains of up to five coaches. The station is one of the few remaining on the line not to be equipped with a self-service ticket machine, only a Permit to Travel machine, located on platform 1.

Services[edit]

The station is served hourly by London to Weymouth semi-fast trains during the day. This replaced the now-defunct hourly Wareham to Brockenhurst service in 2008. There are no services in the evening (after 20.00) or on Sundays.[2]

Until 1967, trains through the station were normally steam hauled. Between 1967 and 1988, passenger services were normally provided by Class 33/1 diesel locomotives with Class 438 coaching stock (also known as 4-TC units). The line was electrified in 1988, using the standard British Rail Southern Region direct current third rail at 750 volts. Class 442 electric multiple units were initially used following electrification, until being displaced by new Class 444 electric multiple units in 2007.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Accident at Holton Heath on 20th April 1989 :: The Railways Archive". www.railwaysarchive.co.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  2. ^ Table 158 National Rail timetable, May 2016
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Hamworthy   South Western Railway
London Waterloo - Weymouth
  Wareham

50°42′40″N 2°04′41″W / 50.711°N 2.078°W / 50.711; -2.078