Hook railway station

Coordinates: 51°16′48″N 0°57′42″W / 51.2800°N 0.9616°W / 51.2800; -0.9616
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Hook
National Rail
Platforms with station building on the right
General information
LocationHook, District of Hart
England
Grid referenceSU725539
Managed bySouth Western Railway
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeHOK
ClassificationDfT category D
History
Opened2 July 1883; 140 years ago (1883-07-02)
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 0.728 million
2019/20Decrease 0.634 million
2020/21Decrease 0.150 million
2021/22Increase 0.318 million
2022/23Increase 0.396 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Hook railway station serves the large village of Hook and surrounding villages in Hampshire, southern England. There are two platforms serving the outer pair of tracks while the centre pair of tracks have no platforms and are used by through-services.

It is 42 miles 13 chains (67.9 km) down the main line from London Waterloo[note 1] and is situated between Winchfield and Basingstoke. Trains typically run every 30 minutes in each direction between Waterloo and Basingstoke. It is located within a five-minute walk of Hook.

The eastbound platform at night

History[edit]

The railway that runs through Hook was built in 1839, but Hook only got its railway station in 1883 after a lengthy campaign by local landowners. It was built by London and South Western Railway in their typical style. It was built with two platforms and two tracks, but was expanded to four platforms and tracks in 1901-2 as Hook grew in size. The middle island platform was removed around the 1960s but its tracks still survive.

In 1940, a bomb landed on the tracks a little way from the station. Worried it could damage the tracks, six soldiers were called to dispose of the bomb. Unfortunately, the bomb went off killing the six soldiers and injuring their sergeant. A group of local people have arranged to have a memorial plaque to them displayed in the station.[1][2]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Railways in the United Kingdom historically are measured in miles and chains. There are 80 chains to one mile.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Group wants memorial plaque put up in station". Basingstoke Gazette. 11 November 2007.
  2. ^ "Hook Parish Council - Remembrance".
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Winchfield   South Western Railway
London Waterloo - Weymouth
  Basingstoke

51°16′48″N 0°57′42″W / 51.2800°N 0.9616°W / 51.2800; -0.9616