Bridport West Bay railway station

Bridport West Bay
Former railway station
General information
LocationBridport, West Dorset
England
Grid referenceSY465904
Platforms1
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Pre-groupingBridport Railway
GWR
Post-groupingGWR
Western Region of British Railways
Key dates
31 March 1884Opened
1 January 1916Closed
5 January 1920Reopened
11 April 1921Closed
11 July 1921Reopened
22 September 1924Closed
6 October 1924Reopened
22 September 1930Closed for passengers
1962closed for freight traffic

West Bay railway station was the terminus of the Bridport Railway in western Dorset, England. In 1879, the Great Western Railway, who held the operating licence for the original Bridport Railway (which ran as far as Bridport town), decided to extend the railway to Bridport Harbour. Construction started in 1883, and the line opened on 31 March 1884. The station was called West Bay by the GWR in order to encourage holiday traffic. The line between West Bay and Bridport closed to passengers in 1930, and operated for goods services only until its final closure in 1962.[1]

The site today

[edit]
The station in use as a cafe

After many years as the office of a boat yard, in 1995 the station was restored with a short length of track at the platform. The station building has operated sporadically as a cafe since then.[2] From West Bay, a section of the former track bed can now be walked into Bridport.


Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
East Street (Bridport)
Line and station closed
  Great Western Railway
Bridport Railway
  Terminus

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Bridport Railway at westbay.co.uk
  2. ^ "Disused Stations: Bridport West Bay Station". Subbrit.org.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2013.

50°42′40″N 2°45′32″W / 50.7111°N 2.7588°W / 50.7111; -2.7588