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| The quiet village station that became a busy terminus |
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First opened in 1862 when the line from Norton Fitzwarren to Watchet was opened, it was, until closure, a typical village station part way along a branch line.
For many years after re-opening in 1979, very little changed to the fabric of the Station - the canopy was rebuilt and the Goods Shed extended a little. But with the Station, being the southern terminus of the Railway, the passengers starting their journeys at Bishops Lydeard began to increase dramatically - the daily figures in summer probably greater than several months worth in the old days! First, a new ticket office and then a shop was constructed on the "up" platform which itself has been much lengthened to accommodate the longest trains, and, with the development of the area to the east, a new car park and toilet block constructed.
The Station is the headquarters of the West Somerset Railway Association. The "Quantock Belle" dining car train is also based here. A locomotive servicing depot is situated at Westridge at the Taunton end of the Station, which also marks the top of a steep climb from the Vale of Taunton Deane.
The old Goods Shed, used in the recent past for storage and carriage restoration, is now splendidly restored as a visitor centre - the Gauge Museum - with large and small exhibits and a model railway.
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Panoramic view of the Station
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Map showing the location of the Station
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View Larger Map
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| Postcode: TA4 3RU |
| OS Grid Reference: ST165289 |
| Note: the above values are for the main car park at the Station |
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Google Earth and Google Maps
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| See the Stations on Google Earth |
| If you have Google Earth, use the WSR KMZ file to see the WSR Stations. For a trip along the line from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard in Google Earth, once the KMZ file is loaded, click on the "West Somerset Railway" link (the one above "Minehead" in "Places" in Google Earth) and then find the "Play" symbol a little lower down, and then Google Earth will do the rest. Enjoy. |
| » Download the WSR KMZ file |
| See the Stations on Google Maps |
» Google Maps |
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