WIMBORNE STATION
A scale model by the
WIMBORNE RAILWAY SOCIETY

Wimborne Station closed to passenger traffic in 1964 and to mark the 50th anniversay of this sad decision the Priest House Museum, Wimborne held a special exhibition. The Wimborne Railway Society were invited to display their accurate to scale model of the station and these pictures record my visit.

leighroadbridgeThe Leigh Road Bridge. (image 377)
As the bridge is part of the model it is built to scale. Whilst the bus in the picture may be a little large for the scale of the model, it does demonstrate very well the problems this bridge caused to traffic, being low and narrow. It should not be judged by modern times, not even by the standards of the 1960's, as in the late 1800's the motor car had only just been invented and were only for the very rich. A low narrow bridge would not have been a problem for the few, slow moving traffic.

station looking north Station looking north. (image 381)
This is the view looking north towards Leigh Road. It shows the substantial buildings presented to the passenger on their approach to the ticket hall

running lines looking north Main Tracks looking north. (image 386)
The main tracks running through the station. The platform to the left as you look at the picture is the "Up" line, therefore the one on the right is the "Down". To go to Brockenhurst or Salisbury you would take a train from the Up platform. A train from the Down platform would take you to Poole and Bournemouth

general view with goods yard General view showing goods yard (image 389)
A more general view of the station. The large goods yard can be seen together with its buildings. In its heyday Wimborne was an important centre for goods activity being in a predominately rural area there was much movement of produce. A coal yard was situated at the far end of the goods yard. There were four sidings plus the "run round" tracks behind the platforms so that goods trains could be handled without undue interference with passenger traffic.

general view with trainsHow the Station would have looked when busy (image 391)
An impression of how the station would have been in its more busy times with passenger trains at the platforms and a locomotive on shunting duties in the goods yard.

train waiting at platformTrain waiting for departure clearance (image 393)
A train to Brokenhurst or Salisbury awaits timetable and departure clearance at the Up platform.

minerals train going through stationThrough Goods (image 394)
A minerals train bound for Poole Docks passes through the station on the Down line. As this is a "through" goods it does not use the goods lines to the left of the platform.

Bournemouth Belle PullmanBournemouth Belle Pullman (image 412)
A re-routed Bournemouth Belle Pullman passes through the station at speed. This train would normally have taken the direct Southampton - Brockenhurst - line.