Station Timeline

Date

Info

1850s / Early 1860s

When the railway was being built, navvies were drafted into the area to construct the railway line, much to the villagers concern.  These fears proved groundless, as the navvies were mostly decent men who did not cause trouble, and some of them even settled permanently into the village, marrying local girls and brought new blood to the area.

1^st Sept 1862

Dorset Central and Somerset Central Railways amalgamated to form the Somerset & Dorset Railway Company.  A signed agreement for the lease of the line was made on 1^st November 1875 by the Midland Railway and the (London and South Western Railway) LSWR; this was confirmed on 13^th July 1876.

31^st August 1863

The opening of Shillingstone Station was a great event in the village, and was celebrated with a general holiday.  The rector and his wife entertained a considerable number of villagers in the rectory barn.

1864- 1910

Shillingstone station gains a canopy for his frequent visits of HRH King Edward VII to Iwerne Minster House, where he was a frequent guest and went game bird shooting.

1912

Shillingstone's only fatal accident occurs. Which claims the life of Samuel Crane - a much esteemed and conscientious railway employee.  He was 41 years of age and left behind a widow and eight children.

1923

On 27th February 1915 Sub-lieutenant Brooke’s battalion including Poet Rupert Brooke transferred to Shillingstone. From there they took the train to Avonmouth and boarded a troopship bound for Gallipoli. Sadly Rupert Brooke never returned.

Britain's many railway companies were grouped together into four major companies: The Great Western Railway (GWR), Southern Railway (SR), London Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) and the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER). The Somerset & Dorset line became jointly owned by the LMS & the SR (Southern Railway). Despite this the Somerset & Dorset line retained its individuality. The engines retained their Prussian blue livery for a further seven years & even the gold letters 'S&DJR' remained.

1934

The traffic slowly increased until World War II when the railway became a vital link between the Midlands and the South carrying essential supplies and ambulance trains.

1948

Shortly after the end of war the railways were nationalised, the line came under the control of the Southern Region of British Railways. Through passenger traffic built up to a peak in the mid 1950's with many passenger trains from places like Birmingham and Wolverhampton including the Pines Express which ran from Manchester to Bournemouth West.  The Pines Express was the only named train on the S&DJR.

5th April 1965

Increased use of road transport saw the closure of the goods yard.

May 1965

The down sidings were lifted.

7^th March 1966

There were 103 glorious years before the sad demise and finally closing of the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway, and then tracking lifting took place.  The Station closed to Freight and Goods on 5^th April 1965, and with the closure of The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway to Passengers on 7^th March 1966.  This dealt a dreadful blow to Shillingstone’s villagers, who had used their railway links to get to work or to see friends and family.  Many local people must have suffered financial and emotional hardship, as their jobs were gone, their transport to other areas and employment vanished and they were unable to see their families or friends

March - May 1967

Track lifting commences, and the down platform shelter is removed.

1960s - 1970s

A company called Pilgrims began to use the buildings in the station yard – building chicken houses for battery farming, and then expanding into manufacturing furniture and fitted kitchens.  Meanwhile the track-bed was earmarked for the Shillingstone bypass road and Dorset County Council bought the stretch of track from Haywards Lane Bridge to a point past the Holloway Lane Bridge.  This purchase included the station, which would have been demolished if the road had been built!

1970s

In the late 70s the modern industrial units were built and were completely taken up by a single company again manufacturing furniture, called Intasco.

1980s

In the 80s this company very fortunately converted the station building to their needs as a workshop, and so yet again the station escaped potential demolition.

1991

Steam did make a very brief return to Shillingstone in 1991 at the Shillingstone Gala, when a large model railway was laid along the length of the station trackbed.

August 1998

In August 1988 after a change in ownership  by Intalays Ltd, the furniture company went into liquidation and the industrial estate and station once again lay empty.

Late 1990s

The North Dorset Railway Trust is created by Michael Paulley.

2001

In early May 2001, Dorset County Council re-opened the Railway track-bed at Shillingstone to the public. Due to the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in the UK.

2001

Sun 19th Aug 2001

30th March 2002

2002

Damage done to the roof by thieves over the last 4-6 weeks. The parcel shed has been attacked on 2 occasions, and on the first occasion a hole also appeared in the main building roof, due to missing slates. The old slates are worth a lot of money and will be very expensive to replace.

December 2002

Dorset County Council has declared the station and its associated buildings (platforms and parcels shed) surplus to requirements and on Monday 9th September placed the property in the hands of a Blandford Estate agents. (Chaffers). After a emergency committee meeting on Friday 13th September (unlucky for some, but not the T.N.D.R.T).  It was unanimously decided to proceed with the purchase of the leasehold of the station. The Committee has pledged the amount necessary to acquire the lease and announced the launch of the restoration fund.

19th March 2003

With some difficulty that The North Dorset Railway Trust has managed to establish that 13 interested parties placed offers for Shillingstone Station and its platforms when Dorset County Council placed its lease for sale last Autumn. The Council has recently reduced the potential purchasers to a short list of the 6 preferred schemes for the site. When approached for more information it has become evident that only 2 parties remain interested (The North Dorset Railway Trust plus one other)

13th August 2003

After 3 years and 2 months of correspondence and negotiation with Dorset County Council they have finally agreed to let The North Dorset Railway Trust have the lease of Shillingstone Station. Verbal confirmation was received last week in a telephone conversation with D.C.C. Estates Department, and written confirmation was received on Saturday 9th August.

September 2003

The North Dorset Railway Trust spent five very productive days at The Great Dorset Steam Fair. Following the news of securing the lease of Shillingstone Station a stand was quickly put together for the Steam Fair, so as not to miss the opportunity to publicise and raise funds for the project. Although not in the main arena, the stand caused great interest with over 700 membership forms being picked up by interested people.  - click here for pics

24th October 2003

5th November 2003

Whilst a 99 year lease is being prepared a "Right Of Access Agreement" was finally officially signed today by the North Dorset Railway Trust's Vice-Chairman Mr Keith Bottomley to allow urgent restoration work to begin (and prevent any further deterioration). It is the culmination of about 3 and a half years of negotiations and means that the hard work will now begin

8th November 2003

On Saturday 8th November 2003 The North Dorset Railway Trust gained access to Shillingstone Station for the first time since the signing of the Right Of Access Agreement on 5th November 2003

5th March 2004

The North Dorset Railway Trust was pleased to welcome Mr Bob Walter M.P. for North Dorset on 5th March 2004 for a guided tour of their new Shillingstone Station Project and a briefing on the Trust's plans for the station's future, with its value in terms of architectural and railway heritage conservation, heritage skills training, and tourism. The Trust was pleased to correct any misconceptions as to the nature of the scheme, and to show Mr Walter the scheme's potential when partnered with the leisure track, and the facilities it will be able to offer cyclists, walkers and horse riders using the new tourism route.

2005

Lease signed and handed over by Dorset County Council to the North Dorset Railway Trust.  With local Conservative MP for North Dorset Mr Bob Walter, Mrs M. Higgs Chairman of Shillingstone Parish Council, Mr A. Campbell Councillor for Hills and Vale,  Mr P. Webb Deputy Leader of North Dorset District Council. , Lt Col M. Oliver Chairman of North Dorset District Council,  Mr M. Paulley Fund Raising Manager N.D.R.T., K. Bottomley Vice Chairman N.D.R.T., Mr S. Howlett Secretary of N.D.R.T. all present and listed here in no particular order.

early 2006

Although track was laid in front of the station building, it was found to be 6 inches too high, and so was taken up again. click here for pics

 21st December 2005

Keith Bottomley's 9F steam locomotive 92207 "Morning Star" arrives on a back of a lorry.  The 2-10-0, weighing 140 tons in working order, but in its current partly restored condition of some 65 tons, was a member of the class that was famous as the ultimate motive power on the S&D, and its arrival will be the first occasion that a 9F has turned a wheel on the line since 1963 or 1964.  It's been a long time since a 9F was seen at Shillingstone Station! Over 40 years! click here for pics & click here for story of Morning Star.