This page provides information and photographs relating to the closed railway line running between Bath and Bournemouth. This was the original route of the "Pines Express" running from Manchester to Bournemouth. As well as passenger traffic the railway provided a useful means of transportation for coal traffic that came from the Somerset coal fields centred on Radstock.

The early history of the Somerset and Dorset Joint (S&D), like many railways of Britain, is somewhat complicated, resulting from the amalgamation of the Somerset Central Railway and the Dorset Central Railway in 1862, with a joint ambition to forge a link between the Bristol Channel and the English Channel. Unsurprisingly this "main line" did not turn into the profitable business opportunity that was envisaged, so sights were set on the potential lucrative coal fields of North Somerset and other markets further to the North. This line headed North from Evercreech but in order to reach Radstock, the line had to forge its way over the rampart of the Mendips and through the deep valleys South of Bath. This line opened in 1875 and became the new "main line"; the original line effectively becoming a branch line, but in doing so the company was financially exhausted. The S&D approached number of larger concerns to offer themselves to be bought out. Whilst the GWR at Paddington dithered, a joint approach from the London and South Western and Midland Railway was accepted, thus the S&D Joint Railway came into existence in 1875. From this time the Midland Railway took responsibility for the motive power on the line, with the London and South Western Railway assuming responsibility for the infrastructure.

The mainline of the S&D ran from Bath to Broadstone, after which it traversed LSWR metals to reach Bournemouth West, a total length of approximately 71 miles. Renowned for some fearsome gradients over the Mendips and meandering nature, the line required much significant civil engineering to overcome the many obstacles in its way.

The map immediately below shows the line heading Southwards between Bath and Cole.

On leaving Bath Green Park station the locomotive crews had half a mile to prepare before turning left at Bath Junction and commencing the single line section to Midford. The climb out of Bath involved tackling a 1 in 50 climb of approximately 2.5 miles length and passing through Devonshire tunnel at 447 yards in length. On cresting the summit the line then fell at a gradient of 1 in 100 through the 1,829 yards long Combe Down tunnel and crossing the 168 yard long Midford Viaduct, where double track was joined which lasted for 33 miles to Templecombe. Having traversed the viaduct a further short stretch of 1 in 60 gradient occured before reaching some more gentle undulations, prior to arrival in Radstock. The sinuous nature of the line between Midford and Radstock being a product of the line following the original route of the former Somerset Coal Canal.

After Radstock the assult on the Northern side of the Mendips commenced with a continuous climb, much of it on gradients seldom less than 1 in 60 for approximately 7 miles. After passing through Chilcompton tunnel at 64 yards in length, the summit of the line was reached at Masbury, being some 811 feet above sea level. The line then fell for approximately 8 miles with at least 4 miles downhill at a gradient of 1 in 50, passing through the 242 yard long Winsor Hill tunnel. Further significant civil engineering structures were traversed prior to Evercreech, in the form of the 5 arched Bath road viaduct, the 27 arched Charlton Road viaduct and the 11 arch Preistleigh Viaduct. South from Evercreech the character of the line changed to a more rolling landscape, with nothing more than some short spells of 1 in 80 on its undulating route to Broadstone.

The map below shows the section of line from Cole to Bladford Forum.

At Templecombe, where a junction was made with the Waterloo – Exeter route, the line reverted to 27 miles of single track with passing places, the exception being 8 miles of double track from Blandford Forum to Corfe Mullen Junction. Templecombe was an operational headache whereby any S&D train wishing to call at the main line station had to be reversed, either into or away from its stop to continue its journey. Despite many schemes to create a far more sensible working solution none was implemented, and it remained this way until closure.

The map below shows the section of line from Blandford Forum to Bournemouth.

Wimborne was the original starting point for the Dorset Central however reaching Bournemouth then involved a reversal so in 1886 a new line went direct to Broadstone, with the line to Wimborne remaining as a little used goods line accessed via Corfe Mullen Junction. Here the new route climbed for approximately 1 and a half miles at a gradient of 1 in 80, reaching a minor summit at Corfe Mullen Halt, before descending to Broadstone and the effective end of the S&DJR. The final 8 miles was over LSWR metals, passing through Poole and the final short climb on a gradient of 1 in 60 up to Branksome, and then a short minor descent reaching journeys end at Bournemouth West.

Evercreech Junction remained an operational hub providing the meeting point of the line to Bath and the original Somerset Central line to Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge; this route had its own branches to Wells (closed in 1951) and Bridgwater (closed 1954). Highbridge effectively became the end of the line as the route to Burnham closed in 1951 although excursions and some freight continued through to 1962. The line was renowned for its remoteness and almost billiard table flatness, running alongside the many rhynes and drains of the Somerset levels. The map below shows the line from Evercreech Junction to Burnham on Sea and Glastonbury.

Passenger services over the S&D routes in the latter years were limited and an extract of the services offered is shown below.

Daily traffic was sparse but it was during the holiday season when the line was pushed to capacity, providing an important transport artery linking the Midlands and the conurbations of the north to those long yearned for summer beaches. Only the Pines Express remained the year round through train to traverse the line.

Due to the severity of the gradients encountered, double heading of trains was quite common, especially during the heavily loaded summer holiday traffic. The unique class of eleven Fowler designed 7F were synonymous with the operation of the line often proving better at the job asked of them over more modern designs that were tried and swiftly removed as being inadequate. Only in latter years did the Stanier 8F’s prove to be an adequate replacement. Other locomotives such as 2P and Fowler 4F, were common plus a handful of Black 5’s used on the Pines and through trains.

In later years motive power responsibility changed to the SR and more Bullied Pacifics started to appear along with 73xxx, 75xxx, 80xxx and 82xxx tanks as the newer BR standards replaced the pre-grouping designs. In 1958 the northern end of the line fell under the control of the Western Region and, under their tenure, the somewhat alien shape of Collet 2251 class and Pannier tanks started to appear, mostly on the branch to Highbridge. However it was in 1960 that the WR introduced a small fleet of 9F’s to work the holiday services and they proved to be the pinnacle of locomotive performance, being the only loco capable of hauling those trains single handed, thus removing the costly exercise of double heading.

Closure of the line came from the 7th March 1966 onwards. The last day celebrations were held on Sunday the 6th March 1966 with the passage of several farewell special trains run by both the SLS and RCTS. A copy of the closure notice for the line is shown below. The "Postponed" addition to the poster, is a testament to the strong protests that were raised against the closure of the line and to the unavailability of the promised replacement bus service. Unfortunately these protests and the commencement of the bus services, only had the effect of delaying the inevitable.

A gallery of photograhs taken at the various locations along the line appears below between Bath, Evercreech, Templecombe and Bournemouth. A small number of photos are also included from the Burnham and Glastonbury branches.