Railway Day Trips: 160 classic train journeys around Britain. Julian Holland
bus); Georgian architecture (Royal Crescent); Sydney Gardens; Victoria Art Gallery; Green Park station (for Saturday farmers’ market); Kennet & Avon Canal; Pump Room; Pulteney Bridge; Two Tunnels Greenway
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
1-2 per hour (Mon-Sat)
1 per hour (Sun)
41½ MILES 1 HOUR
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0
Pulteney Bridge and the River Avon in Bath.
YEOVIL TO WEYMOUTH
A day trip to the seaside beckons and what better way to travel than by rail to Weymouth, on the Heart of Wessex Line. Our journey starts at Yeovil’s Pen Mill station, opened in 1854, which features an island platform, passing loop, signal box and semaphore signals. Heading south along the Yeo Valley, the single-track railway soon passes under the Waterloo to Exeter main line before starting its 10-mile climb to cross the South Dorset Downs through Evershot Tunnel, passing through the tiny rural request stop stations of Thornford, Yetminster and Chetnole en route. The last 2 miles up to the tunnel feature a 1-in-51 gradient which severely tests the steam-hauled excursion trains from Bristol that still run along this route on Sundays in the summer months.
Reaching the summit of the line, trains emerge from Evershot Tunnel and head downhill into the valley of the River Frome before halting at Maiden Newton station, which until 1975 was the junction for the branch line to Bridport. From here the railway continues its descent down the valley, criss-crossing the river, to the historic town of Dorchester. After pausing at Dorchester West station, trains soon join the Bournemouth to Weymouth electrified main line and head uphill for 2 miles, past the Iron Age hill fort of Maiden Castle to Bincombe Tunnel. Then it is downhill all the way, through Upwey Wishing Well, before trains terminate at Weymouth station. From here it is but a short walk to the town’s superb sandy beaches, Punch and Judy stall, renowned fish and chip shops and bustling harbour.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
sandy beaches; water sports; Punch & Judy; busy harbour; sea-fishing trips; Rodwell Trail (railway walk to Isle of Portland)
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
8 per day (Mon-Sat)
5 per day (Sun)
27½ MILES 50 MINUTES
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0
Holidaymakers sit on the beach at Weymouth to enjoy a traditional Punch and Judy Show.
SOUTH & SOUTHEAST ENGLAND
Overlooked by the famous local landmark, a restored white smock windmill, a Hastings to Ashford diesel train on the Marshlink Line crosses the River Rother at Rye.
SOUTHAMPTON TO WEYMOUTH
The railway journey from one of Europe’s most important commercial sea ports to one of Britain’s premier seaside resorts first follows the shore of the Test Estuary before entering the former royal hunting ground of the New Forest at Ashurst. For the next 10 miles the railway meanders through forest and heathland, with trains calling at Beaulieu Road and Brockenhurst stations – the latter is the junction for the branch line to Lymington with its ferry service to the Isle of Wight. At Sway the railway leaves the forest behind and heads towards the coast to serve the continuous ribbon development of the resort towns of Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole that grew up following the coming of the railway in the late 19th century.
From Poole the railway heads across Holes Bay to Hamworthy before skirting around Poole Harbour to reach the historic town of Wareham. Here, in the not-too-distant future, travellers will once again be able to change trains for the journey down to the seaside resort of Swanage. Beyond Wareham the railway heads west along the broad, lush valley of the River Frome to Dorchester, calling at Wool and passing the decommissioned nuclear power station at Winfrith en route. This countryside was not only immortalized in Thomas Hardy’s novels but has, in more recent times, been home to several large army-tank training grounds. From the county town of Dorchester the railway swings south to cross over and under the South Dorset Downs before finally descending to the seaside resort of Weymouth, host of the sailing events for the 2012 Olympic Games.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
sandy beaches; water sports; Punch & Judy; busy harbour; sea fishing trips; Rodwell Trail (railway walk to Isle of Portland)
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
2 per hour (Mon-Sat)
1 per hour (Sun)
63½ MILES 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0
Fishing boats and trawlers moored in the busy harbour at Weymouth.
BASINGSTOKE TO PORTSMOUTH
A great day out for all the family to the city of Portsmouth, for a chance to visit its historic naval ships and take a trip to the top of the 560-ft Spinnaker Tower with its far-reaching views across the harbour and the Solent. Trains leave Basingstoke in a westerly direction to Worting Junction before heading south through Micheldever to the historic cathedral city of Winchester. Leaving the city behind, the railway follows the course of the lush Itchen Valley through Shawford before arriving at the railway junction town of Eastleigh. The railway works here still clings to life but is a shadow of its former self which built thousands of steam locomotives for the London & South Western Railway, Southern Railway and British Railways.
At Eastleigh, trains for Portsmouth branch off the mainline to Southampton and head southeast through Hedge End to Botley. Here the line becomes single track for the next 5¼ miles to Fareham, passing through Tapnage and Fareham No. 2 tunnels en route. At Fareham, trains join the West Coastway Line and head east through Portchester and Cosham before branching off in a southerly direction to Portsmouth. Journey’s end is at Portsmouth Harbour station. Built on a wooden pier alongside the city’s harbour and opened in 1876, the station is still an important interchange for bus, ferry and railway passengers. From here it is but a short walk to the city’s famous maritime attractions and the Spinnaker Tower.
DESTINATION HIGHLIGHTS
Mary Rose exhibition; HMS Victory; HMS Conqueror; D-Day Museum; Royal Marines Museum; Spinnaker Tower; boat trips around harbour and to Gosport for Royal Navy Submarine Museum
FREQUENCY OF TRAINS
1 per hour
(on Sundays change at Eastleigh)
37¼ MILES 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
NUMBER OF CHANGES: 0