The Remains of the Didcot, Newbury & Southampton Railway

The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DNSR) was an attempt to build a more direct north-south railway link from the Midlands to the expanding port of Southampton. The northern section from Didcot to Newbury opened in 1882, however, the company's operating and construction costs had spiraled so work on the route into Southampton was halted in1883 with the company concentrating then on reaching Winchester. This was achieved in 1885 with a new DNSR Winchester Chesil Station, reached by a tunnel through St. Giles’s Hill.
Although planned as an independent company the DNSR soon realized that it lacked the resources to both build and operate a railway. The GWR readily agreed to work the new line, providing locomotives, crews and rolling stock, as it was hoped this would allowed them access to the port of Southampton, in the heart of its rival LSWR territory.
The DNSR’s problem was then that without an independent line to Southampton, it could not attract the key heavy goods and express passenger traffic income that it anticipated and would need to finance the final section of line. The GWR, although running the line, was reluctant to assist for fear of angering the LSWR, and the LSWR similarly kept its distance as despite their rivalry the two companies, through necessity, operated many joint services over each other's rails elsewhere; investing in the DNSR might therefore for both threaten to disrupt this balance.
This situation continued for a short while, until the LSWR fearing that the GWR might eventually finance the completion of the DNSR, offered a compromise. It would allow a connection line from the DNSR into its LSWR line just north of Shawford Station in return for the DNSR giving up seeking an independent route to Southampton.
Land in Southampton already purchased by the DNSR for the final link was then subsequently sold off (St James’s Park?). The line via the LSWR Hockley (Shawford) Viaduct was completed in 1891, and services from Didcot to Southampton began with the LSWR also insisted on using only its own locomotives on the section between Winchester and Southampton. (Ironically later in the 1923 railway groupings the GWR would obtained control of the DNSR anyway).
Life for the DNSR then settled down for a while but by the 1930s like most rural single lines it was struggling to pay its way and economies were made resulting in most of its stations passing loops being removed (including signal boxes) and station staff numbers reduced. However during WW2 the line underwent a reprieve as it was closed to passengers from August 1942 to March 1943 to enable re-construction and enlargement of its removed passing loops (and signal boxes) for long military trains plus the doubling of the Didcot to Newbury section and addition of an LSWR connection at Winchester Jn. It became one of the crucial transport links to southern England as huge movements of troops and military supplies gathered with the intensive run-up to D-Day.
After 1945 the line returned to its lightly used state. Passenger numbers on the DNSR slowly declined throughout the 1950s, although goods traffic remained, especially through petrol trains traffic to Bromford Bridge from Fawley Oil Refinery. Yet again the passing loops and signal boxes were removed. (Also, when BR took over, the practice of changing locomotives at Chesil soon ceased).
Like many rural railways it was finally deemed that the DNSR was uneconomical to operate and was closed to passengers between Newbury and Winchester in 1960, whilst the Didcot to Newbury section survived until 1962. Goods trains remained, but the goods facilities at the intermediate stations were gradually closed leaving only the through goods services. The line was closed completely south of Newbury in 1965 and north of Newbury in 1967.

The photographic survey on the remains of the DNSR was undertaken in two stages. In 2014 the Shawford to Newbury section was covered and as such it included Winchester (Chesil), King’s Worthy, Worthy Down Halt, Sutton Scotney, Whitchurch (Town), Litchfield, Burghclere, Highclere and Woodhay Stations. I returned in 2016 to complete the section from Newbury to Didcot this included Hermitage, Pinewood Halt, Hampstead Norris, Compton, Churn and Upton & Blewbury Stations.
The rather ‘taken for granted’ Hockley Viaduct that stood alongside the A33 Winchester bypass and now M3 has recently undergone a £3/4m refurbishment. It was built by the LSWR across the Itchen River Valley to allow the DNSR to link (and therefore control) its route onto Southampton. The thirty three arch structure (actually made of concrete and brick lined) is more impressive perhaps when viewed from below in the valley. Sadly it is now rather backed into a dead end by modern road alterations but has found a use by looping a cycle/pathway (trailway) back over it. A rather novel down distant (later changed to home) signal in the off position has also been re-established on the bridge. South of the viaduct the short railway track bed or permanent way (pw) link to the LSWRpw has been buried and grassed or lost under road.
North of the viaduct the trailway soon drops off the pw to continue alongside it into Winchester. Apart from the missing span on the ex Hockley traffic lights bridge the pw on its overgrown embankment runs between the Itchen Navigation and buried A33 in part to Bar End. Approaching Bar End on the pw the ex goods yard has become initially a car park, followed by an industrial estate; the ex goods shed still stands but is now used as a recycling shed. Moving on the old DNSRpw has been reused to become Barfield Close to pass under the Chesil Street/Bar End Road bridge to run on to the ex Winchester Chesil Station site. The site is now a multi storey car park yet the old footbridge over the station site up St Giles’s Hill still remains as does the station masters house on top of the tunnel that immediately followed the station.
The old DNSRpw tunnel that skirts under St Giles’s Hill still exists, its southern end is used by the council to store such things as wheelie bins whilst the northern end by the Itchen Valley Shooting Club. The exit cutting has been filled in up to Ebden Road footbridge and two large building placed on top. (One I recall being the Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah Witnesses). After the under filled footbridge a linear park has been created, including a children’s play area, before houses appear on the DNSRpw from Fiona Close. The ‘Winnall Road’ bridge has been under filled and elongated offices built on the DNSRpw after. (Reminders of the GWR presence in the area can be found by remains of old broad gauge railway bits used as fence posts by the path over this bridge). After the elongated offices the DNSRpw seems to have become a linear car park for the adjacent Winnall industrial estate before being consumed by the A34 through the ex King’s Worthy Station site, off London Road.
From the King’s Worthy Station site the DNSRpw ran in a straight line shallow cutting to pass under the LSWRpw and continue in a deeper cutting on past Woodhams Farm. (The shallow cutting has been filled in and farmed on yet after the spring plough the discolored soil line pw can still be made out). From Woodhams Farm the DNSRpw exists as a trailway to Lower Road, South Wonston (bridge buried); passing through the remains of Worthy Down Halt on route. (The WW2 embankment link to the LSWRpw at Winchester Jn still exists alongside the DNSRpw above the first Hookpit Farm Lane twin arch).
From South Wonston to Sutton Scotney the DNSRpw is still very much in evidence albeit cuttings filled in, grassed or overgrown. The bridge on Alresford Drove is under filled whilst the bridge to the south of Wonston Manor Farm was blown up; the arch to its east still stands. On Wonston Lane the bridge has lost its span and from there the DNSRpw has been ploughed out up to Beggar’s Lane.
At Sutton Scotney the station site is now under redevelopment yet the old goods shed that stood alongside the station platform still exists. The bridge to the south of the station is under filled and bridge to its north over the A30 has lost its span.
From Sutton Scotney to Whitchurch most of the DNSRpw exists as overgrown embankments, farm track or filled in tree covered cuttings with the odd bit ploughed out. Along the way the triple arch Bullington and Tufton Viaducts, a collection of single arches especially alongside Nuns Walk, the B3400 arch at Whitchurch and A303 (westbound) arch still exist. Also along the way the Tufton Lane bridge has lost its span, Vale Farm bridge buried with the Burlington/A303 lane and Lodge Farm bridges gone. The infamous Howls Lodge signal box seems to have ended its days as a gangers hut and two grounded goods vans south of Tufton Viaduct never left the DNSRpw. One haven of peace along this route is the little River Test bridge at the foot of the Tufton Viaduct. This I returned to again to capture under different light condition to do justice to it.
At Whitchurch the Town Station has been pleasantly maintained and is a credit to its owner. North of the DNSR Town Station the pw crosses Bloswood Ln/Bell St long arch to run on under the LSWRpw via a tunnel (local mugging hot spot as I found out later) to enter the deep Larks Barrow cutting with its triple arch access viaduct crossing over it at one point. The DNSRpw later meets its fate as the bed of the A34, just south of Litchfield. (The back garden extensions of Evingar Road in Whitchurch have also benefitted from the demise of the DNSR).
Litchfield Station building has been resurrected in a labour of love, by David the owner, from an abandon derelict state to a now very pleasing extended private residence. (The picture was choreographed by the owner). North of Litchfield the DNSRpw appears from under the A34 south of Thorn Down to run parallel with it until just before Old Burghclere where they part company. The DNSRpw along this way including its cuttings and bridges now used as farm access tracks. On the approach to Old Burghclere the war time austerity signal box shell and gangers hut both still survive alongside the DNSRpw as does the row of cottages that housed the workers for the ex local lime quarry that supplied traffic for the line from its own siding.
Burghclere Station building (in Old Burghclere) is now an extended private residence. (Look out for the local road signs still pointing the way to the Burghclere Stn even now). To the rear of this station’s building are the remains of both platforms with a farm access track running through the middle of them. This track then passes on under the station bridge to follow the DNSRpw north. Indeed the DNSRpw with its various embankments, cuttings and odd bridge is used as farm access tracks to Burghclere (passing the site of the 1963 petrol train derailment crash under Duncroft Farm access arch).
Highclere Station building (in Burghclere) is almost unrecognizable in its much enlarged state as a private residence now. (Named after the Earl of Carnarvon’s Highclere Castle (‘Downton Abbey’) pile on the hill near by). To the rear of the station building are the remains of both platforms but this time the gap in between has been filled and grassed over. Back down the DNSRpw the remains of its war time austerity signal box shell still survive. Up the DNSRpw the deep cutting to the under filled station bridge has flooded to create an attractive woodland pond garden. After the station bridge (Harts Lane) the deep and flooded DNSRpw cutting continues on alongside Pound Lane and on to the A34 Tot Hill Jn after which it has been filled in before the A34 Newbury bypass SW section consumes it totally. This section of the Newbury bypass also saw off Woodhay Station on route, the station house surviving. A short DNSRpw cutting still exists between Skinner’s Green Lane (bridge gone) and Enborne Road over bridge to the west of Newbury that would have linked the DNSRpw to the GWRpw to run on into Newbury Station. At Newbury Station the DNSR (west) bay platform is now a car park. (When the previous A34 road improvements were considered the DNSRpw section from Litchfield all the way to Tot Hill was muted as a possible route, before the more westerly route was chosen).
The DNSR (east) bay platform at Newbury Station still survives, it now being used for stopping services for east bound trains. The DNSRpw split from the GWRpw under Boundary Road bridge to run NE through a now industrial estate and further on housing estate pass Shaw. The line of the old DNSRpw can still be traced, although initially it is built on, with the Hambridge Road and Kiln Road bridges buried, River Kennet and River Lambourn bridges along with the London Road bridge gone and linear car parks for various businesses along the way finding it a use. North of Kiln Road the DNSRpw has acquired a large elongated building followed by a road called Branch End and later housing passing Shaw cemetery. After the cemetery the DNSRpw tree lined embankment runs up to a business called Lyfame on the B4009 after which it is ploughed out to Fisher’s Lane crossing, with a reprieve pass Craven Farm hamlet.
The crossing keeper’s cottage at Fisher’s Lane has been much enlarged but a DNSRpw path alongside invites you on to the site of the long gone Cold Ash Farm bridge. Here a DNSRpw farm track invites you on to almost Longlane. At Longlane the Red Shute Hill road bridge still stands and traces of the DNSRpw pass Longlane can be found before grassing over has taken place until almost Hermitage Station.
Hermitage Station is a charming little time capsule and long may it survive, although in need of a little TLC now. The village of Hermitage had its station at the extreme southern end so later acquired Pinewood Halt to the north to accommodate residential development to this area. The site of Pinewood Halt, below Chapel Lane arches, is now a children’s play area. Marlston Road bridge still survives but the DNSRpw between the long gone Yatterdon Road bridge and Chapel Lane arches has acquired housing. North of Pinewood Crescent the DNSRpw path invites you on, using the B4009 to avoid the M4 now built across it. Along the DNSRpw below Common Barn Cottage arch is a very peaceful cutting which later leads on to forested embankments to take you on to Hampstead Norris.
The site of Hampstead Norris Station is now a passage way from the village to its village hall, passing under the B4009 station arch. Look out for the remains of the old station three ton crane. Sadly the DNSRpw through Hampstead Norris has been redeveloped into a rather high density housing area, giving a rather urban area to the village.
Leaving Hampstead Norris the DNSRpw is ploughed out, with embankments removed and cuttings filled in, until just before New Farm crossing where it remains traceable as a tree line corridor to Compton. Along the way is a DNSRpw two track span arch on a lane leading to Aldworth. It’s hard to image the amount of D-Day traffic and later number of Fawley to Bomford Bridge petrol trains that passed under this arch now. The New Farm road crossing cottage has also been much enlarged.
Compton Station is another charming little time capsule and reminded of a bygone rural village station. In Compton the Aldworth Road arch and Wallingford Road bridge remain.
Leaving Compton, after the Old Station Business Park, the DNSRpw heads out over the remote and inaccessible Blewbury Down then on through the deep Chilton railway cutting to Upton. Churn Station sat out on the remote downs for riflemen to come and practice. The DNSRpw from Compton to Churn farm access bridge south and Churn farm access bridge north to the tile barn bridge has become a farm access track. The overgrown remains of Churn Station still exist between its two farm access bridges. Sadly the DNSRpw large Chilton railway cutting from the tile barn to just after Dene Hollow bridges has been used as massive landfill site. One wonders about the future ecological effect if the ground water in the area up here becomes polluted. After the filling of the DNSRpw Chilton cutting ends the remaining cutting levels out for a while before another cutting takes it on into Upton & Blewbury Station. The extended station house now a private residence and station bridge buried.
At the end of Chapel Furlong in Upton a DNSRpw trailway takes you into Didcot where it meets the reused DNSRpw Hitchcock Way that ran up to the GWRpw to run on into Didcot Station. (The only bridges missing along this section being Hagbourne Road and Broadway both in Didcot). The DNSR bay platform at the east end of Didcot Station is now a car park.
It is perhaps a sad reflection that the old GWR Didcot Station has now in general become rather dwarfed by surrounding car parks and is continuing to disappear under the overhead pylons and soon to appear overhead power lines of the mainline electrification scheme.
Rick Poulton