Two sides of a triangle
This week's Saturday Timewatch moves just a mile or so north of the old Somerset and Dorset Railway terminus at the now non-existent Bournemouth West station.
It shows two railway viaducts which are actually two sides of the Branksome rail triangle which enabled access to / from Bournemouth West. The line across the 10 arch viaduct in the foreground no longer exists, closed in 1965. It provided a direct link to / from what is now Bournemouth Station. However, the viaduct in the distance still carries the main line between Weymouth and London Waterloo.
The third side of the triangle (out of sight to the left) was the main S&D route into their southern terminus. The first part of that stub is still used by South Western Railway to access their Traincare Shed. However, with no direct link to Bournemouth, their main station in the area, equipment has to reverse via the current Branksome Station.
Two sides of a triangle
This week's Saturday Timewatch moves just a mile or so north of the old Somerset and Dorset Railway terminus at the now non-existent Bournemouth West station.
It shows two railway viaducts which are actually two sides of the Branksome rail triangle which enabled access to / from Bournemouth West. The line across the 10 arch viaduct in the foreground no longer exists, closed in 1965. It provided a direct link to / from what is now Bournemouth Station. However, the viaduct in the distance still carries the main line between Weymouth and London Waterloo.
The third side of the triangle (out of sight to the left) was the main S&D route into their southern terminus. The first part of that stub is still used by South Western Railway to access their Traincare Shed. However, with no direct link to Bournemouth, their main station in the area, equipment has to reverse via the current Branksome Station.