NINETEEN SIXTY FOUR – PART 101
Day Trip to Highbridge - 09.09.1964
Michael L. Roach
After looking at occurrences in 1906, 1926 and 2010 recently perhaps it is time to return to the year 1964. In Part 91 I wrote about the upcoming sixtieth anniversary of the closure of the Somerset and Dorset with some of the photographs attached to that article coming from a day trip to the line on Thursday 10 September 1964. I described how I travelled to Bath for a return trip from Green Park to Templecombe and back.
The previous day, Wednesday 9 September 1964, I travelled from Plymouth, via Okehampton, to Exeter and on to Highbridge. The last leg from Taunton to Highbridge (18 miles) was in a 3-car dmu towing one parcels van and the train stopped at three stations which would soon be closed: - Creech, Durston and Dunball. I was at Highbridge for just over an hour and visited the engine shed and also walked down to Highbridge Wharf. Although the town is more than a mile inland from the Bristol Channel the Wharf received ships bringing timber for more than a century finally closing to commercial traffic just two months after my visit (other sources say earlier). There were numerous railway sidings on the wharf. From 1801 to 1809 French prisoners-of-war were used to cut a new straight channel for the River Brue through the town of Highbridge. The old/original channel was where the railway constructed their wharf. That railway was originally the Somerset Central Railway which was broad gauge and backed by and worked by the Bristol and Exeter. The Somerset Central and the Dorset Central amalgamated on 1 September 1862 but only became jointly owned (Midland/LSWR) in 1875. I recommend looking at the First Edition of the OS 25-inch plans of Highbridge from the 1880s available on the NLS website; also, the book recommended at the end.
I left Highbridge on the 16.00 to Evercreech Junction hauled by Collet goods 3210 with just one coach and one parcels van. Since the train was due at the junction at 17.00 and my train back from Evercreech Junction departed at 17.00 I opted to bail out at the previous station, Pylle Halt, and await the return train there. It turned up behind Ivatt 2-6-2 tank 41296, again with one coach and one parcels van. The timetable gave most trains 55 – 60 minutes for the 22 miles from Highbridge to Evercreech Junction with a longer stay of 5 or 6 minutes at Glastonbury & Street Station where there always seemed to be a large pile of parcels and mailbags to be dealt with. On the return trip Collet goods 3218 was there at Glastonbury with a single parcels van; but where had it come from as I had not noted it earlier? All three steam engines seen on this line that day were based at Templecombe Shed.
A one-minute connection between the two stations at Highbridge looked tight but turned out to be easy as 41296 arrived 2E and the DMU departed 3L. It took me 12 miles south to Durston Station which was on borrowed time as the passenger service was withdrawn just one month after my visit. The Bristol & Exeter had chosen Durston as the location of the junction for their branch to Yeovil back in 1845 although the line and Durston Station did not open until 1853. The Yeovil Branch had closed three months before my visit to Durston. It is hard to know why Brunel had chosen Durston for the junction of the Yeovil Branch rather than Taunton itself as the railway could have followed the valley of the River Tone direct from Athelney to Taunton as the later 1906 cut-off did. In 1964 all passenger trains ran through to Taunton, but in 1853 all trains started and terminated at Durston. In 1902 it was roughly half and half.
If the line from Highbridge to Evercreech Junction still existed, the stations at West Pennard and Pylle would be the nearest railway stations to the site of the Glastonbury Music Festival Site; but in 1964 the forerunner of the Glastonbury Festival was still six years in the future. The nearest railhead is now at Castle Cary on the Paddington to Penzance railway line.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Middleton Press: Burnham to Evercreech Junction ISBN 0 906520 68 1
The previous day, Wednesday 9 September 1964, I travelled from Plymouth, via Okehampton, to Exeter and on to Highbridge. The last leg from Taunton to Highbridge (18 miles) was in a 3-car dmu towing one parcels van and the train stopped at three stations which would soon be closed: - Creech, Durston and Dunball. I was at Highbridge for just over an hour and visited the engine shed and also walked down to Highbridge Wharf. Although the town is more than a mile inland from the Bristol Channel the Wharf received ships bringing timber for more than a century finally closing to commercial traffic just two months after my visit (other sources say earlier). There were numerous railway sidings on the wharf. From 1801 to 1809 French prisoners-of-war were used to cut a new straight channel for the River Brue through the town of Highbridge. The old/original channel was where the railway constructed their wharf. That railway was originally the Somerset Central Railway which was broad gauge and backed by and worked by the Bristol and Exeter. The Somerset Central and the Dorset Central amalgamated on 1 September 1862 but only became jointly owned (Midland/LSWR) in 1875. I recommend looking at the First Edition of the OS 25-inch plans of Highbridge from the 1880s available on the NLS website; also, the book recommended at the end.
I left Highbridge on the 16.00 to Evercreech Junction hauled by Collet goods 3210 with just one coach and one parcels van. Since the train was due at the junction at 17.00 and my train back from Evercreech Junction departed at 17.00 I opted to bail out at the previous station, Pylle Halt, and await the return train there. It turned up behind Ivatt 2-6-2 tank 41296, again with one coach and one parcels van. The timetable gave most trains 55 – 60 minutes for the 22 miles from Highbridge to Evercreech Junction with a longer stay of 5 or 6 minutes at Glastonbury & Street Station where there always seemed to be a large pile of parcels and mailbags to be dealt with. On the return trip Collet goods 3218 was there at Glastonbury with a single parcels van; but where had it come from as I had not noted it earlier? All three steam engines seen on this line that day were based at Templecombe Shed.
A one-minute connection between the two stations at Highbridge looked tight but turned out to be easy as 41296 arrived 2E and the DMU departed 3L. It took me 12 miles south to Durston Station which was on borrowed time as the passenger service was withdrawn just one month after my visit. The Bristol & Exeter had chosen Durston as the location of the junction for their branch to Yeovil back in 1845 although the line and Durston Station did not open until 1853. The Yeovil Branch had closed three months before my visit to Durston. It is hard to know why Brunel had chosen Durston for the junction of the Yeovil Branch rather than Taunton itself as the railway could have followed the valley of the River Tone direct from Athelney to Taunton as the later 1906 cut-off did. In 1964 all passenger trains ran through to Taunton, but in 1853 all trains started and terminated at Durston. In 1902 it was roughly half and half.
If the line from Highbridge to Evercreech Junction still existed, the stations at West Pennard and Pylle would be the nearest railway stations to the site of the Glastonbury Music Festival Site; but in 1964 the forerunner of the Glastonbury Festival was still six years in the future. The nearest railhead is now at Castle Cary on the Paddington to Penzance railway line.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Middleton Press: Burnham to Evercreech Junction ISBN 0 906520 68 1
80064 arrives at Okehampton with 5C on the 08.48 Padstow to Exeter on 09.09.1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Collet goods 3210 is seen by the turntable at Highbridge on 9 September 1964. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Standard GWR 20-ton goods brake van no. W68557 was stored at Highbridge Wharf, and slated for withdrawal. Believed to have been built in 1925. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Highbridge Station looking north to Bristol. The former S&DJR Burnham and Evercreech Branch crossed the Western Region main line on the level between the far end of the signal box and the abutment of the road bridge. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
With ten minutes to go 3210 waits to take out the 16.00 train to Evercreech Junction. This was the fourth of five eastbound trains a day. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Ivatt 2-6-2 tank 41296 brings the 17.00 Evercreech Junction to Highbridge into Pylle just four minutes after leaving Evercreech Junction. This was the fourth of six trains a day in this direction. The road bridge carried the A37 / Fosse Way over the railway and has been demolished since the line closed. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Durston Station looking north to Bristol. The line was opened by the Bristol & Exeter Railway in 1844 and the station in 1853 when it became the junction station for the B&ER's newly opened Yeovil Branch. The branch curved off to the right just beyond the signal box. Copyright Michael L. Roach.
Many thanks for another interesting article Mike, along with some fascinating photographs.
For more of Michaels articles, please click here.
For more of Michaels articles, please click here.
Sunny Golant
Jon Hird
With the tide on its way in and the sun shining down on the village of Golant, 66734 leads the midday Goonbarrow - Fowey clay over the causeway, running a couple of hours late. 13.04.2026, copyright Jon Hird.
Swindon 'Sheds'
Colin Pidgeon
66730 on 6G71 Yate to Hinksey Yard. 12.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.
66731 t&t 66791 on 3J98 Swindon Transfer to Swindon Transfer. 12.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.
66791 on the rear of 3J98 Swindon Transfer to Swindon Transfer. 12.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.
66162 on 6W01 Yate to Hinksey Yard. 12.04.2026, copyright Colin Pidgeon.
Many thanks Colin, and thanks to Ken for sending these over.
April 1976
Part 14
Roger Winnen
The Southern Line from Westbury. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Southern train on route to Salisbury. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
50019 on the 12.30 from Paddington approaching Westbury. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
A DMU Gloucester RC&W class 119 is seen departing Westbury for Bristol on the up Trowbridge line. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Westbury North Signal Box. D1071 Western Renown on the 11.55 Paignton to Paddington due 14.10. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Western departs Westbury. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
A Western departs Westbury. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
The exterior of Westbury Station. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
D1056 Western Sultan works a special for schools. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
D1056 Western Sultan running around at Westbury before heading with the train to Bristol. 21.04.1976, copyright Roger Winnen.
Purple at Lostwithiel
Sam Sheldrick
66734 waits to depart for Fowey with the Goonbarrow - Fowey JIA's beneath a blossom tree in Lostwithiel up goods loop. 13.04.2026, copyright Sam Sheldrick.