Photographs of Hamworthy Goods, (Lower Hamworthy) taken in March 2000. showing the down platform, goods platform, and trackwork still in working use. I have also included images taken on the section of line between the level crossing at Ashmore Avenue and New Harbour Road level crossing at the ferry terminal.
The first standard gauge railway track laid in Dorset was the Hamworthy Branch line to Poole's first station. The Southampton and Dorchester Railway Act was approved on July 21st 1845 by Royal Assent. The first Poole station was built in 1846 and opened to passengers in June 1847. Passenger services ceased on the 1st of July 1896 as the `New' Poole Station (opened in 1872) had taken over passenger services. The Hamworthy branch was singled 25th November 1905, the remaining line continues to serve Poole's ferry terminal and Hamworthy Quay and is still in regular use now (October 2000) carrying scrap metal, and a small amount of freight traffic.
UPDATE: July 2001. The Hamworthy goods line now sees little in the way of traffic, the scrap metal terminal (on the site of the old pottery at Hamworthy Junction) is served by two or three trains a week and the occasional ballast train visits Hamworthy Quay, so the oldest stretch of standard gauge track in Dorset is still in use.
Set One
The first two images show modern `Electric Treadle' axle counter and direction indicator aparatus nearby the level crossing at Ashmore Avenue. The third & fourth images show details of wooden stop block on the siding that was the orginal `Up' line.
Set Two
The first image shows the siding (on the left) that was the original Up main line (originally laid in 1863 to `double' the existing line) and the current single line which was the original 1846 line. The rest of the Up line was removed in 1905, part of the Up line was relaid as a long siding in 1916 which survived until final removal during the mid 1960s.
The second and third images show a steel stop block on the siding to the north side of the single Hamworthy branch line.
The fourth image is of Milepost 117 which is situated between the Ashmore Avenue level crossing and the site of what was Poole's first station.
The overgrown land in the background of pictures 2, 3 and 4 was occupied by Carters/Pilkingtons Tiles until mid 1997. This is currently being developed with drainage and roadways being built and various plots being marked out (12-July-2000) It looks like they are building a whole load more houses so this land will soon become inaccessable.
Set Three
The first image shows the signs marking the end of the Token Block Section at Lower Hamworthy, The other end of the section is at Hamworthy Junction signalbox.
Image Two shows point lever and timber baulks protecting the point mechanism.
Image three shows the West end of the remaining platform which was originally built in 1846.
Image Four shows an old unidentified wagon body still being used for storage on the surviving Down platform.
Set Four
The remains of the Original Poole Station. Which lost it's passenger services in 1896 due to the building of the new Poole station (in 1872) at it's present day site in Poole Town. (Image: March 2000)
Image Two shows a bolster wagon standing by the goods/loading bay platform which is still in use as a storage siding. (June 2000)
Image three is a view towards the station from the goods/loading bay platform.
The last image shows the original Down line through the station from track level beside the crossing frog of the goods/loading bay siding. The original station building was situated behind the red brick building on the right of the picture, this remaining building was an office extension built in 1954, the original 1847 station building is gone but during the winter months part of the `footprint' of the building can be seen.
