Wool railway station

Railway station in Dorset, England

50°40′55″N 2°13′16″W / 50.682°N 2.221°W / 50.682; -2.221Grid referenceSY845869Managed bySouth Western RailwayPlatforms2Other informationStation codeWOOClassificationDfT category EHistoryOriginal companySouthampton and Dorchester RailwayPre-groupingLondon and South Western RailwayPost-groupingSouthern RailwayKey dates1 June 1847 (1847-06-01)Station openedPassengers2018/19

0.173 million2019/20

0.157 million2020/21

45,7842021/22

0.127 million2022/23

0.161 million Notes

Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Wool railway station serves the village of Wool in Dorset, England. It is on the South West Main Line, 125 miles 69 chains (202.6 km) down the line from London Waterloo. South Western Railway manages the station and operates all services.

History

When the Southampton and Dorchester Railway (S&DR) was opened on 1 June 1847, Wool was one of the original stations on the line.^[1]^[2] The S&DR was amalgamated into the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) on 11 October 1848, and that company doubled the line in stages: the section from Wimborne to Wool was doubled on 1 June 1863, and the double track was extended from Wool to Dorchester on 1 August 1863.^[3]

The station was host to a Southern Railway camping coach from 1936 to 1939.^[4]

Two camping coaches were positioned here by the Southern Region from 1954 to 1960, the coaches were replaced in 1961 by two Pullman camping coaches until 1967.^[5] The coaches were fitted with a full kitchen, two sleeping compartments and a room with two single beds.^[6]

Accidents and incidents

The line was originally built with a single track but no telegraph, with the result that there was a head-on collision between Wool and Wareham on 27 September 1847; casualties were light.^[7]

Services

Until 1967, trains through the station were normally steam hauled. Between 1967 and 1988, passenger services were normally provided by Class 33/1 diesel locomotives with Class 438 coaching stock (also known as 4-TC units). The line was electrified in 1988, using the standard British Rail Southern Region direct current third rail at 750 volts. Class 442 electric multiple units were initially used following electrification, until being displaced by new Class 444 electric multiple units in 2007.

There is a basic hourly service in each direction throughout the week, however peak times two trains an hour call in each direction on weekdays.^[8]

Bus services

The station also has 4 bus services linking it to Weymouth & Swanage.

Purbeck Breezer

30: Swanage - Weymouth / Dorchester (Limited Service)
31: Wool Rail Station - Lulworth Cove & Durdle Door

First Wessex

X54: Poole - Weymouth via Lulworth Cove
X52: Bridport - Bovington via Weymouth

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Wareham		South Western Railway South West Main Line		Moreton

References

^ Williams, R.A. (1968). The London & South Western Railway, volume 1: The Formative Years. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. p. 62. ISBN 0-7153-4188-X.
^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 255. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
^ Williams 1968, p. 65
^ McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. p. 33. ISBN 1-870119-48-7.
^ McRae, Andrew (1998). British Railways Camping Coach Holidays: A Tour of Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part Two). Foxline. pp. 57 & 59. ISBN 1-870119-53-3.
^ "Pullman Cars as Camping Coaches". Railway Magazine. 107 (711): 449–450. July 1960.
^ Williams 1968, pp. 63–64
^ Table 158 National Rail timetable, May 2016