Weymouth Tramway…A Flaming End To It
The UK’s remaining mainline train track running along a British road is being torn up.
Weymouth Tramway which once carried passengers and freight to Weymouth Port for Jersey and Guernsey is now being removed.
Work teams have now severed the direct link from South Western Railway trains connection to London near to their station in King Street.
The removal work is estimated to take up to 13 weeks to complete.
Acetylene torches are being used to cut through the steel rails that have shared the road with vehicles for 155 years.
Well rotted sleepers could be clearly seen when sections were lifted by the work teams.
The tramway tracks, which have been disused since 1999. They will be cut into short sections and lifted out of the roadway. The rails and fittings will go for re-cyling.
Unique Weymouth Tramway Era Ends
With the local council and Network Rail jointly declaring that the tracks were in a ‘deteriorated condition’ and that they could not be reused.
Accidents with cycles and motor bikes were fairly frequent.
However, one very serious accident involved a police officer who sustained head injuries whilst on a 999 call and as a consequence had to leave the police service.
Network rail who owned the tracks has transferred the rails to the council and there removal has now gone ahead.
Recently, a petition was raised in an effort to save the 2km line and make use of it for tourism. But, with only 4,000 signatures that was not enough to influence the council and get them to halt the removal work.
Although, the last train ran in 1999 the last time tabled train to use the tracks was back in 1987. Passengers started to use the line 1889 when the ferries service to the Channel Islands started. Originally the line was operated by the Great Western Railway.
With shipping to the Channel Islands gradually being moved to alternative ports and road transport becoming more economical, the need for the tramway began to fall off. In 1972 Regular freight and goods services ceased.
Harry Styles Filmed Dunkirk Here
The tracks have been featured in the film Dunkirk. The film crews painted the tracks silver in order to make them look well used. As they were rusty in many places.
The Hollywood movie which featured pop singer Harry Styles from One Direction. The port and quay areas of Weymouth were used which included the railway tracks.
I think you have a fact wrong. The ferry and freight services were very active in 1972. I know as my husband was working with Sealink then and I enjoyed receiving tomatoes and potatoes from the islands. Sealing services finished in the early eighties.
From what I have found out larger freight was moved to Southampton as containers were the choice starting then. Smaller lighter items were still carried both ways up to the 80’s.
Shame they didn’t put time and money in to something more constructive, than destroying history and heritage.
Happy to tell here I was a passenger on this service and the connecting Sealink ferry to Jersey twice and to Guernsey once, first time in 1976, second time in 1978.
History!
Thank you.