Shoscombe & Single Hill - the forgotten station

[Andy Kirkham]

This may be just a subjective impression, but there seem to be remarkably few photographs of Shoscombe and Single Hill Halt, despite it being on the highly popular Bath-Radstock section. A search on Flikr would seem to confirm this impression as it yields only a single image of the station when it was open

 

76019 at Shoscombe and single hill halt. by 00000000 000000000, on Flickr

 

I recall back in 1972 when I walked the trackbed from Bath to Radstock, being most surprised when I encountered its remains (still complete with concrete signboards) as seen here:

Shoscombe & Single Hill Halt by 70023venus2009, on Flickr

 

I had been quite unaware that the station existed.

 

So two questions:

1. Do others share my perception that Shoscombe is neglected?

2. Can anyone suggest why?

Edited May 28, 2015 by Andy Kirkham

[Welly]

My theory is that particular station was difficult to access by road and did not have that many trains stop there when it was open, hence the paucity of photos.

[RailWest]

I would agree that it has very little coverage, tho' I have certainly seen at least one other picture of it in use. As to why it was neglected - no idea, other than perhaps it proved difficult to reach and held little of interest for most photographers?

 

I've walked in that area a few times in recent years and found it almost impossible to work out even where it was, let alone see any remains :-( On the other hand, Shoscombe viaduct has now been converted into a house!

[BG John]

I had a cousin who was a railway enthusiast and lived in Shoscombe. Somewhere I've got a photo of the halt I took after closure when we were visiting him. Unfortunately he was killed in a motorbike accident a year or two after I got interested in railways, so I never got to discover any of the wealth of knowledge he had on the railways in the area.

[Kenton]

 

I had been quite unaware that the station existed.

 

I suspect you are not alone. If you had not produced a picture I would have said you were just making up the name for your next model railway.

 

I had to look it up and now wonder why there was a station there (it looks substantial compared to some "halts") population 443 (Wikipedia) in the days when the station was built that population must have been significantly less.

[Andy Kirkham]

 I suspect you are not alone. If you had not produced a picture I would have said you were just making up the name for your next model railway.

 

I had to look it up and now wonder why there was a station there (it looks substantial compared to some "halts") population 443 (Wikipedia) in the days when the station was built that population must have been significantly less.

Flanders & Swan really ought to have put it into The Slow Train

[RailWest]

As it happens, I'm looking at Winsor Hill at the moment. That too was something of a neglected location, tho' perhaps to a slightly lesser degree than Shoscombe. Certainly not a lot of photographs, and sadly almost nothing when it was in its heyday. Much the same too could be said about Moorewood.

[Captain Kernow]

The thing about Shoscombe & Single Hill Halt was that it was one of the relatively few stations served by the S&D that were difficult for bus replacement services, Wellow being another. As a result, they were reasonably well patronised right up until the end.

[geoffers]

CaptainK has hit the head on the nail here. Pictures are scare (the one with 76019 taken by Colin Caddy has been reproduced in "The Somerset and Dorset Files - No 4 by Martin Smith) but the caption mentions that steep hills and narrow lanes precluded bus services so the station was surprisingly well patronised. Aas was Wellow nearby. Also mentioned in one or two other publications. A very basic structure (Southern Railway concrete) was opened 23 Sept 1929 and staffed throughout until March 1966 by the Tapper sisters.

[Andy Kirkham]

the caption mentions that steep hills and narrow lanes precluded bus services

perhaps they also precluded Bentleys

[phil_sutters]

Mitchell & Smith have a photo, by S.W Baker, of 76027 approaching the halt on a Bournemouth train in April 1965.

It does get a mention in Mac Hawkins The S&D then & now, with a 'then' photo, without any train, by Mrs. Anne Scott. The 'now' photo shows some children's play equipment and mentions a couple of concrete posts, but nowt else.

Judge & Potts show a similarly trainless shot from a different position, credited to Lens of Sutton.

1.11.2015 - In Michael Welch's Somerset & Dorset Sunset, there is a nice shot from the down platform across to the up platform and beyond. It is by Michael Allen and is in colour, as are all the photos in this book. Although I can't be sure which buildings are which, the author refers to the small booking office and waiting room, up the path to the village. A second shot of the running in board was also taken on 11.12.1965.

Edited November 1, 2015 by phil_sutters

[Nearholmer]

I thought Shoscombe was a fictional place in Berkshire, as per the final Holmes story, so I live and learn!

 

Kevin

[wagonman]

I thought Shoscombe was a fictional place in Berkshire, as per the final Holmes story, so I live and learn!

 

Kevin

 

 

Tut! Shoscombe was famous. Well, maybe not famous but it did have its own colliery once (never rail connected)...

[RailWest]

I was in Shoscombe recently and pleased to see that at least there is a nice information board, with photos and maps, close to the old entrance to the halt. So it's not entirely forgotten....