Happy Birthday Bournemouth

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Bournemouth Central Station is 125 years old today.

 

It opened as Bournemouth East on 20th July 1885. Renamed Bournemouth Central on 1st May 1899 before becoming simply Bournemouth on 10th July 1967.

 

Attached are a couple of photos I took this evening on my way home.....

[pitbull1845]

Where is the cake, balloons and banners???

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Where is the cake, balloons and banners???

 

Don't think anyone remembered

 

There are a few photos of the station as part of a display on "Aspects of Bournemouth" at the main library in the centre of Bournemouth though.

[Ceptic]

Thanks for posting in, Western Sunset .

 

I've, previously, talked to my nipper, (SoC) about Bournemouth Central's 125th anniversary birthday, but, it doesn't appear that anything official is 'laid on', unlike the Centenary celebrations of 1985, when there was 'a bit of a do' in the station's surrounds.

When I dig the photos out, picturing the early 4-REP Emus (1967), and the station in the late '70s / early '80s, prior to refurbishment, and later pics, I'll post them in.

 

Cheers,. Frank.

[Kenton]

The entrance hasn't changed much in the 40+ years since I last used it - other than the fact that the road painter can't spell "NO PARKING"

 

Good to also see it looking clean and with all the glass intact. In the 60's it was in a very grimy and run-down state, probably with all the usual threats of demolition and replacement with a more modern structure.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

The Victorians and Edwardians would still recognise the interior, if not the train.

[Ceptic]

Some pics from the past.

 

extra pic.

The 'bit of a do' to celebrate the station's Centenary, July1985.

 

 

 

The earliest pics I've got, taken in Nov.1967.

I did have some old B/W shots from the 50s & 60s, but they've been lost, along the way.

What I do have, are photos of the building, and it's surrounds, taken in the mid-80s, when the station was under threat of demolition. If anyone's interested ?.

 

Regards.

[Kenton]

What I do have, are photos of the building, and it's surrounds, taken in the mid-80s, when the station was under threat of demolition. If anyone's interested ?.

Please, just to remind us of how near we came to loosing this little bit of railway heritage.

I was not there as late as the 80's - most of my memories are of steam there, but it was in a pretty neglected state even then.

[Ceptic]

O.K. Here we go with some starters.

These were taken in the summer of 1986.

 

 

 

The up side approach. The roof's in a bit of a state, with bits dropping off at the slightest mention of a breeze. The glazed end panels, along with the stone ball finials atop the butresses are long gone. Even the replacement PVC wind breaks are looking rather weather beaten.

 

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The down side approach. There used to be a large, glazed, drive through, covered portico*, outside the Booking Offices on both sides, but these had been demolished some time before the end of steam.

 

 

The Parcels Office. Latterly 'Red Star Parcels'. At the far end was a drive-in ramp going down to the (fish) unloading dock, seen here.

 

Extra pic No.1

 

And here.

Extra pic No.2

 

And again, close up.

Extra pic No.3

 

Once upon a time, full of 'MacFisheries' vans. Who remembers those ?, and the pong ?.

It was not only used for unloading fish (Bournemouth didn't have it's own fishing fleet. unlike Poole), but aswell as the usual mail & parcels, there used to be a dedicated banana train, (before Fyffes depot was built in Southcote Road), ex Southampton Docks . I (sort of) remember other fruit & veg. being offloaded there, also.

The tower at the station end houses the winding gear for the goods lift down to the subway.

There was, originally, a bay/siding and dock platform here, with B'm'th 'A' Box behind*. These were taken out of use in 1928, and the station down platform(s) extended, both eastwards, as well as westwards.

 

The fast depleting canopy between the Parcels Office and the main station building.

Extra pic No.4

 

Edited to include 4 extra pics.

* Also see links to others' photos in Post Nos. 38 & 40.

 

Regards.

[Ian J.]

Remember that for quite sometime in the 90s the station roof was in a fragile state and there was scaffolding up to support a 'platform' to prevent glass coming down onto passengers on the platforms.

 

Strangely, I don't have any daytime shots of said scaffolding, but here's a nighttime one in B&W from either 1989 or 1990:

 

47 364 in RES livery, I believe.

[Ceptic]

Remember that for quite sometime in the 90s the station roof was in a fragile state and there was scaffolding up to support a 'platform' to prevent glass coming down onto passengers on the platforms.

 

Strangely, I don't have any daytime shots of said scaffolding, but here's a nighttime one in B&W from either 1989 or 1990:

 

47 364 in RES livery, I believe.

 

 

It can just about be seen through the haze, in this shot.

 

The Oct.'87 hurricane didn't help matters, either.

[Ceptic]

Apologies for the interruptions, but I'm trying to post the photos in some sort of order. Being a disorganised b****r, I'm finding more photos as I go through the'archives'. Look out for more, edited into previous posts. I'm about to add one of the 'Fish dock' to the post before last.

My next batch of pics are of the western (Weymouth) end, but I won't add these until I get back from Farnborough.

I hope you don't mind me adding these comments and photos, and hi-jacking your thread Western Sunset ?.

This topic / station is one that brings back certain, happy, childhood memories, from about the age of 6, and is, sort of, dear to my heart, If you get my drift.

 

Regards, Frank

 

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Apologies for the interruptions, but I'm trying to post the photos in some sort of order. Being a disorganised b****r, I'm finding more photos as I go through the'archives'. Look out for more, edited into previous posts. I'm about to add one of the 'Fish dock' to the post before last.

My next batch of pics are of the western (Weymouth) end, but I won't add these until I get back from Farnborough.

I hope you don't mind me adding these comments and photos, and hi-jacking your thread Western Sunset ?.

This topic / station is one that brings back certain, happy, childhood memories, from about the age of 6, and is, sort of, dear to my heart, If you get my drift.

 

Regards, Frank

 

Frank,

I'm always very interested in seeing your pictures.

Attached are a couple of mine from earlier this month.

[Ceptic]

The other end, before the wholesale demolition of the surrounding buildings, including St. Paul's church, Vicarage and school, the Advance laundry and the council offices / yard in Littledown Rd., and and the shops lining the Holdenhurst Rd.

 

 

Extra pic. No.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

A later, 1993 view from the Signal Box

[Kenton]

Once again great photos.

I have to admit my memories of the station are very much from the platform side - I guess I hadn't appreciated the whole structure as such an attractive building but then I guess one never does as a young teenager being dragged along on "shopping expeditions" - I also remember the seeming long walk from the station to the shops and if lucky a trip back on a trolley bus.

[yellowvanman]

Some great pictures on here..I worked there late 80s..heres some 331s all Weymouth end of the station..

[Ceptic]

Some shots from inside & outside the Box.

 

" OK, Own up, Who's moved the clock ? "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pics 001, 003 & 004 were taken on May's Open Day,1993. Pics 005 & 008 were taken July 21st. 1985, during the Centenary celebrations

 

Regards,

 

Post edited 06/08/10, to include 5 extra photos of Bournemouth Central's signal box, and it's environs.

 

This extensive platform canopy has since been cut back to two short sections, either side of the box, again, during the station's refurbishment.

Extra pic. No.1

 

This pic shows the one-time pedestrian / passenger entrance, from Park Road, to platform 2 (The 1928 extension). This has since been bricked up, and by-passed by the out of town, incoming & outgoing, 'bus and taxi only road to the travel interchange, under the Wessex Way fly-over, from where some of these photos were taken.

Extra pic. No.2

 

The view overlooking the MPD site

Extra pic. No.3

 

An evening view of the back of the box.

Extra pic. No.4

 

The access steps and the lower part of the box.

One question though, ??. I don't recall the signal box ever carrying an exterior, enamel SR / BR(S) identification board.

I've looked at many photos, but nothing's come to light. Perhaps some one can enlighten me ?

Extra pic. No.5

 

Regards.

[Ceptic]

Hi again, Folks.

Continuing around the station, the western extremity shows the Beechy Road bridge (No.15). Passing under the 4th arch from the left, there used to be a siding which ended at a tranverse platform/dock at the back of the engine shed. It didn't connect with the shed road, as you can see, as it is at a lower level. This facility enabled the transfer of spares and consumables.

In the far right-hand corner, can be seen the ramp of the one-time shed staff entrance. This is now used by the public to gain access to the car park and station.

 

What's left of the engine shed. The original 4 road shed was extended in 1936, and had a north-light, ridged roof. The differing styles of brick work show the extension. The original shed didn't receive it's, later, hipped asbestos roof until after nationalisation, in the early 50s, I believe.

 

Looking across to where the turntable was, once, situated, beyond the bay platform. The up platform was extended in 1967 to accommodate 12 car Emus.

 

And a view from the other direction.

 

The (then) train crew rest room / office.

 

 

Back on the other side, along side the signal box, there used to be another station entrance, reached by steps from Park Road (behind the signal box)*. I'm sure I've got some photos of this, but, I've yet to find them.

 

 

Two views of the up side ticket/booking office. The position of the traffic island, which is built on the original foundations, gives an idea of the size of the covered porticos, mentioned earlier. Room enough for 2 Hackney carriages to pass comfortably.

 

Regards.

* Yep, I've found them, and edited them into my previous post...Thanks for bearing with me.

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

 

Two views of the up side ticket/booking office. The position of the traffic island, which is built on the original foundations, gives an idea of the size of the covered porticos, mentioned earlier. Room enough for 2 Hackney carriages to pass comfortably.

 

Regards.

 

You can see the reason that these canopies were taken down. look at that score mark! They were erected at a time when vehicles of this height were not being built.

 

At the same time and as is obvious from the photos, the station roof has been refurbished and restored. I think there was talk of demolition but I suspect that the cost of that was probably greater than the cost of refurbishment let alone the disruption of closing the station and the line. Does anyone know whether railway buildings can get listed status whilst still in public use?

[bmthtrains - David]

Fascinating to see the station long before I moved here! Of interes to me is seeing cars (taxis?) facing the 'wrong' way round on the now Asda side of the station - this must have been before it was all one way. And very sad to see how long the station roof was in such a poor state - knowing it was done up only perhaps 10 years ago, it must have been in a dreadful way for about 20 years before they touched it!

 

To think we almost lost such a lovely station building!

 

David

[Ceptic]

You can see the reason that these canopies were taken down. look at that score mark! They were erected at a time when vehicles of this height were not being built.

 

At the same time and as is obvious from the photos, the station roof has been refurbished and restored. I think there was talk of demolition but I suspect that the cost of that was probably greater than the cost of refurbishment let alone the disruption of closing the station and the line. Does anyone know whether railway buildings can get listed status whilst still in public use?

 

Hi dwhite4dcc

Looking at that score mark. It's several feet lower than what the portico* would have been.

It has to have occured much more recently than the porticos' demise. In fact, given their height clearance, they could, just about, have accommodated a double decker bus, with, or without it's roof.

I've been searching through various websites, hoping to find a link to a suitable photo. I'm still searching !!.

In the meantime, there's a super photo, plate 111, in Vic Mitchell's and Keith Smith's 'South Coast Railways - Southampton to Bournemouth' (Middleton Press), of the down side, which may give some idea, as to what was lost, along the way.

 

*See, also Post Nos. 38 & 40.

 

Regards.

[Ceptic]

Fascinating to see the station long before I moved here! Of interes to me is seeing cars (taxis?) facing the 'wrong' way round on the now Asda side of the station - this must have been before it was all one way. And very sad to see how long the station roof was in such a poor state - knowing it was done up only perhaps 10 years ago, it must have been in a dreadful way for about 20 years before they touched it!

 

To think we almost lost such a lovely station building!

 

David

 

Indeed...........

Bournemouth West, had, previous to these photos, been demolished.

I dearly wish that I had gotten over there sooner, with a decent camera. But, as always, that's a deleted chapter.

 

Since the down side incursion of the Travel Interchange, Asda, Texaco, and the latterly disappeared B&Q, which overlooked the Holdenhurst Road bridge / tunnel from the South side , the station interchange traffic was directed in a different (one way only, anti-clockwise) direction, exiting around the western (far) end of Asda, or under the Wessex Way overbridge, if going out of town

The only taxi-cabs that are permitted to ply-for-hire, now, at the ranks at the the station, are those licenced to do so by the Borough Council, and, in doing so, must be painted in Primrose Yellow, and carry a reflective White stripe at waist level. (A little different from the cabs in the pics.).

 

Regards.

[Fenman]

Does anyone know whether railway buildings can get listed status whilst still in public use?

 

Working railway stations -- like [almost] any building -- can be listed at any time. Listed railway buildings include:

 

Grade 1: St Pancras, King's Cross, Paddington, Newcastle and Huddersfield.

 

Grade 2*: Brighton, Bath Spa, Darlington and more modern stations like Southgate tube station (1933).

 

Grade 2: Cambridge, Doncaster, the old brick towers at London Cannon Street, and more modern structures like Arnos Grove tube station (1932), Coventry (1959-62), Harlow (1959-60), Barking (1961) and (one of the most recently listed stations, only being listed last year) Broxbourne (1959-61).

 

A full list of listed railway buildings would run to hundreds of structures (most of them Grade 2, of course -- there are just 8 Grade 1 listed stations in England*). A useful starting point is Biddle's "Britain's Historic Railway Buildings" (Oxford 2003), although that's now a bit out of date. There's a really clunky search engine at: www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/

 

Paul

 

* Haven't taken into account listed buildings in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland where a slightly different system exists.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Bournemouth Central became a listed building exactly 36 years ago today - 1st August 1974. The two K6 telephone boxes, one on the up side and one on the down, also became listed on 20th April 1988.

 

The two attached photos give the present position of the upside entrance.

 

Frank, was the "new" canopy over the upside entrance some form of a copy of the original? Presumably this was done c2000 when the roof was refurbished.

 

Another query; was the station footbridge opened the same day as the line was electrified -10th July 1967?

[Ceptic]

Bournemouth Central became a listed building exactly 36 years ago today - 1st August 1974. The two K6 telephone boxes, one on the up side and one on the down, also became listed on 20th April 1988.

 

The two attached photos give the present position of the upside entrance.

 

Frank, was the "new" canopy over the upside entrance some form of a copy of the original? Presumably this was done c2000 when the roof was refurbished.

 

Another query; was the station footbridge opened the same day as the line was electrified -10th July 1967?

 

 

Hello Peter.

 

Re :- The Canopy.* It's nowhere near a copy of the original. The only thing it has in common, is the scrolled brackets and the glazed roof panel. The original's roof was higher and had 3 rows of such panels, supported by a wall with 3 tall windows, which stood, approximately, where the traffic island is/was in the 1980's photos. (I've got a sketch of it somewhere. When I find it, I'll post it in.)

The footbridge was, indeed, opened in time for, or possibly just before the 1967 electrification. It can, just about, be seen here.

At the same time of the footbridge being opened, the down side subway ramp was closed and blocked off. (IIRC)

 

*See links in Post Nos. 38 & 40.

 

Kind regards, Frank.