Monument record MWX66 - Weymouth and Portland Railway

Branch railway opened in 1865, the Weymouth and Portland Railway ran from Portland Station to join the Weymouth to Dorchester main line. Leased jointly by the GWR and LSWR, it had mixed gauge although the broad gauge may never have been used. In 1889, a branch was taken off the line between Melcombe Regis and Weymouth stations to carry the railway to the new station at Weymouth Quay. Here, there is a ferry service to the Channel Isles. The line was closed in 1952, except for the Weymouth Quay section.

Course of railway depicted. (1-3)

Opened in 1865, the Weymouth and Portland Railway ran from Portland Station (SY 6817 7392) to join the Weymouth-Dorchester main line at approx. SY 6779 7960. Leased jointly by the GWR and LSWR, it had mixed gauge although the broad gauge may never have been used. <4>

The orignal line terminated at a station in Victoria Square, later extended towards Castletown where there were exchange sidings with the Portland Railway. The station closed in 1902 and was replaced by another on a curve when the Easton & Church Hope Railway was opened. <5>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

<2> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 scale map, 1978 (Map). SDO17396.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 scale map, 1988 (Map). SDO17396.

<4> St John Thomas, D, 1966, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: The West Country, 147 (Monograph). SWX1139.

<5> Jackson, B L, 2000, Isle of Portland Railways, vol. 2. The Weymouth & Portland Railway, The Easton & Church Hope Railway (Monograph). SDO10338.

<6> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP10382 (Index). SDO14738.

A steamer sits alongside the pier, with smaller sailing boats berthed in the foreground. A steam train can also be seen. The passenger landing stage was added to the pier around 1888 by the Great Western Railway.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 867955 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jul 13 2025 9:05AM