The Waterloo to Weymouth Line
The Waterloo to Weymouth line has always been one of special interest and diversity, and with the long-awaited electrification of the final section, from Bournemouth to Weymouth, nearing completion this is an appropriate time to publish the first full- length history of the route.
One of the oldest and busiest lines in the country, its life began with the formation of the Southampton, London and Branch Railway and Dock Company in 1831. It was the railway which was largely instrumental in turning Southampton into a glamorous terminus for the great transatlantic liners. The line later expanded to serve the small country towns of west Hampshire and south Dorset and eventually linked the Channel Island ferry port of Weymouth to London.
Bournemouth, although it at first discouraged the railway, grew through its presence into the largest and most prosperous resort on the south coast, while the evolution of Boscombe, Swanage and the Isle of Wight as holiday centres was also aided by the trade which the line attracted. Nearer the capital, it was to a great extent the development of the railway which was responsible for moulding quiet Surrey villages into what we now know as suburbia.
Michael Baker tells the story from conception to the present day and looks forward to the future, which promises to be as rich and varied as the past. Having lived near various sections of the Waterloo to Weymouth line for most of his life, and travelled on it frequently, he is well qualified to document its history. His interest in railways is nationwide, however, and he is editor of the Great Western Echo.
Hardback with dust jacket, 20x24cm, 200 pages, black & white photographs
Condition: Good/Very Good
ISBN: 9780850598353
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