Time Capsules
Chard railway station
Chard is a town in Somerset, England.
Chard has had three stations over the years. The railway was created in 1860 to connect the two London and South Western Railway and Bristol and Exeter Railway main lines.
One train station was Chard Joint station, renamed Chard in 1928 and in 1949 Chard Central, on the Bristol and Exeter Railway branch from Taunton
The second was called Chard Town, again renamed in 1949 to Chard South. This one was connected by a short branch to the London and South Western Railway's main line.
The last one is Chard Junction, opened in 1860 as Chard Road station, and probably situated a little out of Chard itself. Chard Junction was on LSWR's line from Salisbury to Exeter. It was closed in 1966 by British Rail, the station buildings have unfortunately been demolished. I am not sure when / if the other two stations were closed.
I am however not sure which one this is, but I guess it is Chard Junction.
Photo © The Step Back Through Time Collection
Picture added on 07 May 2009
This picture is in the following groups
Step back through Time, trains and stations
Step back through Time, trains and stations
That's Chard Town station, not Chard Junction. The station building itself remains, and the last I remember the building is in use by a tyre company.
Added by Andrew Down on 26 May 2009
I am advised by Brian Murless, the archivist of the Somerset Industrial Archaeological Society, that this is Chard Central. The locomotive is a GWR 'small prairie' 2-6-2 tank engine, originally designed by G J Churchward
Added by Martin Bodman on 03 October 2009
Marcel
A trawl of the web produced a modern photo of Chard Central station building at www.geograph.org.uk/photo/244922, which certainly looks like the building above. As Chard Town (LSWR) closed in 1916 with all passenger traffic concentrated at Joint/Central, that's more evidence that this wasn't the Town station as the photo doesn't look that old. Cheers,
A trawl of the web produced a modern photo of Chard Central station building at www.geograph.org.uk/photo/244922, which certainly looks like the building above. As Chard Town (LSWR) closed in 1916 with all passenger traffic concentrated at Joint/Central, that's more evidence that this wasn't the Town station as the photo doesn't look that old. Cheers,
Added by Nigel Thompson on 04 November 2009
Definitely Chard Central which was unusual at one time as it was operated as a back to back terminus with Taunton to Chard Central trains terminating in the same platform as Chard Junction to Chard Central trains .Also what appears to be the engine shed is seen on the left and its rare to see any pictures of that building .
Chard no longer has any rail service whatsoever.
Chard no longer has any rail service whatsoever.
Added by Richard on 30 April 2010
As a regular visitor to the creamery at Chard Junction to load butter in the 70/80s. What was the name of the pub by the rail crossing? anyone know?
Added by Dave Barber on 21 May 2010
Latterly I believe it was the Three Counties Inn.
Added by Si on 16 July 2010
At one time it was the Chard Road Hotel
Added by DJC on 05 June 2011
When I first moved into Chard Junction (late 80's) the Chard Road Tavern was my local watering hole. In the bar was a photo from the local paper of a brake van buried in the front wall of the public bar after the van got loose from the yard, demolished the stops and continued across the road until brought to a halt by the pub wall. At that time it was still possible to see the marks in the tarmac made by the wheel flanges. I do not remember the date of the incident however, and it has been many a year since I had a drink there as after the brewery sold the place to a Torbay businessman, it became a guest house and the name change took place.
Added by Mike Bagness on 21 December 2011
I have seen that photo somewhere recently .
Not sure where but it was in a book about lines in that area . It may have been in one of the Middleton Press series "Branch Line to ................"
Not sure where but it was in a book about lines in that area . It may have been in one of the Middleton Press series "Branch Line to ................"
Added by Richard on 21 December 2011
The photo is definatly Chard Central the train in the bay is ready to depart for Taunton, the one in the station is heading for Chard Jct.
Added by Paul Izquierdo on 18 September 2012
Happily this station has been preserved and refurbished as Factory Shop. The Town Station was a little way south of this standing where Tesco's is now.
Added by John Coleshill on 07 January 2013
England
