The goods shed built in 1860, photo taken in December 2009
The station was opened on 19 July 1860 when the LSWR opened its Yeovil and Exeter Railway. The main building was designed by Sir William Tite and has been designated as a Grade II listed building.[1] The office (converted to a cafe in late-2013) by the main road was used to operate the weighbridge. When it opened, a goods shed was built, now the site of a builder's yard. It can still be seen from the railway line today. A wooden signal box was erected in 1875 on the eastbound platform, just east of the main offices.[2][page needed]
The signal box built in 1960, photo taken in December 2009
A new signal box was built in 1960 a little to the east of the old one, which was then demolished, located between the old goods shed and the platforms.[3][page needed]
In January 1963 all the lines in the area transferred to the Western Region and on 7 May 1967 the main line was rationalised.[2][page needed] The 21.5 miles (34.6 km) section between Sherborne and Chard Junction was reduced to just a single track,[2][page needed] although this has since been shortened to just 16.8 miles (27.0 km) between Yeovil Junction and Chard Junction, where there is a loop, followed by more single track to east of Axminster.[4][page needed]
On 24 April 1953 it was the scene of an accident when an axle of Merchant Navy Class 35020 Bibby Line broke while it was passing the station. This caused the platform canopy to be demolished.[2][page needed]
Location
The station is about a mile southeast of Crewkerne on the A356 road, which crosses the platform and railway on a bridge.[3][page needed] The entrance and platform are on the north side of the line, which is climbing westwards at 1 in 80 (1.25%) to the 206-yard (188 m) Crewkerne Tunnel.[2][page needed]
Services
A SWR Class 159 DMU no. 159017 on Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo train calls at Crewkerne in July 2022
