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The Weymouth Harbour Tramway (also known as the Quay Branch or Harbour Line) was a heavy rail line running entirely on the streets of Weymouth, Dorset, England from a junction to the north of Weymouth station to Weymouth Quay station at Weymouth Harbour. Built in 1865, it was last used for timetabled British Rail services in 1987 with the last special train running in May 1999. The line was dismantled in 2020-21. Street running tracks still remain but very little. The link to the mainline still exists, but only down to the street.

History

Opened in 1865 by the Great Western Railway, the harbour tramway ran from a junction north of the main station, through the streets adjacent to the Backwater and the harbour, to the quay. Passenger trains began in 1889, transporting travellers to Channel Island ferries.

As freight traffic grew, several sidings and loops were added to the main line to serve harbourside businesses. The Town Bridge was rebuilt in 1930, and the tramway initially routed through the northern arch. Between 1938 and 1939 the tight curve between the Backwater and harbour was supplanted by a new curve on a newly-infilled section of the quayside and the tramway was relocated to the outer arch of the bridge, where it remained until its removal.

The track layout at the Quay station was gradually increased from a single track, to a double-track layout up to 1961, and finally a three-track arrangement which persisted till the end of regular traffic, albeit in a truncated layout from 1973. Regular goods traffic ceased in 1972, although fuel oil was transported to a facility at the pier until 1983. Regular passenger services ceased in 1987 when the South West Main Line into Weymouth was provided with third rail electrification, which was incompatible with street running and then diesel locos would have to be stationed there to switch over.

There were some experiments in September 1996 with a flywheel-powered vehicle (see Parry People Movers), but this did not result in permanent traffic on the tramway. The last use of the branch was on 2 May 1999 for a special Pathfinder Tours charter.^[1] This was the first train to use the line since 1995.^[2]

Operations

Trains operating over public thoroughfare tramway without escort were required to be fitted with warning equipment for the general public.

During operation of services by Class 33 locomotives, two warning units were built and housed in a cabinet at the track side entrance to the tramway at the throat of Weymouth yard. This equipment comprised a yellow box which fitted on a lamp bracket on the cab front, and had an amber rotating beacon and bell which served to warn thoroughfare users. The bell did not ring continuously but could be controlled by the train driver. Each member of Class 33/1 and all TC stock had a small socket where the bell/beacon units plugged in to draw power from the train systems. Trains for the quay would halt at the station throat, the warning equipment attached and then tested by the train guard. In addition, trains on the tramway were "walked" by railway staff with flags, clearing the route of people and badly parked cars all the way between the points at which the tramway reverted to conventional track at the quay station and road crossing into Weymouth yard. On arrival at the quay terminus the guard would move the warning equipment to the other end of the train in readiness for the return journey.

On occasions trains were escorted by the British Transport Police.

21st century

In January 2009 it was reported that Weymouth and Portland Borough Council wished to remove the tramway, and that Network Rail had confirmed it had little wish for its retention.^[3] In February 2009, the council agreed to purchase the line from Network Rail for £50,000, prior to a final decision on its future.^[4] However, it was reported in July 2014 that the sale of the line never went through and a campaign started to reopen the tram route claiming it would help with tourism and reduce car usage in the town. In August 2015 a report appeared in the Dorset Echo saying that a petition online had been set up to reopen the line.^[5] In February 2016 the council bid for the tramway to be put into a permanent out-of-use status.^[6] The Office of Road and Rail agreed to the permanent closure in 2017.^[7]

In January 2019, the Campaign for Better Transport released a report identifying the line was listed as priority 2 for reopening. Priority 2 is for those lines which require further development or a change in circumstances (such as housing developments).^[8]

In February 2020, the Department for Transport provided funding to facilitate the removal of the track.^[9]^[10] Removal of the tracks through the town began on 5 October 2020.^[11]

Domesday Project

The branch was included in the 1986 BBC Domesday Project; 25 years later it was revisited and is incorporated into the reborn, online project.^[12]

Calls for heritage operations

Many^[who?] felt that the line should be retained for heritage operations, but Dorset Council and Weymouth Town Council refused.

The council's reasonings were;^[13]

The line did not follow a dedicated right-of-way
The line crossed into opposite traffic directions multiple times along the route
There were no intermediate stations until the final disused station at Weymouth Harbour and the main National Rail station
The sleepers on which the rails were placed are unsuitable for heavy and light rail usage
There is no electrical supply (overhead or third rail) to the track
There is no safety infrastructure at any point

The councils stated that lengths of track not in the roadway were left in place for heritage reasons, but parts on the roadway were removed for safety reasons.^[14]

Gallery

Passenger train passing between fishing boats and buildings in 1994, with Concorde overhead
Under The Town Bridge, 2005
Jubilee Crescent, 2006
Near Ferry's Corner in 2005
Near Custom House, Summer 2005
Looking from the station area
The harbour station 1986
Commercial Road 2011, looking south
Commercial Road, c.1947
Custom House Quay, c.1947

References

^ Six Bells Junction, Way-Farer Railtour, 2 May 1999.
^ Railtour round-up Rail issue 357 19 May 1999 page 55
^ "Olympic train line may be lost". BBC News. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
^ "Train line taken over by council". BBC News. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
^ "All Aboard! Teen's Bid to Revive Tram". Dorset Echo. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
^ "Picture Gallery: Weymouth Tramway to be put into permanent out-of-use status". Dorset Echo. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 22 April 2016.
^ "Weymouth's train track removal paused as lockdown ends". BBC News. 2 December 2020.
^ The case for expanding the rail network (PDF). The Campaign for Better Transport. p. 42.
^ Disused Weymouth railway line removal plans win £1m BBC News 28 February 2020
^ End for Weymouth Rail Express issue 287 April 2020 page 10
^ "Disused Weymouth railway line 'wiped out without goodbye'". BBC News. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
^ "Revisiting the old Weymouth Quay railway". BBC News. 16 May 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
^ "Reusing the Weymouth Branch Line". Dorset Council. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
^ "Weymouth Branch Line track removal - Dorset Council". Dorset Council. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2021.

Bibliography

Lucking, J. H. (1986). The Weymouth Harbour Tramway, Poole: Oxford Publishing. ISBN 0-86093-304-0.
Beale, G. (2001) The Weymouth Harbour Tramway, Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 1-874103-67-4.