The History of Wool Railway Station

Wool Station started serving our community since on the 1^st June 1847 under stationmaster, William Cropley. It was one of the original stations on the Southampton and Dorchester Railway Line, an ancestor of today’s South Western Railway.

Uses of Wool Station

In 1914 a branch line was constructed to Bovington to transport soldiers recruited for the First World War. The track was taken up in 1938.

The image to the left shows the camping coaches. You can listen to Mike Preston talking about the line from Wool to Bovington below.

Just a short walk from the station you can find this incredible holiday home that was created using two retired train carriages in 1936.

1930s Britain saw a craze in these kind of retreats in which Wool was one of the most famous. They encouraged people to visit smaller rural areas, to stay there, and to use the trains as the preferred mode of transport.

Changes to Wool Station

The biggest noticeable change to the station itself was the demolition of the main station building in 1969, replaced by the one that is currently standing. The shed located directly next to the main building is all that remains from the original.

Since 1847 the train line has seen a countless number of changes to both the station itself and the trains that it serves. 1967 saw the end of steam power and made way for the diesel engine. However, quickly evolving methods and technologies in transportation meant that just 21 years later the line was electrified and paved the way for the trains that we see today.