Blue Anchor railway station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blue Anchor
Station on heritage railway
Location	Blue Anchor, Somerset England
Coordinates	51°10′53″N 3°24′09″W / 51.18152°N 3.40239°W / 51.18152; -3.40239
Operated by	West Somerset Railway
Platforms	2
History
Original company	Bristol and Exeter Railway
Key dates
16 July 1874	Opened
4 January 1971	Closed
28 March 1976	Opened in preservation

Blue Anchor railway station is a special train station in the pretty seaside village of Blue Anchor, Somerset, England. It's very close to the village of Carhampton. This station is part of the West Somerset Railway, which is a fun heritage railway. It's also home to one of the two museums run by the West Somerset Railway Heritage Trust.

History of Blue Anchor Station

The station approach in 1963

Blue Anchor station first opened its doors on 16 July 1874. It was built by the Minehead Railway company. When it first opened, the station had only one platform. This platform faced the beach, which must have been a lovely view for passengers!

Changes and Upgrades

In 1904, the station got bigger. The Great Western Railway company, which had taken over the line, added a second track and another platform. At the same time, a signal box was built. A signal box is like a control tower for trains. It helps manage the trains and the gates at the level crossing. A level crossing is where a road crosses the railway tracks. This one carried the Carhampton road.

A "goods yard" was added in 1913. This was a special area where trains could load and unload goods.

In 1934, the station was improved even more. The platforms were made longer, and the passing loop was extended. A passing loop is a section of track that allows trains to pass each other on a single-track line.

Camping Coaches

From 1934 to 1939, a special camping coach was kept at the station. A camping coach was a railway carriage that people could rent to stay in, like a tiny holiday home! More camping coaches were used here from 1952 to 1964.

Closing and Reopening

The station stopped handling goods traffic in 1963. Passenger trains stopped running on 4 January 1971. But the story didn't end there! The West Somerset Railway brought the line back to life. The section from Minehead to Blue Anchor reopened on 28 March 1976. Later that year, on 28 August, the line reopened all the way to Williton. Today, camping coaches are back in the old goods yard. They provide a place for volunteers to stay while they work on the railway.

Blue Anchor Railway Museum

The station buildings have been carefully restored. The waiting room on the platform for westbound trains was turned into a railway museum. This museum opened in 1986. It is run by the West Somerset Railway Steam Trust. Volunteers from the Friends of Blue Anchor Railway Museum help run the museum and raise money. The museum has about 550 items. Most of these items are related to the Great Western Railway or other old railway lines in the West Country.

Station Layout

Blue Anchor station has two platforms. It is on a passing loop, which means trains can stop here and let other trains go by. The platform closest to the beach was built in 1874. This is where you will find the signal box and the ticket office. The second platform has the museum located in its old waiting room.

Train Services

A DMU service to Minehead

Trains run between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard. You can catch a train on weekends and some other days from March to October. During the late spring and summer, trains run every day. They also run on certain days during the winter.

Preceding station	Heritage railways			Following station
Dunster towards Minehead		West Somerset Railway		Washford towards Bishops Lydeard

See also

In Spanish: Estación de Blue Anchor para niños