Charlton Marshall Halt and Bridge No. 203

An absolutely awesome day out with my friend Matt who I have re-established contact with after a long break. A lifelong railway enthusiast, he likes to explore the many disused railways in the South and West and beyond! I was up at 6.30am and did not get home until 7.45pm and were out from about 7.55 in the morning.

Most of our explorations were on the route in Dorset of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway, visiting a number of well preserved sections of the line. This view is taken at Charlton Marshall Halt looking North or Up. The platforms were laid in the 1920's by the Southern Railway and made of re-inforced concrete made at the Exmouth Junction Concrete Works which was begun by the London & South Western Railway and expanded by the Southern following the creation of the Big Four Railway Companies in 1923. The track here was double and the bridges were reconstructed in the early 1900's. On the Down platform, on the right, is part of the concrete nameboard of the halt, while the steps going down from the road had the rusty green painted original handrails. Remains of the railway telegraph could also be seen in various places. A visit to the restored station at Shillingstone and a long walk to near Sturminster Newton and back to Shillingstone rounded off a great day out.