# Bruton railway station

Bruton railway station serves a largely rural area in the county of Somerset in England. The station is situated in the market town of Bruton. The station is on the Bristol to Weymouth line some 32.75 miles (53 km) south of Bath Spa. Trains on the Reading to Taunton line pass through the station but do not normally stop. Services are operated by Great Western Railway (who also manage the station) and South Western Railway.

## History

The station was opened by the Great Western Railway on 1 September 1856 on its Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth main line. At that time this was just a single track but a loop was provided at Bruton to allow trains to pass. Stone buildings were erected on both platforms, and a footbridge linked the platforms from 1895. A signal box was provided from 1877 at the west end of the station.
The goods yard, which was on the north side of the line opposite the signal box, was closed on 5 April 1965 and the station was downgraded to an unstaffed halt from 6 October 1969 under the Western Region of British Railways.

### Stationmasters

* John George Indermaur 1856–1862 (formerly stationmaster at Keynsham)
* William Matthew Mitcham 1863–1865 (formerly stationmaster at Maiden Newton, afterwards stationmaster at Frome)
* William Edward Bock 1865–1866 (afterwards stationmaster at Maiden Newton)
* Alfred James 1869 –c. 1871
* Walter Titball 1874–1882 (formerly stationmaster at Yeovil)
* Arthur Percy Dagg 1882–c. 1895 (formerly stationmaster at Maiden Newton)
* Thomas William Wood from 1898 (formerly stationmaster at Malmesbury)
* Herbert Edwin Matthews from 1908
* G.E. Nailor 1925–1927 (afterwards stationmaster at Castle Cary)
* Godfrey Beaconsfield Taylor c. 1929–c. 1931
* G. Bennett from 1947 (formerly stationmaster at Hullavington)
W. Wilcox for six years in charge of the goods department at Warminster is reported as being appointed stationmaster in 1888; however, Arthur Dagg is still recorded as stationmaster in the GWR Register of Clerks in 1890 and in the 1891 census.

## Facilities

The station has two platforms with a modern glass-and-metal waiting shelter on each. A footbridge enables passengers to cross the line. There is no wheelchair access to the far platform (for trains arriving from Bristol and going to Weymouth). The station has a bike rack and help points.

## Location

The cutting in which the railway is built is a Site of Special Scientific Interest as one of the best places in England to demonstrate the stratigraphic distinction of ammonites in the subcontractus zone and the morrisi zone.

## Services

Great Western Railway operates eight trains each way on the Bristol to Weymouth line during the week and five on Sundays. It is not a regular service; there are some gaps of up to three hours between trains. To the north services run to and from Bath Spa and Bristol Temple Meads via Westbury. Most are extended beyond Bristol to and from Gloucester. To the south trains run to Yeovil Pen Mill and Weymouth.
Additionally, there are services provided by South Western Railway that operate between Yeovil Junction and London Waterloo, although these are relatively slow due to taking an indirect route towards London, reversing at Westbury and travelling via Salisbury and the West of England Main Line. A faster and more frequent service to London is available at both Castle Cary and Westbury on the same route, from where Great Western Railway operates trains between London Paddington and Exeter St Davids. These trains pass Bruton, but do not stop.
| Preceding station | National Rail | National Rail | National Rail | Following station |
| Castle Cary | | Great Western Railway Heart of Wessex Line | | Frome |
| Castle Cary | | South Western Railway Heart of Wessex Line | | Frome |