The Sidings is built on the site of the demolished railway station and it's associated access road, sidings and other land (see entry below).

WEST SIDE (from junction with Lode Hill)

1 The Sidings

2 The Sidings

3 The Sidings

4 The Sidings

5 The Sidings

EAST SIDE (from junction with Lode Hill)

16 The Sidings

15 The Sidings

Access to Station House (see separate entry under 31 Lode Hill)

14 The Sidings

13 The Sidings

12 The Sidings

11 The Sidings

10 The Sidings

9 The Sidings

8 The Sidings

7 The Sidings

6 The Sidings

Downton Railway Station

Downton Railway Station was opened by Countess Nelson for the Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway on 20 December 1866, and closed whilst under the control of British Railways (Southern Region). The last trains ran on 4 May 1964, when 100 school children traveled to Breamore and back. The last ticket was purchased from station master Harry Hepper by Sue Grice. The station was subsequently demolished and The Sidings was built on the site during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

In 1943 Doctor Whitehead was told by one of his patients that King George VI and Queen Elizabeth would be coming to the station. At the time security was very tight and the Doctor asked how the patient could be sure of this, to which she replied ‘They have washed the waiting room floor for the first time since the station was built’. She was right, of course, and a large number of villagers greeted the Royal couple at the station.

Despite the impending closure, the Southern Region timetable of February 1964 advertised weekday seaside excursions from the station until 13 June. Passengers could buy a day return to Swanage for 9 shillings (45p) or Weymouth for 12 shillings (60p).

Former Station Masters: George Charles Stretch (1905-1914); P Rouledge; R C Slade (1953); Henry Raymond ‘Harry’ Hepper (1964).