London Waterloo to Weymouth

The Route of the Royal Wessex

London Waterloo is one of London's grandest stations and is an important monument to Edwardian elegance. It is widely regarded as one of the most elegant and spacious London termini and its famous 4-sided clock suspended from the roof is a popular meeting point hence the famous expression "meet me under the clock at Waterloo station". A statue of Sir Terence Cuneo by Philip Jackson also stands on the main concourse overlooking the former Waterloo International. It was built by the London & South Western Railway (LSWR), the Great Western's main rival for services to the West Country. In its heyday, Waterloo was the starting point for journeys to Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, as well as a host of Home Counties commuter services. In its heyday London Waterloo was the starting point for such famous expresses as the Royal Wessex, the Bournemouth Belle, the Atlantic Coast Express and the Devon Belle. It was also the starting point for famous boat train services such as the Cunarder, the Statesman and the Holland American that connected with ocean liner services from Southampton Docks. From 1994 to 2007 London Waterloo was also the starting point for the international Eurostar high speed services through the Channel Tunnel to Paris and Brussels. However on the 14th November 2007 the CTRL Section 2 through to London St Pancras was opened and all Eurostar services moved to London St Pancras and ceased to use London Waterloo.

Throughout this “Through the Window” guide we describe views as being left or right from the train facing in the direction of travel out of London.

London Waterloo to Surbiton:

The train leaves London Waterloo's curving platforms, then runs parallel to the River Thames to Clapham Junction. From the elevated route there are glimpses of the Houses of Parliament, Lambeth Palace, the Tate Gallery, the London Eye and the river, and the train then passes  Vauxhall station and the new Covent Garden market at Nine Elms. As the train approaches Queenstown Road (Battersea), the skyline to the right is dominated by the 337ft, 1930s chimneys of the former Battersea Power Station (designed by Gilbert Scott), and then the train runs into Clapham Junction. A cutting carries the line past Wandsworth Common, and then the route is elevated once again as it crosses the River Wandle on its way to Wimbledon, where the station is shared with London Underground's District Line tube trains.  Wimbledon is also home to the world famous Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the home of the All England Lawn Tennis Club. At Raynes Park, the Dorking line swings away to the left, while just after New Malden trains for the Shepperton branch swing away to the right. The train crosses the River Hogsmill and then enters the long cutting that leads to Surbiton. The River Thames and the ferry to Hampton Court Park are only a short walk away from this magnificent 1937 built station designed by J.R. Scott. Surbiton's Art Deco clock tower and modernist façade make it unique in Britain.

Surbiton to Woking:

Leaving Surbiton, the line is elevated again, and remains so for some distance, offering good views of suburbia and, to the left, the distant line of the North Downs. Esher is the station for Sandown Park, with the famous Sandown Park Racecourse right next to the railway line. To the south of the town is the recently restored 18th century garden at Claremont. The train crosses the Mole, with its reservoirs to the right, and then a long wooded cutting takes it to Weybridge. After the station, to the right there is a glimpse of the River Wey Navigation and its junction with the newly restored Basingstoke Canal, while to the left is the airfield built on the site of the famous Brooklands motor racing circuit. Part of the legendary, steeply banked track can be seen from the train. The site is now home to the "Spirit of Brooklands" Motor Sport and Aviation Museum. The Museum is also home to one of the famous Concorde aircraft, Concorde G-BBDG, which now forms the Brooklands Concorde Experience. The line now runs straight to Woking, with a glimpse of the decorative 1889 Shah Jehan mosque in the woods to the left, just before the station.

Woking to Winchester:

From Woking the mainline westwards is remarkably straight and built for high speed running. Shortly after Woking the Guildford line diverges off to the left. Brookwood station was built originally in the 1850s to serve the huge cemetery being laid out by the London Necropolis Company. For many years the LSWR ran special funeral trains from London Waterloo. There are also British, American and Canadian military cemeteries here, mostly dating from the First World War. For this is primarily a military region, with the garrison and ranges of Pirbright to the left and Bisley to the right. Just after Brookwood the line to Alton diverges to the left. Then the Basingstoke Canal runs beside the railway line to the right, crossing the railway on an aqueduct shortly before Farnborough. The station is set well to the north of the town, which has grown up around the famous Farnborough Airfield - the cradle of British aviation - and once home to the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), Trenchard House and its famous historic wind tunnels. This is now home to TAG London Farnborough Airport, the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (custodian of the site's historic buildings and aviation heritage), and the airfield also hosts the world famous Farnborough Air Show. After Fleet there are open views to the left southwards towards the Downs. Winchfield is a station with no real village, but more substantial is Hook, with its coaching inn and 1930s church by Sir Edward Maufe, the architect of Guildford Cathedral. A long, elevated stretch then leads to Old Basing, a delightfully attractive village set below the line to the left. At the centre is the big 16th century church, and all around are fine timber framed and tile hung houses and barns. To the south is the site of Basing Castle and House, destroyed in 1645. The train now enters Basingstoke, whose galaxy of glass towers and modern buildings fills the skyline. Just before the station the Reading line comes in from the right.

Leaving Basingstoke, the train passes the ruins of two chapels, Holy Ghost and Holy Trinity, visible in the cemetery to the right, and runs through Basingstoke's expanding suburbs. At Worting Junction the Salisbury line diverges off to the right as the Southampton line is carried over it on a flyover. After this the line continues to the south west and is carried through the rolling hills by a series of embankments and deep cuttings whose scale underlines the massive engineering required to build the railway to Southampton. Micheldever's handsome 1840 flint-built station, designed by Sir William Tite in a simple, classical style, is miles from its village, but further south to the left there is a glimpse of the unusual church, with its powerful, brick octagon. Cuttings and a tunnel take the line into Winchester.

Winchester is easily reached from the station. Already a substantial town in the Roman period, Winchester's fame was established in the 9th century when King Alfred made it England's first capital city, a position it continued to hold until well after the Norman Conquest. Winchester Cathedral, built over three centuries from 1087 on the site of King Alfred's Saxon church, is one of the longest in Europe. Near its grand Close are the famous public school, the Bishop's Palace, the two arms of the River Itchen and many of the city's most interesting streets. Near the Guildhall, stands the fine statue of King Alfred surveying his fine capital city. Buried in the cathedral, among others, are King Canute, St Swithun, William Rufus, Izaak Walton and Jane Austen.

Winchester to Bournemouth:

As the train leaves Winchester, there are good views to the left across the river and the former navigation. A fine 17th century mansion can be seen standing by the river at Shawford. Just before Eastleigh station the line to Romsey joins the main line from the right. Eastleigh station was built in open countryside in 1839 to serve the junction with the lines to Gosport and, later to Salisbury. Eastleigh only came into its own from the 1890s, when the LSWR progressively moved its carriage and locomotive works here, and it quickly grew up as a railway town. Just after Eastleigh station the line to Portsmouth diverges off to the left and soon the vast complex of Eastleigh Works is passed on the left with its vast array of sidings and works buildings.

After leaving Eastleigh the next station reached is Southampton Airport Parkway which serves Southampton International Airport which can be seen next to the railway to the left. After this the line passes the Ford Works to the left, and the train runs through the decorative stations of Swaythling and St Denys and then runs alongside the estuary of the River Itchen. At St Denys the Portsmouth line can be seen joining from the left.

Then the railway turns sharply to the west, and the train enters Southampton via a short tunnel, with the line into Southampton Docks can be seen continuing straight ahead past Southampton "Saints" football club's stadium on the left and under a girder bridge. Meanwhile the line into Southampton Central continues curving round through tunnels and cuttings before reaching the station.

Boat trains still use the line into Southampton Docks occasionally to reach the Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal at berth 38/9 in Eastern Docks from where the Cunard Line ships sail, but in the heyday of the ocean liners and the era of the Cunard Queens sailing to New York this line was busy with Pullman trains and other special services. Sadly the fine Ocean Terminal where the Cunard Queens sailed from is no more having been demolished in the 1980s. Southampton's quays have witnessed many historic moments in Britain's long history. The Crusaders sailed from here, King Edward III embarked here with the army that was to rout the French at Crecy in 1346 and in 1944 Southampton played a major role in the D-Day Landings during the Second World War. The city's buildings range from medieval churches and defensive towers to the massive 1920s civic centre, and modern shopping precincts. Today the port is still busy with container ships and has three cruise liner terminals (the Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal, the City Cruise Terminal and the Mayflower Cruise Terminal). The port is home to famous cruise ships such as Cunard's legendary QE2, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria and P&O's Oriana, Aurora and Arcadia among others.

A short bus ride from Southampton Central station takes you down through the city centre to Town Quay from where the Red Funnel ferries sail to the Isle of Wight. There are also magnificent views of the Docks and Southampton Water from here and Mayflower Park.

As the train leaves Southampton Central station there are fine views to the left, as the train passes through Millbrook, Redbridge and Totton stations, of the Western Docks and its container ships (you may also catch of glimpse of a cruise ship if there are any in port docked at either the City Cruise Terminal at berth 101 or at the Mayflower Cruise Terminal at berth 106) and Southampton Water beyond as the train continues westwards past the vast array of freight sidings still serving the docks.

Between Redbridge and Totton stations, the Salisbury line branches away to the right, and the train crosses the estuary of the River Test, with a view across the marshland towards Eling's 18th century tidemill, still operational. Southampton's suburbs end suddenly as the line enters the New Forest. Lyndhurst Road and Beaulieu Road are isolated stations, but their setting is convenient for visits to the New Forest National Park. The train's route through the New Forest is enjoyably private and remote from civilisation and there is plenty of time to look out for the wild ponies. Brockenhurst station is the changing point for the branch to Lymington Pier (which diverges off to the left after the station) for Wightlink ferries to the Isle of Wight. The redbrick villas of Brockenhurst, Sway and New Milton reflect the development that the railway inspired in the latter part of the 19th century. At Hinton Admiral, the New Forest is left behind and a long embankment carries the line over the flat plateau formed by the estuaries of the Rivers Mude, Avon and Stour into Christchurch. There are fine views of Christchurch Priory and the castle ruins to the left. The little town is pleasantly enclosed by the River Avon and the River Stour and it is easily reached from the station.

Leaving Christchurch, the line is quickly surrounded by Bournemouth's suburbs, and the train runs through Pokesdown before entering Bournemouth Central. This grand station with its magnificent glazed trainshed is located well to the east of the town centre. But a short bus ride soon takes you down into the town centre and its seafront.

Bournemouth is essentially a 19th century seaside resort, and the Winter Gardens, the Bournemouth International Centre & Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth Pier and the town's attractive parks give the resort a particular appeal, with the brasher aspects of the English seaside successfully kept at bay.

Bournemouth to Weymouth:

Bournemouth now spreads westwards into Poole. After leaving Bournemouth Central station the line continues west through Branksome and Parkstone stations which serve Bournemouth's leafy suburbs. The train then runs past Parkstone Bay, with wonderful views across the vast expanse of Poole Harbour to the left, often dotted with sailing boats, and in the distance Brownsea Island. The line then runs through the heart of Poole and enters the new station after crossing the shopping precinct. The narrow streets of the town and the old quays with their warehouses, Custom House, and Poole Pottery are to the left easily reached from the station. Poole is also the departure point for the Condor Ferries services to the Channel Islands and St Malo in France.

After leaving Poole, views of Poole Harbour continue to dominate the line as the train crosses Holes Bay on a long causeway and passes through the junction at Hamworthy. From here the line follows the shore of the Wareham Channel and then runs inland to Holton Heath and Wareham.

Wareham station, with its tall gables and Flemish detailing, dates from 1889. Facing it is a pub with an excellent tile panel of a steam train. Wareham, which still has its earth ramparts, is at its best around the old priory and the harbour on the River Frome. West of the station, the train crosses the River Piddle and to the left the former Swanage branch diverges off from the mainline. Part of this line is now home to the Swanage Railway which has aspirations to reopen the entire line back to Wareham as a heritage railway. After this the line west then continues through a landscape of heath and woodland. East Stoke Church is by the line, which follows the River Frome towards Wool, with the ruins of Bindon Abbey to the left. Approaching Wool, there is a view of Woolbridge Manor to the right. Wool is the station for Bovington Camp, the Tank Museum and, four and a half miles to the south, Lulworth Castle and Lulworth Cove. Lulworth Cove now marks the start of the Jurassic Coast - the Dorset & East Devon Coast World Heritage Site which covers much of the Dorset and East Devon Coast. Leaving Wool, the train passes the Winfrith Heath nuclear research station and then crosses a rolling landscape to Moreton. The village is one and a half miles to the north east, but it is worth the walk to see the church with its unique Laurence Whistler windows. Lawrence of Arabia is buried here, and his cottage at Clouds Hill is one and a half miles on to the north.

The line now follows the course of the River Frome towards Dorchester, passing pretty churches at West Stafford and Stinsford to the right, and to the left, a group of barrows and earthworks. Dorchester South was rebuilt in 1989 and the handsome, stone town, Thomas Hardy's Casterbridge, is just to the north. Important since prehistory, Dorchester was a major Roman town, a Saxon mint and a Cromwellian stronghold. It was the setting for two notorious trials, one Judge Jeffreys' 'bloody assizes' in 1685, and the other the six Tolpuddle Martyr's trial in 1834. Just before Dorchester South station the line from Yeovil joins from the right for the final stretch down into Weymouth.

From Dorchester to Weymouth the landscape is rich in prehistory. To the right is the massive Stone Age earthwork of Maiden Castle, a hillfort that house 5000 people at the time the Romans overran it, and to the left, Maumbury Rings, another Stone Age  settlement, which was later used by the Romans as an amphitheatre. The line then descends Upwey bank and burrows under Ridgeway Hill, passes another hillfort, Chalbury, to the left and then reaches Weymouth's outer suburbs at Upwey. The train runs along beside the marshland of Radipole Lake, and then the journey ends at Weymouth station. Just before Weymouth station the former branch down to Weymouth Quay station diverges off to the right. This branch is famous for running along the streets down to the harbour to connect with the services to the Channel Islands and St Malo in France. It was used until the late 1980s by boat trains to Weymouth Quay for ferry services to the Channel Islands, sadly the line is now disused and the unusual sight of trains in the streets is no more.

Weymouth is built on a narrow spit of land is one of Britain's most distinctive seaside resorts. A fine, sandy beach runs along the curve of Weymouth Bay, and behind it are elegant. Regency terraces. King George III made Weymouth popular, and his colourful statue stands on the esplanade. The enclosed harbour is busy with fishing boats and yachts and the Condor Ferries services link Weymouth with the Channel Islands and St Malo in France. With its old fashioned atmosphere, Weymouth is a resort for all seasons and all tastes.