Railway 200 – Whitchurch, Hampshire Railway Station – Past, Present and Future

As you may know, Railway 200 is a nationwide celebration marking the past 200 years of public railways in the UK, with a focus on the present railway network and also looking to the future and the next generation of train travellers. All around the country, communities are coming together to organise their own events, celebrating their own railways and those ‘lost’ lines that the older generations remember fondly from their childhoods https://railway200.co.uk

‘What a Lovely Birthday Celebration’

Whitchurch (Hampshire) railway station was officially opened on the 3rd July 1854, and to mark the station’s ‘Railway 200’ birthday celebrations, Whitchurch Walkers are Welcome were delighted to welcome Phil Dominey, Senior Regional Development Manager SWR and Daniel Holmes, Flagship Station Manager (Salisbury) to join with the town’s community groups and the Montessori Nursery children in celebrating over 170 years of the railway in Whitchurch.

Jackie Browne, WaW coordinator for Whitchurch said, “like all good things, it takes a community coming together to make things happen and we shouldn’t underestimate the amount of time and effort that has gone into today’s event, our Victorian travellers looked very much the part as they arrived for their gentile journey to London, but the highlight of the morning was undoubtedly the children, looking very smart in their Station Master’s hats as they stood confidently blowing their whistles to signal the departure of the Salisbury bound train…. you never know, perhaps we have some budding guards of the future“.

Whitchurch History Society’s exhibition, ‘A Tale of Two Stations’ helps to keep ‘alive’ the history of the town’s two railway lines and the Whitchurch in Bloom team work hard all year to make Whitchurch Station such an attractive gateway to the town. To mark this occasion, the group commissioned commemorative plaques for their platform planters; designed by a local volunteer, these may now be rolled out to other stations down the line.

“Thank you for the wonderful event at Whitchurch this morning, it was such a pleasure to be involved, the station looked stunning and the displays and cake were fantastic“. Phil Dominey – Senior Regional Development Manager South Western Railways.