Norton Fitzwarren railway station
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Norton Fitzwarren railway station is a former railway station on the Bristol and Exeter Railway, in the village of Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset. The nearest operational station is at Taunton.
It was opened in 1873, but from 1876 to 1947 it was operated by the Great Western Railway.
It was the close to the junction from the main line for the branches to Minehead and Barnstaple. The West Somerset Railway are planning to build a loco servicing facility, carriage works and passenger station facilities here, and have purchased land for that purpose. However, there are no current passenger facilities here. Most West Somerset Railway services have their southern terminus at Bishops Lydeard, but there are some special workings from Bishops Lydeard to Norton Fitzwarren (where passengers may not leave the train), and some special through workings from the main line to the West Somerset Railway.
Contents |
[edit] Accidents
[edit] Ocean Mails collision
Ex-Bristol and Exeter Railway 4-4-0ST No. 2051 was withdrawn following a fatal collision at Norton Fitzwarren while working a special ocean mail train from Plymouth on 11 November 1890.
[edit] 1940 collision
Main article: Norton Fitzwarren rail crash (1940).
Another crash occurred on 4 November 1940, this time with trains leaving Taunton under blackout conditions due to the war.
[edit] Taunton sleeper fire
Main article: Taunton train fire.
A coach in the 22:30 sleeper train from Penzance railway station to London caught fire on the morning of 6 July 1978 and was brought to a stand near Norton Fitzwarren. Twelve people were killed.
| Preceding station |  Heritage railways |
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taunton railway station | West Somerset Railway (special operations only) |
Bishops Lydeard | ||
