Templecombe

Templecombe, once an important junction of east-west and north-south routes, has suffered a marked change in fortunes over the years from run down to closure followed by re-opening. It once had considerable railway infrastructure in the form of a locomotive shed and extensive goods yards served by a wide variety of steam motive power. In this volume we look at both the former LSWR mainline and the S&D route which always formed an operationally awkward junction with its neighbour. Today the remaining emasculated mainline, singled for much of its length, is served by DMUs – a far cry indeed from the multi-portioned expresses from Waterloo to destinations in the West Country and the packed holiday trains from the North and Midlands to Bournemouth of former days.