IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Station Road, POOLE, BH16 6JX

Blocks of stone on the road adjacent to the station serve to prevent the road being used as a'rat run' to the nearby industrial estate.

Siemens Desiro UK Class 444 emu number 444008 stops at the station on its way to Weymouth.

Next to Holton Heath Station, on the Waterloo to Weymouth line; giving access to agricultural land on the other side, but padlocked on both sides.

- The history of the former Royal Naval Cordite Factory at Holton Heath has been well documented, spanning both of the world wars of the 20th century. The facility opened in 1916, and was in continuous operation producing cordite for the Royal Navy until 1945, the site then being placed on a care and maintenance basis. Some parts continued to be used by the Admiralty, but these too eventually closed in 1997 when the whole site was developed thereafter as an industrial estate, with many of the old buildings retained. The cast-iron lamp post in the photo is one of two at this location, being very early forms of industrial electric street lighting. Their manufacture was by the contractors Mann Egerton & Co. Ltd., and were made by Davey Paxman & Co. Ltd in 1916, the same year that the RNCF facility was opened. Image

- A close-up of the *base inscription that gives details of the contractors Mann Egerton of London, and the makers Davey Paxman & Co. Ltd of Colchester; both companies are still trading today. Mann Egerton are now a brand of car dealers across East Anglia, whilst Davey Paxman are more well known for their diesel generators under the Paxman brand, although due to various acquisitions, are now owned by the German company MAN SE. * 'Mann Egerton & Co. Ltd Contractors London - Davey Paxman & Co. Ltd Makers Colchester 1916'.

A lonely, unmanned station on the straight line across the flat heath between Poole and Wareham. Nothing much happens here until suddenly a whirlwind hurtled by and many people left with a smile and memories. See Image

Opened in 1917 by the London & South Western Railway on its line from Bournemouth to Weymouth. View south west towards Wareham and Weymouth.

Next to Holton Heath Station, operated by Network Rail. In the background, part of Admiralty Park Trading Estate.

The first steam-hauled passenger train from London to Swanage in 40 years, 'The Royal Wessex'. The line at Holton Heath is straight and flat, and 'Tangmere' was here and gone before you could think, leaving a delightful smell of coal and steam behind. Built in 1946, 'Tangmere' 34067 was a 'Battle of Britain' class 4-6-2 6MT for the Southern Railway just before Nationalisation. The streamlining was called 'air-smoothing', the class were all named after Squadrons, Fighter stations and leaders during the Battle of Britain just 6 years before.