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Great Fire of Toller

West Dorset village of Toller Porcorum was in ‘a state of great excitement’ one Sunday night in October 1902 when, according to the Bridport News, its little wooden station was destroyed by fire. Opened in March 1862, Toller Station could be found on the railway branch line which connected Maiden Newton with Bridport.

It appears that the station-master, Mr Bradley was in his office and had an accident with a lamp. There was an explosion and the place was soon ablaze. Overlooking the station was the Vicarage where the Reverend D Clarke detected a strong smell of burning wood and resin. Seeing a cloud of smoke, the clergyman hurriedly dressed and ran outside to see what assistance he could give. He saw that the station-master had his arms severely burnt and his fingers badly cut. Reverend Clarke hurried onto the platform and threw what water there was at hand over the fire. Unfortunately by this time the whole place was ablaze.

At one moment both the Vicarage and the Old Swan Inn, which had thatched roofs, were in great danger as a high wind was blowing and carrying showers of sparks immediately overhead. Other villagers including the Sexton, Mr E Legg, the publican, Mr Dibbins and Private George Samways, who had only just returned from the Boer War, all joined the firefighting clergyman. The soldier’s father suffered a bad accident falling back onto the railway line but although badly shaken suffered no broken bones. It was an anxious time but fortunately the wind direction changed and the threatened danger was averted.

Had it not been for the promptitude of the Vicar, the damage would have been far greater. The scene of blackened desolation on Monday morning was a striking contrast to the dapper little wooden office that stood there when the last train had passed through on Sunday evening.

A new Toller station (featured) was opened for business in January 1905. After the closure of the Bridport-Maiden Newton Branch Line in 1975, the Toller Station building was moved to Totnes on the South Devon Railway heritage line. Ironically, the Old Swan Inn also had to be rebuilt after a fire which occurred in 1903.

(Source: Bridport News - Friday 17 October 1902.)
 


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