The Blandford Express

  The inhabitants of Stourpaine were on Sunday morning thrown into a state of most painful excitement by the report that their most highly esteemed clergyman, the Reverend C F Tufnell had committed suicide by cutting his throat. It appears that the unfortunate gentleman had been labouring for sometime past under depression of spirits. (Somerset County Gazette 3 rd August 1867)   Six dairy cows belonging to Stourpaine farmer, John Coles were killed on the Somerset & Dorset line near Shillingstone.   On Friday afternoon a little boy, eight years of age was sent after the cows. He let them in on the line but before he could get them off on the opposite side the up-express, which is booked to arrive at Blandford at 3.30pm, emerged from the cutting and dashed through the cows. Five of the seven which were killed on the spot and another died in the night through injuries received. (Western Gazette – 8 th September 1871) The Stourpaine Temperance Friends were so satisf...

Stourpaine & Durweston Railway Halt opened on the 9 th July 1928. Practically everyone in the two villages at the time had walked down to the Halt to watch the departure of the 8.06am to Bournemouth. Local newspaper the Western Gazette reported that the locals had adorned the Halt with flags. However, just seven passengers joined the train which included local clergyman, the Reverend C Cooke. Unfortunately, because the Halt stood on an open embankment it proved to be exceedingly cold for passengers waiting on the platform the following winter. So, the following April, the railway company built a ‘ substantially-built shelter for the convenience of passengers.’ Although the track through the Halt was single line, there was a passing point just to the north of the Halt. The Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway or ‘ S&D’ connected Bristol and Bath with Bournemouth West, a station now long closed. The line was used for both freight and passengers and its stations included Sta...