MSO8966 - Gupworthy / Goosemoor Railway Station (Monument)

Built in 1862-3 as the terminus for the western extension to the West Somerset Mineral Railway, including the station building, two goods sheds and a weighbridge. It was closed in 1923 but many of the buildings are still extant.

Gupworthy Railway Station was built in 1862-3 as an extension to the West Somerset Mineral Railway (the extension cost £16,000). Its features included the station building with accommodation, two goods sheds (one of wood and one of stone) and a weighbridge, together with a coal wharf and trackway from Kennisham Mine to the north. It was closed in 1923 but many of the buildings are still extant. The platform and trackbed are in good condition although grassed over. [1-4] Altered, but easily readable original two-storey Station House. [5] It is called Gupworthy Station on the Ordnance Survey first edition map of 1884 but Goosemoor Station from the 1974 map onwards. [2,6] The western terminus of the line. In addition to the above structures the there was also a coal wharf and a trackway from Kennisham mine to the north. The station house is now a private dwelling. The stone goods shed is still roofed and in good condition, probably used for storage. Nothing remains of the actual weighbridge but the weighbridge building survives as a roofless structure in good condition. This also apparently served as a ticket office for passengers. Other than a substantial sleeper nothing survives of the wooden goods shed. A small hut, depicted on the first edition Ordnance Survey 1:2500 map at circa SS 96303550 survives in a ruinous condition. [7] The station building was of two storeys and included the Station Master's accomodation. Similar in plan to Brendon Hill Station and similarly never officially used for passenger traffic, and soon converted to other uses. The stone goods shed is in good condition, the timber shed demolished. [8] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [10] The station is mentioned in a publication on the industrial archaeology of Somerset. [11]