It's a well-known fact that a train used to serve West Bay, with a restaurant now occupying its station building and tracks, but how much do you know about it?

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the closure of the passenger service that ran for 46 years. The freight service continued to 1965 when the lines were taken up.

So, West Bay Discovery Centre is hosting a 'Down the Tracks' exhibition at the former chapel by the sea, going through the history of the line with stories of those who worked on it, artefacts, photographs and a model of the station.

The West Bay station building still remains and has been restored, along with a train carriage on the remaining lines, and is the popular Station Kitchen, which recently received a rave review from Masterchef critic and Telegraph reviewer, William Sitwell.

The route from West Bay to Bridport has been made into a cycle path that meets with Burton Road.

The West Bay line opened on March 31, 1884, following the line between Bridport and Maiden Newton, set up by Bridport Rail Company – a group of Bridport businessmen – in 1857. A railway offered the prospect of transporting goods, such as sand and gravel quickly and would also support plans to redevelop the harbour as a seaside resort.

On July 21, 1879, the Bridport Railway Act enabled the Bridport Railway Company to construct a two-mile extension from Bridport to Bridport harbour and work started in February 1883. The decision was taken that the station should be named West Bay – a name thought to be more attractive to visitors. At the same time, plans were made for an esplanade and sea wall on the west side of the harbour along with modern residences. This scheme started with the building of Pier Terrace.

The West Bay railway station itself was an unusual design as passengers were only able to access the building from the platform side.

On opening day, a large number of passengers travelled down on the first train to West Bay at 7.32am. Overall, 5,100 first day tickets were issued, which included some very excited schoolchildren. However, they were left disappointed when the wet weather meant they weren't allowed off the train which promptly returned to Bridport. There was a grand public lunch and a band entertained people in a field near the station, with races and vendors, ships in the harbour adorned with flags and evening bonfires lit on the cliffs. With a final cost of £23,000, the West Bay line was up and running.

The passenger service operated five trains down to West Bay and back each day but reports suggest passenger numbers did not meet expectations.

The line was temporarily closed to passengers in 1916 as many of its staff were enlisted in the Great War but the freight business was still busy with millions of hemp lanyards produced in Bridport being used by the services, along with hay nets for army horses, ropes and camouflage nets and twine.

The line reopened in 1919 but faced competition from the new buses that ran between Bridport and West Bay and in the years that followed, it became clear that West Bay would not become the tourist resort to rival the likes of Weymouth and Bournemouth.

On Monday, September 22, 1930, the passenger train service between Bridport and West Bay was withdrawn. The freight service continued with the Second World War bringing in extra business. Single was taken from the beach at West Bay for use in airfield construction and train loads of nets were dispatched to the military.

Eventually, only one train a week ran and the West Bay line was finally closed to freight traffic on December 3, 1962 and in 1965 the rails were removed.

Find out more at West Bay Discovery Centre's exhibition, which will be available until October 29.

Railway historian Professor Colin Divall has acted as the centre's advisor on the exhibition along with Gerry Beale author of The Bridport Branch who has loaned some amazing photos and other material. Brian Jackson, joint author of another book on the Bridport branch has also supported it. Bridport Museum loaned artefacts for the exhibition and Wild and Homeless Books in Bridport can supply copies of The Bridport Branch along with a wide selection of other railway books.

Professor Colin Divall will also be giving an illustrated talk over Zoom on the politics of railway closures in west Dorset, ca 1950-75, entitled 'Do you really call that progress, Mr Marples?'. This will be held on Thursday, October 29 at 7.30pm. A suggested donation of £3 will go towards West Bay Discovery Centre. Tickets are available from Eventbrite

For more information, visit West Bay Discovery Centre

If you have any memories of Bridport or photos you would like to share with us we would love to see them! You can email them to [email protected]