Weymouth Tramway

Known as the Weymouth Harbour Tramway, this short stretch of railway was unique in Britain as it ran through the main streets of this Dorset town. Used in its latter days for trains to Portland Harbour, the line had a regular timetabled service until 1987. However, the writing was on the wall by this time and sadly the branch didn't survive.

[@jamesgilbart2672]

I travelled on this route on a boat train from Waterloo in 1971 - I was delighted by this unexpected and strange tour through Weymouth's streets - in a train! It's a great shame that it couldn't be preserved - as a tramway, it would have made a unique preserved railway.

[@EllieMaes-Grandad]

I did the same trip in 1973; it was a great experience. It should have been preserved, certainly, if it could not be used commercially, but dull minds could not do anything so positive.

[@stephenfarthing3819]

I have seen this on various occasions down to Weymouth. Visiting some relatives in Dorset. Throughout the 1970's and 1980's ! And more recently before the pandemic! Where many of the original line remained intact but the work to remove these began in 2019 - I believe! One tiny part which causes the least problem would end up being retained as a memorial to the GWR ! But if preserved. I don't think that would be welcomed by the local people in the area. The insistence would be to run a steam locomotive on the line. That would be unacceptable. It's a shame, I agree! But that is modernity for you!

[@OlafProt]

Imagine people now and their chelsea taxis in the way. "I'm not moving". Class 33 - "ya think?!"

[@mickfoster7140]

When I was young my family always holidayed in Weymouth. Always a highlight walking with the train through the harbour streets. Great memories.

[@Paddington.]

When stationed at Bournemouth was loaned to Weymouth for this run. So many cars parked near to the track that the shunters who escorted the train bounced the cars away from the track. The good old Channel Island Boat train. A crompton to Bournemouth then an ED from Bomo to Wloo.Returning from Wloo at 20.00 to Bomo where the ED came off and was light to Bomo West shed. Good turn for the driver and especially the secondman as it was over 200 miles and we could claim mileage

[@mikeportjogger1]

My family used to holiday in Weymouth back in the 1960s and the tramway was a tourist attraction then. I can clearly remember watching in awe a train hauled toward the dock by a GWR pannier tank.

[@user-iz1hd9si3m]

Ditto.

[@peterjones6640]

I remember seeing this as a child on holiday in Weymouth about 60 years ago, I was fascinated by the train going through the streets and pestered my Dad to take me to see it whenever possible.

[@trevormillar1576]

Imagine seeing a train in your rear view mirror: you say, "that's it, I m never smoking that stuff again!"

[@alecjefferson6993]

I traveled on this train when going on holidays to Jersey very unique what a same it’s gone 😢thanks for sharing this film 🎦.

[@user-iz1hd9si3m]

I remember it well, even remember some steam shutting down there, watching with my Dad, circa 1962.

[@LostsTVandRadio]

Travelled on it in 1973 on a Gloucester to Weymouth ferry terminal service. A unique experience, never to be forgotten1 Such a shame it's gone forever.

[@janettejackson7077]

Travelled on this train as a 13 year old in 1966 on my way to a holiday in Guernsey. Great fun !

[@jerrydowse5061]

Great film Bill,thanks for uploading.Class 33,s were lovely reliable hard workers..🤙

[@paulrnaylor]

I remember this as kid on holiday in Weymouth earlier 80s.

[@ianmilroy8009]

Thanks for that, I remember the train crew getting off and "bouncing" cars that were parked obstructing the line. (No safety car in the 60's)

[@SuperMikado282]

Yes there was, it was a black police Wolsey.

[@owencarlstrand1945]

Went on it in summer 1975 after cycling from Cherbourg to La Baule and back on the train via Paris. It was special then and a notable experience.

[@kristinajendesen7111]

Actually the first time that I've ever seen a van run in front of it. When I first saw it in about 1972 I think they just had the station staff walking in front, the orange light and a highly polished bell on the front of the 33. I joined BR (NSE) at Bournemouth in 1987 and when I worked trains to Weymouth I worked with many of the staff seen in photos of the tramway. Tragic that they closed it and it should have had a preservation order as part of our history. I put a suggestion in to SWT at the time before the 2012 Olympics to invest in a Parry People Mover to run a regular service for tourists. I also had grandiose ideas to reopen a line to Portland using a tram train. It's a pity that we can't go back to the past and be forward thinking at the same time. Trams and trolleybuses, a very 'green' form of transport not uncommon in the rest of Europe.

[@mickontherock1]

Wonderful, those were the days.

[@amazoniaamazonia7225]

Weymouth scored a home goal when the council killed this asset.

[@franc9111]

Folkstone Harbour, Newhaven Harbour, Dover Marine, Dieppe Maritime ....... I could go on, but what's the point ?

[@norfolkngood8960]

They could've relaunched this with rechargeable electric trams, much less space required superb tourist attraction and all those streets could be pedestrianised potentially.

[@andrewlong6438]

@@norfolkngood8960All the track would have had to be relaid and I doubt that Weymouth is interested in using trams.

[@gwpee1727]

@@franc9111 All not required any more, so track was removed. Pointless railway.

[@_RabbitLeader]

@@gwpee1727 Says taxi driving nimby local

[@wyvernmodelrailway]

I travelled on it during the 80's. They had to have men walking with the train to "bounce" cars out of the way.

[@paulaspinall919]

As a young child in the late 50’s and early 60’s I remember travelling with my Mother and two siblings on the train from Birmingham to Weymouth. Mother struggling with one suitcase as we crossed to board the ‘Falaise’ for thé voyage to Jersey and then onwards to St.Malo and then a small passenger ferry to Dinard where my grandparents lived.

[@philtucker1224]

It was great to see all of those ( now quite valuable) classic cars back then! Great cine film footage!

[@boyfromblackstuff7859]

Excellent, thanks for posting.

[@iandavid8925]

Happy to see this, quite unique. Travelled on this twice en-route to Guernsey in ‘71 & ‘72 before my teens. I’ll see nothing like it again so will just keep the memory.

[@brucelamberton8819]

I saw the tracks back in the 2010s but assumed they were just for typical trams and never realised that trains used to run on them.

[@paulnolan1352]

Great little film, I travelled it the decade before in mid summer heat with a lot more people and cars about so progress was snails pace.

[@Yoghurtmale8]

I’ve been to Weymouth, never knew this existed. I wish it was there when I went.

[@v8pilot]

I remember it well. As a kid I lived in Weymouth the 1950s and I remember the little 0-6-0 pannier tank engines (smaller than most pannier tank engines and with external cylinsers) that pulled the boat trains through the streets. If it was wet, you needed to be very careful when crossing the track on your bicycle.

[@joanne26]

I was born in Birmingham in 1965. From the age of 2 to the age of 10 my parents 🙏🙏🙏 took me to Weymouth - travelling from Birmingham New St to Weymouth railway station every 2nd week of June My parents did not learn to drive till I was 9 We would stay at a hotel on the front called The ELectra. I remember this tram and being taken in the pram on it My dad died in 2002 My mom died in June. 2019 After my mom’s funeral I booked a weeks holiday in Weymouth to reminisce with relatives. Weymouth had not really changed that much to me in the 45+ years since but I did however notice all the tramway changes in 2019 and all the work that was going on then. 😃😃🌼🌼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿😎😎😎👍 👍

[@_RabbitLeader]

I wish this was still in use. So cool to see BR locos going down this line …but they are rare also with the rise of dreadfully dull multiple unit trains.

[@michaelnewman1920]

Fantastic film thanks for sharing it

[@vicsams4431]

At 2:40 you can clearly see at least three platforms were in use (maybe there was at one time a fourth platform accessed via the other side of the signalbox ?). However, I can only remember two platforms. I first visited in 1985, on the Channel Islands Boat Train, the 10.35 (?) off London Waterloo. It was formed of rather old, and unrefurbished BR Mark 1 TSOs with tungsten filament conventional light bulbs, and a Class 73 as far as Bournemouth, and a Class 33 beyond. I also rode a charter train there, which was also hauled by a Class 33. Although Class 73 (on diesel power), Class 09, and GWR Pannier Tanks have been used. Sadly with cheap flights, and later Eurostar, harbour stations offering across platform transfers between rail and sea, were mostly done away with. I have done Weymouth Quay, Southampton Ocean Liner Terminal, Newhaven Marine, Folkestone Harbour, Dover Western Docks (Dover Marine), Tilbury Riverside, and boat trains to Stranraer Harbour, Fishguard Harbour and Holyhead. Plus trains to Calais Maritime, Boulogne Maritime, and Dieppe Maritime.

[@paul-bv5pu]

My family and I used to get the train from Yorkshire when I was younger to catch the sealing ferry from Weymouth across to the channel islands back in the 1970s/1980s what such wonderfull memories of that train Weymouth harbour is not the same anymore no life left in the place it's died like my family have but still great memories though .

[@liamfoley9215]

Fascinating! Thanks.

[@tattyshoesshigure5731]

Wonderful footage to see. I’ve only ever seen street running trains in the U.S., never knew we once had them here!

[@sighwhy1]

I remember going to Jersey via the boat train from Wemouth and it going through the streets of Weymouth probably in about 1973. It was wierd looking out of the train window into the front rooms of the residents.

[@MrRnipperBrockleBroadcasting]

First visited in the 1960’s before RORO ferries so the cars were craned off the boats - had to make an Airfix dockside crane to model this! Then as a student in 1970s / 80’s used to watch the BR staff bounce vehicles to the very edge of the harbour wall so as to get the train through. One of our lecturers had cine footage of the 1950’s with 57xx panniers and tomatoes from the Channel Islands being unloaded.

[@chriswilliams1096]

I lived in Weymouth in the 70's. The boat train was regarded as a bit daft even then. My opinion of it went further downhill when my motorbike front wheel got stuck down the track, throwing me and my brother onto the tarmac.

[@robertblack906]

Just like the Folkestone Harbour branch. Sadly lost.😢

[@brianwillson9567]

I was fortunate to see, several times, a Crompton taking a train through the streets. I am unfortunate in being born too late to have seen STEAM through the streets.

[@christineburns5246]

In 1967 my family took a holiday in Jersey. Returning on the Calpernia we crossed the quay, we’re briefly interrogated by the customs men and boarded the train to Waterloo. I couldn’t believe we were going through the streets. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that parts of the US have street running and, judged by the videos, it is apt to end in tears.

[@RealSweetTom]

When I clicked on to find out of a Tramway in Weymouth, I expected a tram. A regular passenger train on the street? Must have caused a ruckus on the timetable.

[@giulianomarco]

It ran till the mid 80s? That's mad! Interesting video, though - thanks!

[@bertspeggly4428]

Not sure about Brirish Ingenuity, in the US massive freight trains hundreds of yards long, with multiple locos, barrel along the Main Streets of many towns, horns blaring. Wonderful!

[@davidcardwell9086]

I remember this, we used to hang off the door handles to get a ride, until we were told to get off.

[@bobcholawo6787]

Excellent. It was all fine and good back then. Not sure they could do it these days. Thanks for sharing.

[@rangemore]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@andrewnorth6472]

There was something similar in Dieppe up to the 1980s; a long train hauled at walking pace by an impressive steam engine between Dieppe Maritime and Dieppe Town station. However the track was fenced off, so no need for a man walking ahead.

[@mgcservices7524]

Many a happy holiday in Weymouth witnessing the train, but I never saw one with the van in front!

[@tom201090]

I think there were some experiments done in the early 2000's with a Parry People Mover. But the last time it was properly used was a rail tour in 1999. Problem is what with vehicles getting bigger, rules and regulations getting tighter plus some of the route (having walked some of it) being impractical to try and keep clear or run any form of train on I think, sadly, it was destined to go. Mind you it would probably have cost the council less to leave in situ.

[@captainboing]

not a "big" attraction - A few gricers that don't spend a penny in the town. They visit to photograph (more traffic) then leave. The lucky few on the train travel through the streets to the ferry terminal where they get out and do the same, before departing again. As an "attraction", it was a decidedly one-sided deal for the residents of Weymouth. I am sorry to see it gone, it was one of the last curiosities of a bygone era and I fondly remember it from my holidays there in the 70s, but it was of a different time and crippling traffic jams resulted from it's use. Let's keep level headed about it - despite the misty-eyed reminiscing; it is simply not fair to bring a town to a stand still for ones hobby. Sorry... sad not sad

[@blackjockofmangertonpele]

Disagree. Quirky and interesting not like the beige blandness of modern times.

[@DaveInBridport]

Great to see. I live down that way. Never saw one down the quay

[@mickeydodds1]

Some groovy accompanying music!

[@anoniaino]

We had this in Cork in Ireland. It was the only connection between the different termini in the city and used only for freight except for one GAA special I think.

[@PhilipCharlesDaniels]

I and school chums travelled on this route to take a school holiday on Gurnsey.the train was pulled by a steam engine

[@fulknerra6116]

Remember eating in the Sea Cow and looking up to see a train more or less outside the front window. Good skate wings though!

[@nigelkthomas9501]

This is one bit of track I never managed to “ink in” on Baker’s Rail Atlas! 😢

[@user-gj1ny7sb1y]

I went to jersey 1982 got the train up to London then forward to Darlington then Bishop Auckland

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

The escort van and the flaggers is a bit overkill, here in the US, all you get to warn you of a train running the street is some bell and a horn and then it’s your fault for getting ran over.

[@alzeNL]

We can only be glad that the train driver never put 'Freebird' on.

[@madcarew5168]

I remember it late 60s with steam trains...

[@eattherich9215]

Before what is now NYC's High line, men on horseback used to proceed the street running freight trains to warn pedestrians. They were known as the westside cowboys.

[@andrewmeadows2596]

I remember watching a parked car being bounced off the track by the rail workers as a kid on holiday.

[@gitsme6574]

Did they have something similar ie trains running to the port in Southampton, as I remember see it as a young kid but assumed it was Southampton?

[@6panel300]

I've been to Weymouth a few times and never knew this ever existed. A pity i never got to see it, it must have been a bit of a spectacle to visitors.

[@margin606]

It was indeed superb

[@claudevieaul1465]

Chur (Switzerland): Hold my cheese fondue...

[@tomv86]

I hope a pedestrianly paced train that must be accompanied by 2 stewarts on foot and a van isn’t the pinnacle of British Ingenuity. 😂

[@DavidShepheard]

They brought trams back to Croydon and they have been a success. This line should just have been converted from taking trains to taking trams and everything would have been fine. As for parked cars getting in the way, just ban parking and bring in tow trucks to take them to the car pound. They won't come back again and do the same thing.

[@andrewlong6438]

Think it through. Tracks were worn out and for trams to run would need to be replaced plus a shed load of money spent on overhead, signalling, not to mention trams. What would the point of the tram be ? Where would it go ?

[@garryferrington811]

This actually seems like it could have been replaced with a Japanese-style monorail.

[@stephenfarthing3819]

I recall this - vaguely! Most of the tracks were removed through the 1990's. Though it fell out of use by the mid 2000's - though I think it as a sadness that this part of the Great Western Railway wasn't preserved in Weymouth - I'm reluctantly forced to agree with the feelings of the local people who disliked it in more recent times. The last rails there were removed as described! Still, in a singular way I am saddened by that! But it's the price of modernity I'm afraid! And I bear that in mind.

[@boblovell5789]

Your comment was fair and generous. But, I suspect you were very sorry to see it's demise!

[@iaindouglas6861]

Should have been saved, like many quirky things lost in time.

[@sinful00bliss]

Imagine not being a local, Unaware that this happens and driving around the corner while not paying attention. "AHHHHH!!!! WHAT THE F@&$?!?!?".... Reverses in a state of panicked crying. 😅 Pretty cool & genuinely interesting though. 😊✌

[@mickeydodds1]

The vibrations to the nearby houses must have been terrible. Also, how did the road's sewer bear the weight of the train?

[@v8pilot]

The trains ran at walking pace so no vibration to speak of.

[@liamhollin8265]

Cracking video. Lovedmthemjav parked at the sice of the road👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@trevormillar1576]

Eat your heart out. Railway Street in Hanoi!

[@alanmichaellincoln]

Great watching but the pigeon music drove me cuckoo

[@philhawley1219]

Not Mouldy Old Dough! I used this train in 1984, I didn't know it had closed since those days but it was certainly unique.

[@RobertSweet-nw4tm]

I thought that the music was rather ethereal even if the same small number of bars were repeated endlessly

[@johnUB4478]

Such a shame the tracks were taken up, partly because cyclists were getting their wheels caught in the gap between rails and road

[@adrianrowden8266]

Think it would have been quicker to walk...

[@modeltrainsandtracks]

Not with 2 big cases without wheels - we didn't have them in those days...

[@margin606]

Hardly the point old boy!

[@bazoo513]

Wha such spectacle with escort van, people with flags etc? Trams in narrow streets with lots of traffic are not exactly a rarity. See, for example, old Lisbon network.

[@nottinghillad]

What on earth is going on???

[@lieutenantpigeon4515]

It's a train going down the street

[@geoff1201]

Would you kindly repost this film without the music?

[@43155]

No?

[@djburland]

I remember it well, ripped up by brainless you know who

[@ThomasMuirAudionaut]

wow.. two mins in and the OG commentator displays a flaw I thought was a new thing specific to youtubers. - reading a script without looking at the footage. - _ the ''_BR_ escort van'' is very clearly a BTP van.

[@rangemore]

Sorry Thomas, yes you're right, it was a BTP van. It wasn't even an Escort either, it was a Bedford!! (LOL)

[@PhilipCharlesDaniels]

I and school chums travelled on this route to take a school holiday on Gurnsey.the train was pulled by a steam engine

[@PhilipCharlesDaniels]

I and school chums travelled on this route to take a school holiday on Gurnsey.the train was pulled by a steam engine