Dunster Station, located about a mile from the picturesque village of Dunster and its iconic castle perched high above the main street, has a rich and storied past. For many years, Dunster Castle was home to the Luttrell family, among whom George Fownes Luttrell played a crucial role in the formation of the Minehead Railway Company.
The station first opened its doors on July 16, 1874, when the railway extended to the town from Watchet. Reflecting its status as the local station for the Luttrell family, who resided in nearby Dunster Castle, the main building boasts an impressively grand design and is now a Grade II listed structure, along with the adjacent goods shed.
Initially, Dunster Station featured a signal box, which was closed on August 5th 1926. However, with the expansion of railway facilities in the early 1930s, a new signal box was erected and commenced operation on March 19th 1934.
Although passenger traffic at the station was typically low, there was a notable surge between 1938 and 1943 due to increased holiday travel and troop movements. One significant aspect of the station’s freight traffic was the transportation of polo ponies, which were frequently in action on the lawns of nearby Dunster Castle.
In 1958, Dunster lost its station master when the station came under the control of Minehead. The station saw its last goods traffic on July 6, 1964, and the final passenger train stopped at Dunster on January 4, 1971.
Dunster Station officially reopened on March 28, 1976 as part of the West Somerset Railway, with the inaugural train running from Blue Anchor to Minehead, marking a new chapter in the station’s long and varied history.
Bagnall 0-6-0ST no 2996 Victor with the inaugural train at Dunster on 28 March 1976
© Baz Juniper – Creative Commons licence by-nc 3.0
Bagnall 0-6-0ST no 2996 Victor at Dunster on re-opening day 28 March 1976.
© Chris Osment – Creative Commons licence by-nc 3.0
Bagnall 0-6-0ST no 2996 Victor at Dunster in 1976.
© Allan Stanistreet – Creative Commons licence by-nc 3.0
