Weymouth

The Station

Weymouth is the Southern terminus of our line, which we share with the South West Main Line from London Waterloo.

The Station is fully accessible and has recently been the subject of a significant improvement to its immediate environment, including the creation of an interchange with bus services known as the Weymouth Gateway.

The Station serves Weymouth and the adjoining Portland.

Weymouth Gateway

Our volunteers caring for Weymouth gateway

The Surrounding Area

As well as being the home of numerous small businesses, Weymouth is a bustling seaside resort town, with a traditional Georgian seafront overlooking a wide gently shelving sandy beach popular with children, with all the facilities you would expect at the seaside.

The heday of Weymouth was when it became a favourite holiday location for George III who came here first in1797 to sea-bathe for the good of his health. From 1791 on most years till 1805 the King visited, sometime requiring his Ministers to join him there. In 1810 his patronage of the town was recognised through the creation of a statue of the King in his coronation robes in1810. Since 1949 the statue has sported full colours.

The Harbour has undergone a major makeover during the last few years, from a workmanlike but picturesque harbour to a hive of leisure businesses, pubs and restaurants.

While it is some time since the southern quay was developed, and much of it remains vibrant, the focus has moved to the other side of the harbour

The recent enhancement of Custom House Quay means that both sides of the harbour, connected as they are by a bridge, which sometimes lifts to allow yachts to pass through, are equally inviting. Old railway tracks and the disused ferry terminal building have been removed, new surfaces laid and improvement of the quayside undertaken, while leaving space for the working boats which still fish from Weymouth.

The harbour is bordered on the southern side by the green slopes of the Nothe Fort, which guards the town and overlooks the vast expanse of the former Portland Naval Base. Built between 1860 and 1872 to protect the base, the Fort is on three levels. It saw various defence uses until 1956 when it was sold off. After falling into disrepair it has now been restored and is a major visitor attraction for Weymouth.

Weymouth is protected from the ravages of the western Channel by Chesil Beach. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an immense accretion of shingle and pebbles 18 miles long. It encloses an extensive lagoon known as the Fleet, making Chesil one of the natural wonders of England. The pebbles become larger the further north on the beach they are. Chesil connects Portland Island and the mainland creating the causeway which joins the two.

Weymouth is the gateway to the whole of the Jurassic Coast, easily reachable by catching the X52 Jurassic Coaster bus from outside the Station