History

This information is copied from the Wikipedia article on 17 April 2012.  It will be updated with more information in the future.

The station was opened on 19 July 1860 when the LSWR opened its Yeovil and Exeter Railway. A wooden signal box was erected in 1875 on the eastbound platform, just east of the main offices.

In 1923 the LSWR became became part of the Southern Railway following the Railways Act 1921, and on 1 January 1948 the Southern Railway was itself nationalised to become the Southern Region of British Railways.

On 24 April 1953 it was the scene of an accident when an axle of Merchant Navy Class 35020 Bibby Line broke while it was passing the station. This caused the platform canopy to be demolished.

A new signal box was built in 1960 a little to the east of the old one, which was then demolished.

In January 1963 all the lines in the area transferred to the Western Region and on 7 May 1967 the main line was rationalised.

The 21.5 miles (34.6 km) section between Sherborne and Chard Junction was reduced to just a single track, although this has since been shortened to just 16.8 miles (27.0 km) between Yeovil Junction and Chard Junction.