Late 19th century railway station and site of railway buildings, Southminster Railway Station (EHER 40545)

A railway station built by the Great Eastern Railway as part of the Southminster branch line and opened in 1889. It was built to a standardised pattern and has not been subject to the same level of rationalisation/damage as other stations on the line. The station buildings have been reduced from the extent shown in the OS map from 1897; the goods shed, signal box, turntable, locomotive shed, cattle pens and sidings are no longer extant.

Southminster Station was built following an Act of 1883 which empowered the Great Eastern Railway (GER) to construct a railway line from Shenfield to Southend with a branch from Wickford to Southminster and another branch from Woodham Ferrers to Maldon. These were called the 'New Essex Lines'. The stretch of the line from Wickford to Southminster terminus was opened on the 1st June 1889. The main engineering contractor for the construction of the Southminster branch was Walter Scott and Co and they employed the noted engineer Thomas Middleton who took charge of the stretch from Althorne to Southminster. All the stations were built to a standardised pattern and each were equipped with, as a minimum, a goods yard, passing loop and signal box. Southminster Station is the terminus for the Wickford to Southminster branch line. Fortunately this station has not been affected by the same levels of rationalisation/demolition as some of the other stations along the branch. Some original buildings remain intact as does the platform canopy. The station retains a staff mess room for train crews 'overnighting' at the terminus. The downside goods shed has been demolished and the Loco sidings and turntable have gone from the upside. The signal box, a typical GER example, remained until the 1990s. Recent additions include a large gantry for unloading flasks of nuclear waste brought to the station by road from Bradwell, on its journey to Sellerfield, Cumbria. Also evidence of sidings leading to nearby gravel pits and removed in 1979 also remain. <1> SITE DESCRIPTION: A platform on the West of the track, with canopies from around 1889. There are buffers at the North end of the platform, immediately South of Hall Road (two photos). The station platform has a modern mural facing the track (see photo). There is a car park to the West and South of the station. ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL: Good. SITE SIGNIFICANCE: The station buildings have been reduced from the extant shown in the OS map from 1897; the goods shed, signal box, turntable, locomotive shed, cattle pens and sidings are no longer extant. A former cottage to the West of the station, show on the OS map from 1897, is not extant and has been replaced by flats at Tattersalls Chase. A ‘nuclear flask’ is kept (in a locked compound) in the goods yard. CURRENT STATUS: Maintained as a railway station terminus. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Monitor and record any development. GRADE: of local importance. <2> <3> NRHE data transfer, summary description: Railway station on the New Essex Railway, opened in 1889. No source provided by NRHE for this information. See also <4>.