Thank you for your responses to our last instance of the Mystery Photograph. The last photo showed Chilcompton Station, which formed part of the Somerset and Dorset Railway.

It seems that the photo was a tricky one to guess this time around - there were many guesses for other Somerset and Dorset Railway line stations, including Midsomer Norton and Radstock.

The Somerset and Dorset Railway was created in 1862 as an amalgamation of the Somerset Central Railway and the Dorset Central Railway. The final closure of the line in all its former glory came in 1966 as part of the nationwide reduction of railway services, known as the ‘Beeching Axe’.

Midsomer Norton Station still exists as part of living history thanks to the Somerset & Dorset Railway Heritage Trust.

Thank you to everyone who contacted us, and to the following for guessing Chilcompton Station correctly:

Martin Horler, Dave Seddon, Simon Chard, Ivor Davis and Stephen Beale.

Thank you to Erin Brain who said: “I just knew I had seen this exact picture before! It is of course the old Chilcompton Station on the former Somerset & Dorset railway. I recognised it by the tapered 12 gallon milk churns and the waiting room annex with the small square window. Now, where have I see this view before? That’s the ‘mystery’ to me!”

Thank you to Jeff Parsons who provided the following information: “The picture shows Chilcompton station, looking towards Midsomer Norton.”

Richard Edwards guessed Chilcompton correctly and told us: “I think this photo might be an early view, before one of the two chimneys on the station building was removed, of Chilcompton Station on the Somerset and Dorset Railway.”

Do you know where we are in this week’s Mystery Photograph? We would love to hear from you! 

If you have a historic image of our area suitable for our Mystery Photograph feature, please email: [email protected] or bring them in to: The Journal, Paulton House, Old Mills, Paulton, Bristol, BS39 7SX.