Parkstone station is situated between Branksome and Poole on the Waterloo - Weymouth mainline, milepost 112 is located at the west end of the down platform. The station was opened on June 15th 1874 when the LSWR line was extended from Poole to Bournemouth West and originally carried the name Parkstone for Sandbanks. The short section of line through the station is on a 1 in 300 gradient which increases to a 1 in 60 descending gradient for 1 & 3/4 miles down Parkstone bank to Poole. To the East the line rises on a 1 in 60 gradient through a deep cutting for a 1/4 of a mile to where St Osmunds Road bridge passes over the line, the gradient then eases for 1 mile approaching Branksome station.

In the days of steam motive power a banking engine was employed on the rear of heavy eastbound trains at Poole to assist their assent of Parkstone Bank, the banking engine would ease away from the train after St Osmunds Road bridge on the approach to Branksome Station. Banking engines were also used to assist heavy trains on their descent from Branksome to Poole, these were usually coupled to the rear of a train providing the extra brake force required to control the train on the stiff gradients of Parkstone bank.

Parkstone station was built with canopies on both platforms, These were of different styles with the long Up platform canopy attached to the station building, this had a sloped flat roof with wing walls at each end which protected passengers and a W.H.Smith bookstall from the weather. The Down platform canopy was shorter, built with a peaked roof with curved valance, this did not have wing walls but covered a large wooden waiting shelter. A gents toilet of wooden construction stood outside the east end of the down platform canopy.

The station masters house and main buildings on the Up platform were of brick construction and still survive although with some modifications over the years. A covered footbridge was erected at the station in 1888, the footbridge is still in use but the corrugated iron roof and glazed sections were removed during the early 1950s. The builders plate shows that the metal bridge was made in 1887 by Joseph Westwood & Co. of London. A small parcels depot was originally located directly west of the footbridge steps on the up platform.

The goods yard was located directly south of the station behind the Down platform. The yard included three sidings, a goods shed, a line of small coal bunkers and a single private goods line which branched from the siding closest to the down platform crossing the other two sidings on two diamond crossings and then left the yard on a sharp curve heading down a steep winding gradient to the South Western Pottery and on to Salterns Pier on the north shore of Poole Harbour. The line from the pottery to Salterns pier was disused by 1922 and was lifted in the early 1930s. The pottery line to Parkstone goods yard was closed in 1963 (the pottery survived until early 1967). Parkstone goods yard was itself closed on 20th Sept 1965 after a period of very little use. The site of the goods yard is now covered by houses.

Img 1: The footbridge providing access to Down platform added to the station in 1888.

Img 2: Footbridge steps on Up platform, The bridge was originally fully enclosed with a roof and glazing covering the bridge and steps but was removed during the 1950s leaving the bridge open to the weather.

Img 3: There are four cast builders plates on the bridge, there is one on the outside and one on the inside of each of the bridge wall plates at the middle of the span.

Img 4: Close up of Builders plate located on inside of footbridge. Although the footbridge was erected at Parkstone station in 1888 the metal bridge section was made in 1887. The builder plate states: Joseph Westwood & Co. limited, engineers and contractors, London, 1887.

Img 5: Looking west towards Poole down the 1 in 60 gradient of Parkstone bank from the top of the up platform footbridge steps. Milepost 112 can be seen just beyond the west end of the down platform

Img 6: Looking East across the station from top of the down platform footbridge steps. The flat roofed canopy in front of the station building was originally longer extending to meet the bottom of the footbridge steps and had wing walls at each end with glazed upper sections.

Img 7: View of west end of station buildings on the up platform from the top of the footbridge steps.

Img 8: View east up Parkstone bank from up platform in front of station buildings, the mainline continues through a deep cutting on a rising 1 in 60 gradient for 1/4 mile to St Osmunds Road overbridge where the gradient eases for one mile approaching Branksome station. The road overbridge shown here at the east end of the station is not the original bridge which was about half the width of the current bridge and was built entirely of brick. The original bridge was widened at some time between September 1960 and March 1963 with reinforced cast concrete lattice parapets that are still in situ today. The eliptical arch of the first bridge can still be seen below the new concrete slab span. A small section of metal railings (painted red) can be seen through the bushes to the left of the bridge, this section was also cast concrete until it was damaged by a car (from memory either 1993 or 94) and replaced with railings. The concrete lattice parapet wall to the right of the bridge was also replaced with railings after a further road accident in 1998.

Img 9: Looking along the Up platform from the east end.

Img 10: The east end of the station building with flat canopy on high front wall.

Img 11: An unidentified slam-door electric multiple unit heading west down Parkstone bank towards Poole.