THESE bucolic old pictures show a west Dorset railway station that was rebuilt 75 miles away from its original location. 

Toller Porcorum station was rebuilt piece-by-piece in Totnes, Devon, over the course of 25 years.

This image taken by Bridport photographer Claud Hider shows the single track railway line to Bridport in its heyday. 

When it closed the track was lifted and all the stations became redundant. The station at Toller was carefully dismantled by around half a dozen volunteers in 1981.

The former Toller station building in DevonThe former Toller station building in Devon (Image: Britmax)


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South Devon Railway's Totnes Group even won a national award for the project in 2006.

The other pictures here, taken by Hider from 1922 onwards, show the village in bygone days.

The parish of Toller Porcorum, also known as Great Toller, is located 10 miles west-north-west of Dorchester on a tributary of the River Frome. It includes Higher & Lower Kingcombe. 

Toller Porcorum Toller Porcorum (Image: Claud Hider)


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The church of St Peter, a building of stone is in the Norman style. It used to contain two galleries, one of which was erected specifically for the school children, but these were removed in 1895 when the church was restored.

St Peter's Church at Toller Porcorum St Peter's Church at Toller Porcorum (Image: Claud Hider)

The village registers date from 1615, but unfortunately those prior to 1758 have not survived.

Another name for the parish was Swine's Toller which was derived for the great number of swine that were formerly bred here.

Old cars parked up in the village Old cars parked up in the village (Image: Claud Hider)

Higher & Lower Kingcombe (or Kentiscombe) is a tithing belonging to Toller Porcorum one mile north-east.


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The soil is strong clay and is chiefly pasture covering an area of 3,144 acres. In 1861 the population was 500, with 417 persons in 1891.

Hanging out the washing in Toller PorcorumHanging out the washing in Toller Porcorum (Image: Claud Hider)

Thanks to the Dorset OPC website for the information provided as part of this article and thanks to Neil Mattingly for his digital archives of the Claud Hider photographic collection.