BRITAIN was the first country in the world to have a 'modern' railway - with iron tracks and a steam locomotive. 

The kingdom thrived during the 1800s as a result of the industrial revolution with the first steam railway locomotive being introduced by Richard Trevithick in 1804. 

Since then there has been a lot of development in the rail industry most astonishingly switching from coal powered locomotives to diesel and now making the switch to electric lines.

As a result of modernisation old railway lines and stations have become abandoned and lacked purpose in the modern world. 

In the 1960s, as households began to own cars, commuters started to prefer using road to rail - this switch is another key reason for the decline of old stations. 

A landmark report by then head of British Rail, Richard Beeching, led to the closure of many stations in the 60s. 

Here are some of Dorset's forgotten railways stations:

Abbotsbury Railway Station

Bournemouth Echo:

Abbotsbury Railway Station - Copyright - John Alsop Collection

The Abbotsbury Railway Station was opened on 9 November 1885 by Abbotsbury Railway - it was sadly closed on 1 November 1952 by British Railways. 

The station had a single platform with a single-story warm limestone building with a slate roof. The building incorporated a booking office, waiting room and flat-roofed stone toilet block.

The Great Western Railway opened a line to Weymouth on 20 January 1857 which allowed trains from Paddington and Waterloo to service the town. 

In 1872 a six mile branch of the Weymouth line at Upwey to Abbotsbury was proposed but it took until 1877 to get the Bill through parliament. 

It was a busy little station until WWI wen the service was reduced to four trains a day and by 1917 this was reduced to just three.

The station's use continued to decline until the 1950s when it was in a very disused state - all the platform lighting had been removed and a single paraffin lamp hung from the ceiling on string. 

By 1970 it was demolished and replaced with a house.  

Grimstone and Frampton Railway Station

Bournemouth Echo:

Railway line and part of the derelict platform of Grimstone - By Val Ghose

Grimstone and Frampton railway station formed part of the Great Western Railway line between Maiden Newton and Dorchester.

Directly south of the Grimstone Viaduct the station serviced the hamlet of Grimstone and the parish of Stratton.

It was opened on 20 January 1857 and became unstaffed from 11 April 1966 before closing later that year. 

The station was demolished after its closure and the site is now a depot for Minster Fuels. 

Sandsfoot Castle Halt

Bournemouth Echo:

Sandsfoot Castle - By Maurice D Budden

Sandsfoot Castle Halt was a small railway station on the Portland Branch Railway between Weymouth and Portland.

It was opened on 1 August 1932 and was closed just 20 years later on 3 March 1952.

The station was opened in an attempt to attract more tourists to the line which is said to have been suffering from competition with buses. 

Work on the station started in July and only took a few weeks to complete - it was a 300ft cinder platform which was faced with sleepers and there was a small timber shelter on the platform.

Radipole Railway Station

Bournemouth Echo:

Demolition work at Radipole Railway Station - By Lamberhurst

Radipole Railway Station was opened in 1905 by Great Western Railway and was closed on New Year's Eve 1983.

The station originally served the northern suburbs of Weymouth - it had two timber platforms either side and a waiting shelter in the centre. 

After closure of the Abbotsbury branch in 1962 Radipole was still served by trains between Weymouth and Dorchester and some trains from Bristol Temple Meads. 

In 1983 British Rail declared the wooden platforms unsafe for use and trains ceased to call at Radipole from 31 December 1983. 

Daggons Road

Bournemouth Echo:

Daggons Road - Old postcard

Daggons Road Station in Fordingbridge was opened on 1 January 1876 by Salisbury and Dorset Junction Railway. 

It was originally opened as Alderholt but was renamed as Daggens Road later that year. 

In 1904 the spelling was changed to Daggons Road. 

The station has a twin-gabled station house which still stands but has undergone modernisation. 

The single-storey block at the north end of the building was the ticket office and waiting rooms - this has since been demolished. 

The station was closed on 4 May 1964 however traffic continued through the station until 1966.