August 1902; he was not happy with the sharp curve but as this appeared to be only a temporary arrangement pending the building of the new station he accepted it. The Church Hope line opened on 1 September 1902. The physical connection between the two lines at Portland was not approved for passenger operation, so the branch service was worked as a separate section from the temporary Portland station to Easton. In 1908 the Church Hope Railway line was placed in the hands of a receiver as a result of an action brought by debenture holders. At the time of opening to Easton, the entire line between Weymouth and Easton was worked between by the Great Western and London and South Western companies together, although the railway infrastructure was still owned by their respective companies. However the LSWR took over the working of the branch on 1 January 1904. Later station improvements Over time the development of passenger and goods traffic on the branch had now outstripped the original Portland station facilities. The platform was extended by 100 feet (30m) to a length of 276 ft (84m) in February 1891, making it capable of accommodating eleven 4-wheeled coaches. The platform at Rodwell was extended during January 1894, for by then the Rodwell area was rapidly expanding and more passengers were travelling between Weymouth and Portland. By this date passenger traffic through to Portland was increasing considerably. The facilities at Portland stationstill far from idealwere improved early in 1896 when a wall and cover were constructed on the west side of the station to protect the platform and the waiting passengers from the elements. The platform was resurfaced at the same time. The new integrated Portland station, serving both lines, was opened on 7 May 1905, and on March a trial run had been made to Easton with a steam railmotor. In September 1905 it was announced that an hourly train service would be operated on the branch, with rail motors alternating with conventional trains. This was an operational challenge on a single line with no passing places, and with the complication of the shunt to get into Weymouth station. In fact the rail motor service was not implemented at first. Melcombe Regis station opened in April 1909, and after that time all trains to Portland started from the new station; the punctuality of the service was greatly improved. In June