Wessex Main Line facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wessex Main Line |
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A South West Trains Class 158 at Romsey in 2014
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| Overview | |
| Status | Operational |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Locale | Wiltshire Hampshire South East England South West England |
| Service | |
| Type | Regional rail, Heavy rail |
| System | National Rail |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
The Wessex Main Line is an important railway route in the south of England. It connects the city of Bristol in the west to Southampton on the south coast. This line is a key part of the National Rail network. It helps people travel for work, school, and fun.
The Wessex Main Line also connects with other railway lines. For example, the Heart of Wessex Line branches off at Westbury and goes to Weymouth. The Wessex Main Line also crosses paths with the Reading to Taunton Line at Westbury. It meets the West of England Main Line at Salisbury.
Contents
Stations Along the Wessex Main Line
This railway line serves many towns and cities. Here are the main places you can reach:
- Bristol Temple Meads
- Keynsham
- Oldfield Park
- Bath Spa
- From Bath Spa, the Great Western Main Line goes to Chippenham, Swindon, and London Paddington.
- Freshford
- Avoncliff
- Bradford-on-Avon
- Trowbridge
- Westbury
- The Heart of Wessex Line branches off here, heading towards Weymouth.
- Dilton Marsh
- Warminster
- Salisbury
- Dean
- Mottisfont & Dunbridge
- Romsey
- The Eastleigh to Romsey Line branches off here to Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh.
- Southampton
Trains on the Wessex Main Line are run by different companies. Great Western Railway operates services from Portsmouth to Cardiff. South Western Railway also runs trains between Salisbury and Southampton. Some high-speed trains from Great Western Railway connect Bristol and Bath. Many trains continue past Southampton to places like Portsmouth Harbour and Brighton. Others go beyond Bristol to Cardiff Central in Wales.
Chippenham Branch Line
There is a special link from Trowbridge to Chippenham. This route includes a stop at Melksham. For a while, there were only a few trains each day on this branch. However, from December 2013, more services were added. These trains now run regularly between Westbury and Swindon. This improved service is known as the TransWilts route.
History of the Wessex Main Line
The Wessex Main Line has a long and interesting history. It was built in different stages by various railway companies.
Early Connections: Southampton to Salisbury
The first part of this route was built by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR). Their main line reached Southampton in 1840. In 1847, a branch line was opened from Eastleigh to Salisbury. This line went through Romsey. Today, part of it is called the Eastleigh-Romsey line.
Later, in 1865, a more direct route was built between Southampton and Romsey. This new line, called the Sprat and Winkle Line, became the current path of the Wessex Main Line. It leaves Southampton Central and heads north to Romsey.
Building North of Salisbury
The railway lines through Wiltshire and Somerset were built step by step. The Wilts, Somerset and Weymouth Railway (WS&WR) started building in 1845. The first section opened in 1848. It ran from near Chippenham, through Melksham and Trowbridge, to Westbury. The WS&WR later sold its line to the Great Western Railway (GWR).
The GWR then extended the line from Westbury to Salisbury in 1856. The first part of this extension, to Warminster, opened in 1851. Another branch from Trowbridge to Bradford-on-Avon was built in 1848. This line, which follows the Avon valley, was completed in 1857. It connected to the GWR main line at Bathampton.
Connecting Salisbury's Stations
For a while, Salisbury had two main railway stations. The GWR station was in the west, and the LSWR station was in the southeast. In 1857, the LSWR's West of England line arrived in Salisbury. In 1859, the LSWR opened a new station next to the GWR station. This new station served trains from Andover and a new line to Exeter. The older LSWR station then closed to passengers.
To move goods between the two railway companies, a special building called a transit shed was opened in 1860. The GWR used a wider track (broad gauge), while the LSWR used a standard track (standard gauge). This shed allowed goods to be moved from one type of train to another. In 1874, the GWR changed its tracks to standard gauge. This made it easier to connect the lines. A direct passenger route from Cardiff to Portsmouth finally opened in 1896.
The 20th Century Changes
In the early 1900s, Salisbury's LSWR station was made much bigger. The GWR station in Salisbury closed to passengers in 1932. It was then used for goods until 1991. Today, it is part of the Salisbury Traincare Depot.
Westbury station was rebuilt in 1899. This was to handle a new line, the Stert and Westbury Railway, which opened in 1900. This new line is now part of the Reading-Taunton line.
Over the years, some smaller stations along the Wessex Main Line closed. For example, stations like Heytesbury, Codford, and Wilton North closed to passengers in 1955. In Hampshire, Nursling station closed in 1957. Later, in 1966, stations like Bathampton and Limpley Stoke also closed. However, in 1985, Melksham station reopened, and regular passenger services returned to the Chippenham branch.
Images for kids
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Map of the Wessex Main Line
