Semley railway station

Former railway station in England

51°02′24″N 2°10′59″W / 51.040°N 2.183°W / 51.040; -2.183Grid referenceST873267Platforms2Other informationStatusDisusedHistoryOriginal companySalisbury and Yeovil RailwayPre-groupingLondon and South Western RailwayPost-groupingSouthern Railway
Western Region of British RailwaysKey dates2 May 1859Station opened7 March 1966Station closed

Semley was a railway station in Wiltshire, England. It was served by trains on the West of England Main Line and was the railhead for the town of Shaftesbury, Dorset, 2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) to the south.

Although several plans were made to give Shaftesbury its own station, the town's position on a hill prevented this. The nearest station to Shaftesbury is now Gillingham.

History

The station was opened on 2 May 1859 by the Salisbury and Yeovil Railway, which became part of the London and South Western Railway in 1878. In the 1923 grouping the L&SWR became part of the Southern Railway, but in the 1948 nationalisation it was transferred to British Railways Southern Region and in 1963 to BR Western Region. BR withdrew local passenger trains and closed the station on 7 March 1966.[1][2]

The site today

An industrial and commercial estate occupies the site just off the A350 road between Shaftesbury and Warminster. The former station building, goods shed and signal box survive.[3] Trains on the West of England Main Line still use the line through the site.


Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Gillingham   London and South Western Railway
West of England Main Line 		  Tisbury

References

  1. ^ Quick, M. E. (2002). Railway passenger stations in England, Scotland and Wales – a chronology. Richmond: Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 383. OCLC 931112387.
  2. ^ Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 208. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
  3. ^ "Semley". Kent Rail. Retrieved 9 November 2022.

Further reading

  • Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
  • Lucking, J.H. (1968). Railways of Dorset. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. (Largely details of abandoned plans for a railway to Shaftesbury.)

External links

  • "Location". Semley Station. Information Resource Consultancy. 2004. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  • Osment, Chris (2004) [1988]. "The Salisbury to Exeter Line since the 1967 singling". West Country Railway Archives. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  • Semley station on navigable 1946 O. S. map


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