The Remains of the Midland & South Western Junction Railway

The Midland & South Western Junction Railway (M&SWJR) was a small company that had the audacity to set up its own headquarters in the backyard of the mighty GWR at Swindon and then against all odds build a north south railway link across GWR territory from Cheltenham to Andover, for connection on to Southampton via the LSWR A&R. (The GWR men referred to the M&SWJR as the Tiddley Dyke).
The interloper started life as the Swindon, Marlborough & Andover Railway. At first it tried to tunnel under Swindon Hill to meet up with the GWR at Swindon Jn Station, but had to admit defeat. It then built its own station in the Old Town, and took its line on around the west side of Swindon to connect with the GWR main line at Rushey Platt. The line from Swindon Town to Marlborough (Low Level) opened in 1881, and the southern section from Grafton to Andover opened in 1882, but problems at Savernake prevented through running between Swindon and Andover until 1883.
An associated company the Swindon & Cheltenham Extension Railway was formed to build the line northwards, and the section to Cirencester was opened in 1883. In an attempt to attract more capital to finance the completion of this line, the two companies amalgamated in 1884 to form the M&SWJR, but the perilous state of the finances soon resulted in the new company going into receivership. Nevertheless, money was finally found to complete the link to Cheltenham in 1891.
For the M&SWJR the thorn in its side was the section between Grafton and Marlborough. The GWR had obtained control in 1882 of the Berks & Hants Railway who had built in 1862 an extension from its Savernake (LL) Station to its new Marlborough (High Level) Station. The M&SWJR was hoping to use this link to complete its line from Swindon to Andover but the GWR aware of the M&SWJR finances took advantage of the situation to demand extortionate tolls for the use of its tracks (reduced at arbitration), had the GWR Marlborough extension upgrade improvements paid for by the M&SWJR and finally demanded all passengers travelling Savernake to Marlborough section only had to be in possession of a GWR ticket. These were of course inspected by GWR ticket inspectors going through the whole train before departure and taking in one incident up to five hours. The situation was of course intolerable but with the M&SWJR in receivership it seemed unable to do anything. However the Marlborough & Grafton Railway was conveniently formed which built a railway link from Marlborough LL through a new Savernake HL Station to Grafton Jn S in 1898 and taken over by the M&SWJR in1899 to rid them of the GWR influence in this area. Fortunately this problem did not reoccur on the Andoversford to Cheltenham section of the GWR Banbury & Cheltenham Railway as running rights had already been established in the Swindon & Cheltenham Ex Act of 1881 (confirmed by the M&SWJR Act 1889). The irony of all this was that in the 1923 railway grouping the control of the M&SWJR was handed to its old adversary the GWR anyway. (Cirencester works closed in 1926).
Doubling of the line took place in stages during the early 1900s but the section from Marlborough to Andoversford always remained single track, except for its stations passing loops.
The line saw heavy use during the Boer and two World Wars. Between the two World Wars and after the M&SWJR struggled to be economical, closure came in 1961; before a Dr. Beeching.

The photographic survey (2014) on the remains of the M&SWJR concentrates on the Andover (Jn) to Swindon (Town) section only at present. As such it includes (Weyhill), Ludgershall plus Tidworth, Collingbourne Ducis, Collingbourne Kingston Halt, Grafton & Burbage, Savernake Low (GWR) & High (M&SWJR) Level, Marlborough Low (M&SWJR) Level, Ogbourne St George, Chiseldon to Swindon Town Stations.
Beginning at Andover Jn Station surprisingly a piece of the M&SWJR has remained operational to the present, that being the section from here (as a third rail) to Red Post Jn, then on through Weyhill and Ludgershall to the military sidings off the Tidworth stub at Ludgershall. This section whilst appearing to be nothing more than a little used rather forgotten sleepy little branch freight line has a life of its own during periods of conflict when heavy movements take place during the quiet of nights.
The existing third railway track alongside the present two that the M&SWJR built from Andover Jn Station to Red Post Jn was later handed over to LSWR. Gone are the engine sheds (M&SWJR and LSWR) at the Jn Station, the site now used by a parcel delivery firm yet the outer siding seem to park network rails track tamper locos. Weyhill Station entrance site is now used by a caravan storage firm and access is unavailable, the station masters house still exists and is a private residence. The very large Ludgershall Station is now under houses and Tidworth Station site is awaiting redevelopment. The only evidence of the old branch line that connected the last two stations is a little overgrown section in the trees south of Sweetapple Farm, and an embankment north/overgrown cutting south of Ludgershall Road on the outskirts of Tidworth.
The remains of the old M&SWJR permanent way (pw) main line going north from Ludgershall still exists as a overgrown corridor to the east of the present head shunt. To the north of the improved A342 the M&SWJRpw appears to be able to be walked to the south of Collingbourne Ducis. In Ducis the station has gone yet the site although overgrown has not been redeveloped and the station masters house still exists as a private residence.
Between Collingbourne Ducis through Collingbourne Kingston to Aughton the M&SWJRpw has been lost to developments, garden extensions and farm access track. Kingston Halt with its wooden platforms and tin hut waiting shelters has long gone.
A permissive path exists along the M&SWJRpw from Aughton to just before Manor Farm even if the road invites you on to Grafton & Burbage Station, now a very much upgraded private residence.
North of Grafton & Burbage Station the M&SWJRpw is lost to a corridor of trees and Wolfhall Road bridge is buried on the approach to the almost unrecognizable Grafton Jn S. The left spur at this junction led on to either Wolfhall Jn where you went via the GWR on to Savernake LL Station around the west side of Savernake Forest Hill to Marlborough HL Station; or via the M&SWJR on to Savernake HL Station through Savernake Forest Hill tunnel to Marlborough LL Station. The two lines had a connection link at Marlborough initially, and also one much later (1933) at Hat Gate where the two lines ran parallel with each other after Savernake. (A link was also made off the old M&SWJR just after Hat Gate during WW2 when Savernake Forest became a massive bomb dump)
Savernake GWR (LL) Station has gone to be replaced by an overgrowing railway yard. To the west of the ex station bridge on the north side of the present railway line in the bushes, the bay platform for Marlborough can still be made out. Savernake M&SWJR (HL) Station still exists as a private residence complete with both platforms, pw pond and second platform buildings.
Marlborough Low Level Station is now being redeveloped whilst its High Level Station has disappeared under houses on Cherry Orchard/Orchard Road. Surprisingly the M&SWJRpw from just after the Low Level Station site has become a trailway to Swindon, passing through the sites of Ogbourne St George and Chisledon Stations, both long gone. The M&SWJRpw trailway ends where the M4 slices over it. Making your way through Coate Water Park, Broome Manor Lane and on to Marlborough Road in Swindon very little remains of the M&SWJRpw yet a lone arch over Evelyn Street still exists.
The M&SWJR Swindon Town Station site is now under Signal Way industrial estate. Still standing proudly overlooking the old Town Station site is the ex M&SWJR HQ building, still used as offices to this day.
Leaving the Town Station site the M&SWJRpw has become a trailway to the platform
remains of Rushey Platt HL Station. The single line single span metal bridge that passed over the GWR main line has long gone.
Further north the only preservation group on the ex M&SWJR exists as the Swindon & Cricklade Railway based at the old Blunsdon Station. They have re-laid pw railway track from Mouldon Hill Country Park (Taw Valley Halt) through Blunsdon to a Hayes Knoll halt.

Going north yet to visit:
Google map suggests a trailway exists along the old M&SWJRpw from north of Hayes Knoll (S. Meadow Ln) through Cricklade and the Cotswold Water Park (wet lands area) to north west South Cerney.
Cricklade Station is now under housing and its pw a road.
Cerney & Ashton Keynes latter South Cerney Station is also under housing but the station’s multi arch bridge remains.
Cirencester M&SWJR Watermoor Station is under an industrial site as is the remains of the loco and carriage works. (Cirencester GWR Town Station building still remains).
Foss Cross Station platform, station building and goods platform still exist, isolated and hidden in over grown trees out in the country.
Chedworth Station is under housing, the station’s cutting filled in and approach arch under filled. Chedworth Tunnel still exists, both portals gated and locked.
Withington Station platforms still exist under timber storage and vegetation.
Andoversford & Dowdeswell Station finally disappeared with the A40 road improvement, Andoversford (GWR) Station is under housing.
The M&SWJR joined the Banbury & Cheltenham Railway at Andoversford Jn and had running rights into Cheltenham Lansdown (Spa) Station passing through Charlton Kings and Leckhampton Stations. Both the latter stations sites have been redeveloped. Along this section the Sandywell Tunnel still exists, west portal sealed and locked, east portal in the private park. The multi arch Dowdeswell viaduct was demolished (blown up) in1967.
Rick Poulton