Ludgershall Railway Station, Wiltshire
History
The station was opened on 1 May 1882, on the Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway. By 1894, the operator was the Midland and South Western Junction Railway, running services between Cheltenham and Southampton. In 1901, a branch from Ludgershall was built to serve Tidworth Camp, carrying military personnel, and was opened to the public in 1902. In 1943 a short spur was added to serve the military depot at Ludgershall, to the south of the main road.
As a whole, traffic on the M&SWJR fell steeply after the Second World War. The station closed to passengers in 1961, along with the northern section of the line up to Swindon, while the branch to Tidworth closed to passengers in 1955, and fully closed in 1963. The spur at Ludgershall and line south to Andover remain open, to allow the Army to transport tanks and other equipment to and from the depot and onwards to the Salisbury Plain Training Area. There is a level crossing on Tidworth Road.
Possible reopening
Ludgershall Town Council and the pressure group Railfuture have been campaigning for the line between Ludgershall and Andover to be reopened for passenger services, due to the growth in population in Tidworth.
Routes
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collingbourne Line and station closed |
Midland and South Western Junction Railway Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway |
Weyhill Line and station closed |
References
- ^ 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.
- ^ Mike Oakley (October 2004). Wiltshire Railway Stations (2004 ed.). Dovecote Press, Wimborne. pp. 79–82. ISBN 1-904349-33-1.
- ^ Historic England. "Tidworth Military Railway (1359011)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 11 September 2021.
- ^ Crawford, T.S. (1 August 2012). Wiltshire and the Great War. Crowood. ISBN 978-1-84797-447-1.
- ^ "Passenger train idea 'on track' for Ludgershall". Spire FM. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
