Tisbury railway station
Encyclopedia
Tisbury railway station serves the village of Tisbury
in Wiltshire
, England. Opened in 1859, it is currently managed by South West Trains
and is on its London Waterloo to Exeter line
, 96.2 miles (154.8 km) from London.
(S&YR) opened Tisbury railway station with the first section of its line, from to Gillingham
, on 2 May 1859. At first only passengers were catered for, but goods traffic started on 1 September 1860. The main goods yard and warehouse was on the north side of the line at the west end of the station, but some sidings were also added on the opposite side of the line. Initially the railway had just a single track but a passing loop
and two platforms
were provided at Tisbury. The whole line was double track by 1870 and a signal box
was opened here in 1875.
The S&YR never operated any trains, instead they were provided by the London and South Western Railway
, which bought out the S&YR in 1878. In 1923 this became part of the Southern Railway
, which in turn was nationalised in 1948 to become the Southern Region of British Railways
. During all this time there were only incremental changes at Tisbury, but this was to change from 1963. In that year the line was transferred to the Western Region
, and the Reshaping of British Railways
report was published. The smaller stations were soon closed, and most trains only ran as far as , instead of continuing to places such as , Plymouth
and . Goods traffic was stopped from 18 April 1966 and on 5 February 1967 the signal box was closed, despite having only been opened to replace the original on 12 October 1958. The line was reduced to just a single track on 1 April 1967 and the southern platform sold off to the agricultural suppliers next door.
The 19 miles (30.6 km) single-track section from Wilton
to Gillingham proved to be too long, and so a loop was reinstated mid-way at Tisbury on 24 March 1986. As the second platform had been sold off, the new £435,000 loop was installed to the east of the station. This means that trains have to wait outside the station when passing; the loop is controlled from and is signalled so that trains can run in either direction on each line.
units Selective Door Operation
is used and only the doors on the front unit are unlocked.
operate hourly throughout most of the week between , Tisbury, and London Waterloo station. Trains are timetabled to pass in the loop outside the station.
Tisbury, Wiltshire
The large village of Tisbury lies approximately west of Salisbury in the English county of Wiltshire.With a population at the 2001 census of 2,056 it is an important local centre for communities around the upper River Nadder and Vale of Wardour...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England. Opened in 1859, it is currently managed by South West Trains
South West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
and is on its London Waterloo to Exeter line
West of England Main Line
The West of England Main Line is a British railway line that runs from , Hampshire to Exeter St Davids in Devon, England. Passenger services run between London Waterloo station and Exeter...
, 96.2 miles (154.8 km) from London.
History
The Salisbury and Yeovil RailwaySalisbury and Yeovil Railway
The Salisbury and Yeovil Railway linked Salisbury , Gillingham and Yeovil in England. Opened in stages in 1859 and 1860, it formed a bridge route between the main London and South Western Railway network and its lines in Devon and Cornwall. Its trains were operated by the LSWR and it was sold to...
(S&YR) opened Tisbury railway station with the first section of its line, from to Gillingham
Gillingham (Dorset) railway station
Gillingham railway station is in Gillingham in Dorset England. It opened in 1859 on the London Waterloo to Exeter line from London, and is managed by South West Trains.-History:...
, on 2 May 1859. At first only passengers were catered for, but goods traffic started on 1 September 1860. The main goods yard and warehouse was on the north side of the line at the west end of the station, but some sidings were also added on the opposite side of the line. Initially the railway had just a single track but a passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
and two platforms
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
were provided at Tisbury. The whole line was double track by 1870 and a signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
was opened here in 1875.
The S&YR never operated any trains, instead they were provided by the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
, which bought out the S&YR in 1878. In 1923 this became part of the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
, which in turn was nationalised in 1948 to become the Southern Region of British Railways
Southern Region of British Railways
The Southern Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992. The region covered south London, southern England and the south coast, including the busy commuter belt areas of Kent, Sussex...
. During all this time there were only incremental changes at Tisbury, but this was to change from 1963. In that year the line was transferred to the Western Region
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
, and the Reshaping of British Railways
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
report was published. The smaller stations were soon closed, and most trains only ran as far as , instead of continuing to places such as , Plymouth
Plymouth Friary railway station
Plymouth Friary railway station was the London and South Western Railway terminus in Plymouth, Devon, England.-History:London and South Western Railway trains first arrived at Plymouth on 17 May 1876, entering the town from the east...
and . Goods traffic was stopped from 18 April 1966 and on 5 February 1967 the signal box was closed, despite having only been opened to replace the original on 12 October 1958. The line was reduced to just a single track on 1 April 1967 and the southern platform sold off to the agricultural suppliers next door.
The 19 miles (30.6 km) single-track section from Wilton
Wilton South railway station
Wilton South railway station is a disused railway station which formerly served Wilton in Wiltshire, England. It was situated on the West of England Main Line from London Waterloo station to Exeter and close to the Great Western Railway’s Wilton station on its Salisbury branch from .It was opened...
to Gillingham proved to be too long, and so a loop was reinstated mid-way at Tisbury on 24 March 1986. As the second platform had been sold off, the new £435,000 loop was installed to the east of the station. This means that trains have to wait outside the station when passing; the loop is controlled from and is signalled so that trains can run in either direction on each line.
Description
The single platform is on the north side of the line, the side nearest the village. The old station offices still stand, as does the disused signal box which is at the west end of the platform. The platform is only long enough for three or four coach trains, so when trains comprise two Class 159British Rail Class 159
The British Rail Class 159 is a class of diesel multiple unit of the Sprinter family, built in 1989 - 1992 by BREL at the Derby Carriage and Wagon Works as Class 158...
units Selective Door Operation
Selective Door Operation
Selective Door Operation, also called Selective Door Opening is a mechanism employed primarily on trains that allows the Driver or Conductor/Guard to open the doors of a train separately.- Purpose and operation of SDO :Selective Door Operation is a system used by trains for the safe...
is used and only the doors on the front unit are unlocked.
Services
South West TrainsSouth West Trains
South West Trains is a British train operating company providing, under franchise, passenger rail services, mostly out of Waterloo station, to the southwest of London in the suburbs and in the counties of Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon, Somerset, Berkshire, and Wiltshire and on the Isle of Wight...
operate hourly throughout most of the week between , Tisbury, and London Waterloo station. Trains are timetabled to pass in the loop outside the station.