Wessex Main Line

Wessex Main Line
South Wales Main Line to Cardiff Central etc. Bristol Temple Meads St Anne's Park Keynsham Saltford Twerton-on-Avon Oldfield Park Bath Spa Hampton Row Halt Bathampton Bathampton Junction Great Western Main Line Bristol & North Somerset Rly Camerton branch Limpley Stoke Freshford Avoncliff Thingley Junction Great Western Main Line Lacock Halt Beanacre Halt Melksham Devizes branch Holt Junction Holt Staverton Halt Bradford-on-Avon Bradford South Junction Trowbridge Reading to Taunton Line to Reading Westbury Reading to Taunton Line to Taunton Dilton Marsh Warminster Heytesbury Codford Camp Branch Codford Wylye Langford Wishford Wilton North West of England Main Line to Exeter Wilton South Salisbury West of England Main Line to London Milford Goods Depot Alderbury Staff Platforms Salisbury & Dorset Jn Rly Dean Mottisfont & Dunbridge Sprat and Winkle Line & Andover to Redbridge Line Romsey Eastleigh to Romsey Line Nursling South Western Main Line to Bournemouth and Weymouth Redbridge Millbrook Southampton Central Southampton Tunnel South Western Main Line to London West Coastway Line to Brighton

The Wessex Main Line is the railway line from Bristol Temple Meads to Southampton.^[1] Diverging from this route is the Heart of Wessex Line from Westbury to Weymouth. The line intersects with the West of England Main Line at Salisbury, and with the Reading to Taunton Line at Westbury.

Places served

The places served are listed below.

• Bristol
• Keynsham
• Oldfield Park
• Bath
  • Great Western Main Line diverges to Chippenham, Swindon and London Paddington
• Freshford
• Avoncliff
• Bradford-on-Avon
• Trowbridge
• Westbury
  • Heart of Wessex Line diverges to Weymouth
• Dilton Marsh
• Warminster
• Salisbury
• Dean
• Mottisfont & Dunbridge
• Romsey
  • Eastleigh to Romsey Line diverges to Chandler's Ford and Eastleigh
• Southampton

Passenger services are currently operated by Great Western Railway local services, supplemented by South West Trains between Salisbury and Bristol Temple Meads, and Great Western high-speed express services between Bristol and Bath.^[2] Some services start at Swindon also. Many services continue beyond Southampton along the West Coastway Line to Portsmouth Harbour and Brighton, and beyond Bristol to Severn Tunnel Junction, Newport and Cardiff Central along the South Wales Main Line. Strong passenger growth meant that Wessex Trains increased train lengths from two carriages to three in 2004, but the new franchise specification reduced them back to two carriages, with inevitable chronic overcrowding and passenger protests. As of 2011, the service now regularly runs with three carriages, but significant overcrowding continues at peak times.

Chippenham branch

There is a link from Trowbridge to Chippenham, with an intermediate stop at Melksham. Despite showing strong passenger growth in the previous few years, the new franchise reduced services in December 2006 to two each way per day, at times barely convenient for commuters. The service was increased again to eight trains each way per day (six northbound and five southbound on Sundays) from December 2013.^[3]

History

References

• Daniels, Gerald David; Dench, Leslie Alan (May 1973) [1964]. Passengers No More (2nd ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0438-2. OCLC 2554248. 1513 CEC 573. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wessex Main Line.

• www.savethetrain.org.uk - Melksham-based campaign to maintain services on the Chippenham branch
• www.twcrp.org.uk - TransWilts Community Rail Partnership

Railway lines in the South East
Primary	International High Speed 1 (Ashford • Ebbsfleet) National Great Western Main Line (Slough • Maidenhead • Reading • Didcot Parkway) West Coast Main Line (Watford Junction • Milton Keynes Central)
Secondary	Berks/Bucks/Oxon to London Aylesbury Line Chiltern Main Line Waterloo to Reading Line (and in Surrey) Windsor & Eton Riverside Line (and in Surrey) Crossrail (under construction) (and past London to Essex) Kent to London Bexleyheath Line Chatham Main Line Dartford Loop Line Kent Coast Line Maidstone Line Medway Valley Line North Kent Line Ramsgate (via Canterbury West) Line Sheerness Line South Eastern Main Line Tonbridge Line (and in Surrey) Surrey/Sussex/Hants to London Ascot to Guildford Line Alton Line Arun Valley Line Brighton Main Line Caterham Line Fareham Line Hampton Court Branch Line Hastings Line (and in Kent) Chertsey Branch Line Epsom Downs Branch New Guildford Line Oxted Line (and in Kent) Portsmouth Direct Line Shepperton Branch Line South Western Main Line Sutton and Mole Valley Lines Tattenham Corner Line Thameslink (and past London to Beds/Herts) West of England Main Line Others Cherwell Valley Line Cotswold Line Eastleigh to Romsey Line East Coastway Line (inc Marshlink Line) Henley Branch Line Island Line Lymington Branch Line Marlow Branch Line Marston Vale Line North Downs Line Oxford to Bicester Line Princes Risborough to Aylesbury Line Reading to Taunton Line West Coastway Line Wessex Main Line Slough to Windsor & Eton Line Reading to Basingstoke Line Seaford Branch Line
Heritage	Bluebell Railway Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway Cholsey & Wallingford Railway East Kent Railway Isle of Wight Steam Railway Kent and East Sussex Railway Lavender Line Spa Valley Railway Watercress Line
Non-passenger/ Defunct	Hundred of Hoo Railway Oxfordshire Ironstone Railway

Railway lines in the South West
Primary	Cross Country Route Exeter Bristol Cheltenham Great Western Main Line Exeter Bristol Keynsham Bath Spa Chippenham Swindon (fast services calling points only)
Secondary	To London South Western Main Line (from Weymouth) Reading to Taunton Line (from Taunton) West of England Main Line (from Exeter) Others Atlantic Coast Line Avocet Line Bristol to Taunton Line Cornish Main Line Cotswold Line Gloucester to Newport Line Golden Valley Line Heart of Wessex Line Henbury Loop Looe Valley Line Lostwithiel to Fowey Maritime Line Portishead Branch Riviera Line Severn Beach Line St Ives Bay Line Tamar Valley Line Tarka Line Wessex Main Line
Heritage	Avon Valley Railway Bristol Harbour Railway Bodmin and Wenford Railway East Somerset Railway Dartmoor Railway Dartmouth Steam Railway Dean Forest Railway Helston Railway Plym Valley Railway South Devon Railway Swanage Railway Swindon & Cricklade Railway West Somerset Railway