Stert and Westbury Railway

The Great Western Railway (GWR) had opened its main line between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads in 1841.

Another route left the main line at Thingley Junction, west of Chippenham, ran south to Westbury in 1848 and was extended to Weymouth in 1857.

Both these lines carried trains connecting with ships – from the Channel Islands at Weymouth, and from America at Plymouth – but the GWR was sometimes referred to as the 'Great Way Round' as its routes to these places were longer than the rival London and South Western Railway.

[3] From 2 July 1906 the line was also carrying trains from Paddington to Penzance due to the opening of the Langport and Castle Cary Railway which shortened this journey by 20.25 miles (32.6 km).

[3] The station at Edington opened for goods traffic on 29 July 1900, a month before passenger trains were allowed to use the line.

A brick building containing the main facilities stood on the westbound platform and a waiting shelter was provided for passengers travelling eastwards.

Passenger trains no longer called after 3 November 1952 [6] and the buildings were demolished, but the goods shed and yard remained open for traffic until 25 March 1963.

Lines continued to both Weymouth and Salisbury and were all served by the same small station with a wooden train shed covering the platforms.

In 1984 the easternmost track was taken out of passenger use but in 2013 the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Transport Body prioritised its reopening at an estimated cost of £5.4m.

[4] A signal box north of the station was opened in 1984 and controls the whole of the Westbury area and 38 miles (61 km) of the main line from east of Lavington as far as Somerton.