Both lines were proposed as part of the Berks and Hants Railway, but that company became part of the Great Western Railway before the track was laid.

[3][8] There was a refuge siding adjacent to the junction, parallel to the up line; this was taken out of use in 1963.

Before closure in 1965, Southcote Junction signal box had 25 levers.

This first crosses the trackbed of the old Coley branch, before running alongside the railway and then passing under both lines at the junction.

In 2015, Network Rail’s Western Route Study suggested the provision of a grade separated junction at Southcote, with a third track to be provided between there and the Oxford Road Junction at Reading West.