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 Exeter St Davids, instead of continuing to places such as Ilfracombe, Plymouth and Padstow.

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.

[2] The 19-mile (31 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.