Semley railway station

Semley was a railway station in Wiltshire, England. It was served by trains on the West of England Main Line and was the railhead for the town of Shaftesbury, Dorset, 2 1⁄2 miles (4 km) to the south.

Semley
Semley station site in 2010
LocationSemley, Wiltshire
England
Coordinates51.040°N 2.183°W / 51.040; -2.183
Grid referenceST873267
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companySalisbury and Yeovil Railway
Pre-groupingLondon and South Western Railway
Post-groupingSouthern Railway
Western Region of British Railways
Key dates
2 May 1859Station opens
7 March 1966Station closes

Although several plans were made to give Shaftesbury its own station, the town's position on a hill prevented this. The nearest station to Shaftesbury is now Gillingham.

History

The station was opened on 2 May 1859 by the Salisbury and Yeovil Railway, which became part of the London and South Western Railway in 1878. In the 1923 grouping the L&SWR became part of the Southern Railway, but in the 1948 nationalisation it was transferred to British Railways Southern Region and in 1963 to BR Western Region. BR withdrew local passenger trains and closed the station on 7 March 1966.

The site today

An industrial and commercial estate occupies the site just off the A350 road between Shaftesbury and Warminster. The former station building and goods shed survive. Trains on the West of England Main Line still use the line through the site.

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Gillingham   London and South Western Railway
West of England Main Line		   Tisbury

Further reading
  • Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199.
  • Lucking, J.H. (1968). Railways of Dorset. Railway Correspondence and Travel Society. (Largely details of abandoned plans for a railway to Shaftesbury.)


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