Malmesbury Branch Line

[v · d · e]   Malmesbury branch
Locale Wiltshire Successor line Great Western Railway Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Legend
Malmesbury Little Somerford   Badminton Line   Great Somerford Halt Dauntsey   Great Western Main Line

The Malmesbury branch was a six and a half mile long single track branch railway line that ran from Dauntsey railway station on the Great Western Main Line to Malmesbury via one intermediate station, Great Somerford Halt.

History

In 1864 the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Railway Company was authorised to construct a line from Stroud to Christian Malford Halt through Tetbury and Malmesbury and work started on 1 June 1865. Due to disagreements between the two major shareholders, the Midland Railway and the Great Western Railway, work was stalled, and in 1871 the company was wound up. The line was in abeyance until 1872 when a cut-down plan was authorised to build the line as it was eventually constructed from Dauntsey to Malmesbury, opening on 18 December 1877.

In 1933 the line was connected via a spur to Little Somerford on the Badminton line and the section to the south of it was closed^[1]. On 10 September 1951 the remaining line closed to passengers traffic, and goods 10 years later on 11 November 1962.^[2]

References

1. ^ http://davidforward.com/menus/history/malmesbury-branch-line-railway/
2. ^ http://www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk/todaysub-08.html

External links

• Malmesbury Town history of the line
• Athelstan Museum history of the line