Wilton Station

[xveitch]

Hi All, 

 

Yet another closed station is being considered for a reopening. Wilton is a small town near Salisbury in Wiltshire and has been without a station since 1966, but the growth of the nearby city of Salisbury requires better transport links, including a new station at Wilton.

 

The ex-SR main line from Waterloo passes through Wilton via Salisbury, going down to Exeter. The SR built their station, originally just 'Wilton Railway Station in 1859, being renamed as 'Wilton South' in 1949 and was closed in 1966.  

 

The GWR's Salisbury Branch, linking in with their main line via Westbury, also had a station at Wilton. It was built in 1856 and had one platform due to the branch being a single line. When the line was doubled in 1896, an extra platform was fitted. Again, it was renamed in 1949 as 'Wilton North'. It was closed in 1955, although it remained open for goods traffic until 1965, and the goods shed can still be seen today, albeit in the guise of a shop. 

 

That is how a town of, according to a 1861 census, 1,930 people gained two stations. 

 

Recently, a group of organisations, including TransWilts, Wiltshire Council, South West Trains and Great Western Railway (ex-First Great Western) have put forward plans to rebuild 'Wilton North', renaming it as 'Wilton Parkway'. 

 

This station will, according to one of their recent publications:

"Provide new capacity for passengers to access the National Rail Network using direct trains to London, Southampton, Swindon, Bristol and Cardiff

 

Support sustainable access to Salisbury with a highly attractive 5 minute journey time

 

Offer a fast, high capacity rail-bus link to the World Heritage Site at Stonehenge"

 

The plans are still very much at development phase, with Business Cases to prove and an assessment of its economic benefits to get through, but it is good to see recent developments in the UK's rail infrastructure pushing forward. 

 

Xander. 

 

http://www.twcrp.org.uk/WiltonParkway_2015_09.pdf

http://transwilts.org/tw/london-yeovil/wilton-parkway 

http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/13796760.Designs_for_new_Wilton_Parkway_project_unveiled/

http://southwestwilts.ourcommunitymatters.org.uk/news/wilton-parkway-station-proposal-find-out-more/

[Kris]

Sounds like a sensible place to put a new station. 

[Rivercider]

That is interesting, hopefully it will come to fruition.

 

I had expected that a station on the Waterloo - Exeter route would at some stage be re-opened at Wilton, especially since the service on that route has been enhanced.

I was assuming that most journeys would be into Salisbury, or towards London.

 

cheers

[Joseph_Pestell]

Much enthusiasm around here for this project.

 

It's a bit of a strange one in some ways. Wilton itself provided very little traffic for the railways. It is too close to Salisbury and both stations were a long way from town. Situation is changed now because:

1. a large new housing development is going up on an ex-MoD site;

2. there is already a nice big white elephant of a car park that is supposed to be for Park and Ride services into Salisbury.

 

P+R in Salisbury is a bit of a farce (a very expensive one) because it has none of the features that make P+R work: cheaper than parking in town, dedicated service, bus priority measures. All four P+R sites are grossly underused. All four P+R sites are underused with empty buses running for much of the day.

 

The new Wilton Parkway will not be used by passengers going into Salisbury but will be very useful for journeys to Bristol, Southampton and London. SouthWest Trains are putting on more services from Waterloo to Westbury and Yeovil. But the station will only really come into its own if they can provide a turnback facility there and terminate London services from Waterloo that currently terminate at Salisbury.

[PaulRhB]

Ok so resignalling put off into 2020's, you'd need a new crossover at Wilton as the ground frame isn't suitable and Wiltshire Council is out of money. Don't hold your breath

It would have made more sense to use Wilton South as you could run out onto the single line to reverse without any resignalling or new track, the platforms still there too. This scheme and one with a monorail sharing the tunnel are the latest council dreams.

Edited October 29, 2015 by PaulRhB

[Joseph_Pestell]

Ok so resignalling put off into 2020's, you'd need a new crossover at Wilton as the ground frame isn't suitable and Wiltshire Council is out of money. Don't hold your breath

It would have made more sense to use Wilton South as you could run out onto the single line to reverse without any resignalling or new track, the platforms still there too. This scheme and one with a monorail sharing the tunnel are the latest council dreams.

 

Agreed. It needs at least a crossover (unless they want to run more trains to Warminster) and possibly a turnback siding. Such things come very expensive on the modern railway particularly with regards to signalling.

 

Wilton South would seem a better option with regard to the train service but not so good for the car park that they want to find a use for.

[PaulRhB]

If they're using the old site then it's about 300yds I suppose, far to far for people to walk these days

Running a train to Warminster would preclude using the Waterloo stock as they only have a 30 minute turn round. The Romsey Rounders have 40 mins but even that is too tight to cover Warminster and back as its a 20 min run and you'd have to allow 5 min turn round. Using stock to the maximum also wipes out recovery possibility with that stock which is where the 30-40min layover has a big advantage in disruption. We've been trying to get Platforms 1 & 5 back into passenger use but even that is too expensive except as part of a full scheme.

[alaneggleston]

We've been trying to get Platforms 1 & 5 back into passenger use but even that is too expensive except as part of a full scheme.

Paul,

 

As far as signalling alone is concerned how much is work is required in getting P1 & P5 back into passenger use?

 

Cheers

 

Alan

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

If they're using the old site then it's about 300yds I suppose, far to far for people to walk these days

Running a train to Warminster would preclude using the Waterloo stock as they only have a 30 minute turn round. The Romsey Rounders have 40 mins but even that is too tight to cover Warminster and back as its a 20 min run and you'd have to allow 5 min turn round. Using stock to the maximum also wipes out recovery possibility with that stock which is where the 30-40min layover has a big advantage in disruption. We've been trying to get Platforms 1 & 5 back into passenger use but even that is too expensive except as part of a full scheme.

 

Certainly a long way from the north end of the P+R car park even to platforms on the GW. Probably another 150 yards on from there to the LSW station.

 

I think that availability of rolling stock could be the weak point of this project rather than cost of the station itself. I agree that to make the thing work properly, there needs to be more rolling stock made available. But then that is probably needed anyway at current rates of growth. (Class 442 are becoming available from Gatwick and would make a nice push-pull unit - one can dream!).

 

I had not realised that 5 had been taken out of use. I knew that 1 had been taken out of use but I don't really understand why (presumably it was cheaper than keeping it).

 

A big selling point of this scheme is that it will offer better access to the overpriced Stonehenge. I don't really buy that as Salisbury station is conveniently placed for access to the A360 anyway. Stonehenge is not a destination for a whole day out and it makes more sense for people to combine it with a visit to Salisbury (cathedral etc).

 

It must really succeed on the basis of being a railhead for car drivers from across the area. With very limited parking available at Gillingham and Tisbury, I could certainly see myself using it if the service from Waterloo is adequate.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Joseph_Pestell

[PaulRhB]

Extending the Romsey Rounders or the Waterloo Stopper to Wilton is feasible in their layover time and still leaves time to recover delays a bit. It's certainly not worth hiring in another unit to cover it. I can't see how it competes with the bus really as you pay for the parking then get a free ride on the bus, are the council going to pay SWT for the shuttle and two man crew? stikes me as more expensive than the bus in operating costs alone.

 

Platform 5 and 1 were designated as sidings in 1981 in the resignalling. 5 has been mooted for a Swindon to Salisbury Service but it all falls apart when the costs for relocking are put on the table to replace the ground signals with Main aspects.

 

There's a lot of stuff flying around at present on the choice between Recontrol, (control existing layout remotely from Basingstoke ROC), or full resignalling also in the ROC. I can't comment on the details as it's all commercially sensitive and could change anyway, but we are involved to an extent in highlighting the possibilities for each scheme. The change in franchise in 2017 is important too as it affects the bids for services.

[Zomboid]

The location just after the divergence seems a bit silly (though understandable due to the car park). It would seem to me that putting it before the routes split would enable it to be served by trains on both the Exeter and Westbury lines, and those services would probably be enough, at least to start with.

I suppose they could end up building 4 platforms at some point...

[PaulRhB]

The location just after the divergence seems a bit silly (though understandable due to the car park). It would seem to me that putting it before the routes split would enable it to be served by trains on both the Exeter and Westbury lines, and those services would probably be enough, at least to start with.

I suppose they could end up building 4 platforms at some point...

No room there for the centre platform and 3 platforms and disabled access bridges would be hideously expensive plus too close to the junction for the signal overlaps. Edited October 30, 2015 by PaulRhB

[Zomboid]

Oh, is it 4 tracked some distance towards Salisbury then?

I was thinking 2 platforms before the junction, but if that's a mile into town then clearly not...

Edited October 30, 2015 by Zomboid

[Joseph_Pestell]

Oh, is it 4 tracked some distance towards Salisbury then?

I was thinking 2 platforms before the junction, but if that's a mile into town then clearly not...

 

Distance into Wilton is not the problem. The town itself is not going to be the main impetus to this project.

 

The present junction lies a bit to the east of Wilton alongside the A30. It's already a busy stretch of road with long delays at the traffic lights. It could have been an interesting location for a Parkway as there is a former ECC site that could have been converted. But the cost of building a car park is a major factor in a such cases and Wilton already has one available.

[PaulRhB]

As I understand it the council wants to build houses in the old Quidhampton quarry. It only closed because they weren't allowed to expand it any further.

The 4 track section is fairly short and tight to the road on one side. It used to be 4 track all the way in with the GWR and SR running parallel but the GW formation ends at the quarry now and has been built on right up to the depot headshunt, the depot being on the old GW station.

Anything that involves Wilton North or on the 4 track bit would require resignalling or realignments, the only 'cheap' option is Wilton South and that would need platform refurb and lifts. Due to the Councils continuing struggle for money none of us can see them getting the amounts required for the Wilton South option let alone the others. The schemes being suggested for the East side of Salisbury are even more fanciful. The railway certainly isn't going to pay for it in the current climate.

Also they seem to miss the fact that the Station is a fair walk from the City centre while the buses deliver people direct to it. The walk is fine for the able bodied but hardly a good route for elderly or wheelchairs as the pavements are fairly narrow and a mix of surfaces.

Now put the market branch back in off the end of platform 6 and that would get you into the heart of Salisbury and they already want to close the central car park which covers where it used to be. Mind you Sainsburys might not like it

Not sure you'd get the permission to run a unit up the gradient of the old branch though

Edited November 2, 2015 by PaulRhB

[Joseph_Pestell]

Extending the Romsey Rounders or the Waterloo Stopper to Wilton is feasible in their layover time and still leaves time to recover delays a bit. It's certainly not worth hiring in another unit to cover it. I can't see how it competes with the bus really as you pay for the parking then get a free ride on the bus, are the council going to pay SWT for the shuttle and two man crew? stikes me as more expensive than the bus in operating costs alone.

 

Platform 5 and 1 were designated as sidings in 1981 in the resignalling. 5 has been mooted for a Swindon to Salisbury Service but it all falls apart when the costs for relocking are put on the table to replace the ground signals with Main aspects.

 

There's a lot of stuff flying around at present on the choice between Recontrol, (control existing layout remotely from Basingstoke ROC), or full resignalling also in the ROC. I can't comment on the details as it's all commercially sensitive and could change anyway, but we are involved to an extent in highlighting the possibilities for each scheme. The change in franchise in 2017 is important too as it affects the bids for services.

 

I have travelled on a train from Platform 1 since 2002 (when I moved back to the UK). Presumably hand signalled.

[Joseph_Pestell]

As I understand it the council wants to build houses in the old Quidhampton quarry. It only closed because they weren't allowed to expand it any further.

The 4 track section is fairly short and tight to the road on one side. It used to be 4 track all the way in with the GWR and SR running parallel but the GW formation ends at the quarry now and has been built on right up to the depot headshunt, the depot being on the old GW station.

Anything that involves Wilton North or on the 4 track bit would require resignalling or realignments, the only 'cheap' option is Wilton South and that would need platform refurb and lifts. Due to the Councils continuing struggle for money none of us can see them getting the amounts required for the Wilton South option let alone the others. The schemes being suggested for the East side of Salisbury are even more fanciful. The railway certainly isn't going to pay for it in the current climate.

Also they seem to miss the fact that the Station is a fair walk from the City centre while the buses deliver people direct to it. The walk is fine for the able bodied but hardly a good route for elderly or wheelchairs as the pavements are fairly narrow and a mix of surfaces.

Now put the market branch back in off the end of platform 6 and that would get you into the heart of Salisbury and they already want to close the central car park which covers where it used to be. Mind you Sainsburys might not like it

Not sure you'd get the permission to run a unit up the gradient of the old branch though

 

Surely Wilton South would need more than "refurb" of the platforms. I can't see them allowing a station to reopen without platforms being as long as the trains using them and without platforms at the "right" height.

 

Do you know why lifts now seem to be compulsory when ramps can do the same job in most cases?

[PaulRhB]

I have travelled on a train from Platform 1 since 2002 (when I moved back to the UK). Presumably hand signalled.

Yes it can be used in an emergency with special permission and the driver can be instructed to obey the ground signals now rather than having a handsignalman. As far as I know there have been two since you came back, 2003 we did for single line working during the relaying of plat 4, then 2004 when one of the culverts collapsed. I can't remember anyone saying we've used 1 since for a passenger move. This coming Saturday 7th it will for a railtour into the depot!

As the crossovers are power operated points you don't need to clip and scotch, just secure on the switch in the panel.

 

 

Surely Wilton South would need more than "refurb" of the platforms. I can't see them allowing a station to reopen without platforms being as long as the trains using them and without platforms at the "right" height.

 

Do you know why lifts now seem to be compulsory when ramps can do the same job in most cases?

Refurb would include significant works as you guess but not any alterations to signalling which would more than double the cost.

Lifts are favoured simply because finding room for wheelchair reg ramps is virtually impossible. The shallow angle and 'rest areas', which are flat, mean they usually need more land behind the platform and it's usually been sold off and too expensive to buy back or blocked by new buildings. That's why Templecombe got a new platform over the old Down line formation as it was cheaper than a bridge and lifts once the foot crossing was closed.

Edited November 2, 2015 by PaulRhB

[Joseph_Pestell]

As I understand it the council wants to build houses in the old Quidhampton quarry. It only closed because they weren't allowed to expand it any further.

The 4 track section is fairly short and tight to the road on one side. It used to be 4 track all the way in with the GWR and SR running parallel but the GW formation ends at the quarry now and has been built on right up to the depot headshunt, the depot being on the old GW station.

Anything that involves Wilton North or on the 4 track bit would require resignalling or realignments, the only 'cheap' option is Wilton South and that would need platform refurb and lifts. Due to the Councils continuing struggle for money none of us can see them getting the amounts required for the Wilton South option let alone the others. The schemes being suggested for the East side of Salisbury are even more fanciful. The railway certainly isn't going to pay for it in the current climate.

Also they seem to miss the fact that the Station is a fair walk from the City centre while the buses deliver people direct to it. The walk is fine for the able bodied but hardly a good route for elderly or wheelchairs as the pavements are fairly narrow and a mix of surfaces.

Now put the market branch back in off the end of platform 6 and that would get you into the heart of Salisbury and they already want to close the central car park which covers where it used to be. Mind you Sainsburys might not like it

Not sure you'd get the permission to run a unit up the gradient of the old branch though

 

I did not know that City Council (or County?) wants to close the Central Car Park. One could see the logic though of selling most of it for redevelopment with part converted to multi-storey car park. Could be a real moneymaker for them.

 

But even if there were less city centre car parking, I still think that the existing P+R is condemned to fail because it does not offer a good enough alternative. For P+R to work, the buses have to have bus lanes and junction priority - neither of which is possible on Salisbury's roads.

 

As you say, Salisbury station is some way distant from the city centre shops so the new Wilton Parkway would not be for people travelling into Salisbury but to London and Southampton/Portsmouth/Bristol.

 

PS: For info: at what date was the GWR/LSWR routes junction moved to that location? I don't think it was as early as closure to passengers of the GW station (1931?). I have always assumed it was done at about the time that BR(WR) took over the LSWR route west of Salisbury and singled it (late 60s). I only ask because the current layout at Quidhampton (before closure of the quarry) would, I think, make quite a good layout project.

[PaulRhB]

R A Cookes line Sections give the date for Wilton Jcn and closing of the GW line as 28/10/1973.

[PaulRhB]

I only ask because the current layout at Quidhampton (before closure of the quarry) would, I think, make quite a good layout project.

Well I started on one but abandoned it in favour of a smaller layout I could run at home, see Lulworth Castle,

Here's the initial plans for 'Wylton'

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/8629-wylton-junction-modern-southern-region/?fromsearch=1

[Joseph_Pestell]

I have just had notice from Wilton Business Chamber of a "Forum" about the Wilton Station project which will be held on 16 April in Salisbury.

[lmsforever]

One common theme I have noticed recurring through any station improvement/reopening is to expensive so why cant other alternatives be explored as all the delays only result in higher costs its about time that the DFT started to push ahead with reopenings such as Wilton.The traveling public will use new facilities if offered especially rail but not buses ,drive to the station then take the train that's what the punters want ,but the powers that be are obstructive at every turn and its about time they delivered for the public!

[PaulRhB]

I'm really not sure where these huge numbers to justify Wilton would come from. The Park & Ride isn't that busy. The new housing estates planned aren't really commuter homes from what I've seen and the existing big estate is local council housing and they are more likely to use the existing buses than rail as they're cheaper.

If the new estates were under way with lots of middle income housing it might work ok but as I understand it, it's a twenty year plan so not exactly imminent. It's likely we will soon see freight back to fill in Quidhampton quarry with spoil but that's going to take years before it's ready for building.

Wilton is so close, literally 4-5 minutes away, from Salisbury I can only see another white elephant in the near future as it's not the right kind of development around it and further west is Warminster. Wylye would make more sense in many ways as it could have large car parks straight off the A303. The road from the west into Wilton isn't great with several 30 and 40 limits in the villages. Wylye at around 12 mins away would serve them without having to fight traffic into the city plus the 303.

You could extend some Salisbury - London terminators or some of the Romsey rounders around the rush hours to Warminster where signalling allows turning back with no extra investment.

One thing I've thought would be to move Salisbury station East towards the tunnel so it was half a mile closer to the city centre and allow the depot to expand into the current site as there's not enough room for all the units as it is. The site is more restricted these days since East yard was sold off for housing which makes it highly unlikely to get agreement but it would have been a better site for the modern city. It could have included the central car park site with an extra top deck for the station parking hidden by a 'plaza' station entrance with retail and a short walk to the historic city Serve that using the existing park and rides too with services to cater for commuters to create a transport hub. Mind you it would need much better traffic management of the Southampton and Amesbury roads to serve it.

[brianusa]

The recent Cranbrook to Exeter Central is a similar situation.

 

Brian.