History Wessex Main Line
1 history 1.1 southampton salisbury 1.2 north of salisbury 1.3 across salisbury 1.4 20th century history southampton salisbury the south western main line of london , southampton railway, changed name london , south western railway in 1839, had reached southampton in 1840. branch salisbury (midford) junction on main line @ eastleigh (then called bishopstoke) opened in 1847. branch passes through romsey , dean valley; today part of route forms eastleigh-romsey line. a more direct route between southampton , romsey adopted in 1865 on completion of sprat , winkle line (at first andover , redbridge railway, taken on lswr before completion). forms current route of wessex main line: departing westbound southampton central via millbrook , redbridge before branching north romsey. north of salisbury the line through wiltshire , somerset completed in stages, after wilts, somerset , weymouth railway (ws&wr) authorised parliament in 1845. first section opened, in 1848, ran thingley junction we...