Short line at Salisbury

[34006]

I travel a lot between Salisbury and Exeter, and would like to know what the short branch is to the north of the four track section, west of Salisbury station. It heads off Eastbound, over a tall victorian brick arch bridge, and then disappears . There is an electrical sub station to the north. The rails are shiny, so must see some use.. No sign of it on my 1980's OS 1 to 50000 map.

 

[Gloster]

Do you mean the line into the terminal at Quidhampton? This has a facing connection, together with a crossover, in the line from Westbury just before it meets the line from Exeter. It was certainly there in the late 1970s as I used to signal trains headed for it.

 

[swt_passenger]

Google aerial view here shows the layout fairly well.
Dropped pin

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7Y1vWP5eP51WB4Au5?g_st=ic

There’s a reversal required off the line to enter the quarry, you can see the points on a Streetview from Penning Road overbridge.

Edit to add

There are weekday Q paths for aggregates trains to/from Willesden Euroterminal:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Quidhampton Sdgs E.C.C. all day on 21/10/2022

Train information at Quidhampton Sdgs E.C.C. all day on 21/10/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Will they be options for HS2 spoil trains?

 

[Ashley Hill]

It’s the remains of the GWR line into Salisbury from Westbury before the junction at Wilton was created in the 1970s. This allowed the GWR line from the new junction to Salisbury to be closed. As has been said upthread the western stub is now used for the Quidhampton stone terminal. The east end has the depot carriage washer on it.

 

[34006]

Thank you, one and all. So much expert knowledge on this forum. I'll look out for the carriage washer next time i'm passing, didn't realise it was so far away from the depot.

 

[P Binnersley]

The GWR station building in Salisbury is still standing. It is on Fisherton Street immediately north of the railway bridge.
According to Google it is currently JC Carpets.

 

[fgwrich]

Unfortunately there wouldn't be any cheap nor easy way to re-instate the former GWR lines (which would perhaps allow separation to be done after the station) as the land has long since been sold off, and the railway themed Pullman Drive sits upon it along with the Plymouth Brethren Church.

 

[Bald Rick]

Google aerial view here shows the layout fairly well.
Dropped pin

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7Y1vWP5eP51WB4Au5?g_st=ic

There’s a reversal required off the line to enter the quarry, you can see the points on a Streetview from Penning Road overbridge.

Edit to add

There are weekday Q paths for aggregates trains to/from Willesden Euroterminal:

Realtime Trains | Departures from Quidhampton Sdgs E.C.C. all day on 21/10/2022

Train information at Quidhampton Sdgs E.C.C. all day on 21/10/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Will they be options for HS2 spoil trains?

Yes they are. Likely to start soon.

 

[Dunfanaghy Rd]

Yes they are. Likely to start soon.

I should hope so. they were being talked about by my managers long before I retired, and that's been 5 years!
Pat