SOUTH Western Railway (SWR) has completed the latest stage of its upgrades to Salisbury station in Wiltshire, with the official opening of the revamped subway today.
To provide a more pleasant customer experience, specialists have faithfully cleaned the original Victorian subway tiles on the ramps and in the subway, the floor has been resurfaced, the concrete plinths have been repaired and repainted, the handrails have been repainted and new and improved navigation signage has been added.
The subway tiles date back to 1859, when the London & South Western Railway opened a station to the south of the original Great Western Railway’s station built in 1856.
While the subway has been restored in line with its nineteenth century heritage, enhancing accessibility for today’s customers has been a key concern. The resurfaced floor has anti-slip properties for customers with wheelchairs or buggies, and the repainted surfaces, such as the newly black handrails, increase the visual contrast for customers with sight loss.
The walls of the subway have also been decorated with new murals depicting famous local sites and historic scenes, kindly supplied by English Heritage, to promote travel to Salisbury and locations nearby.
The area has some of the South West’s most magnificent attractions: Salisbury Cathedral, the masterpiece of Early English Gothic architecture housing Magna Carta; Old Sarum, the Iron Age hillfort turned notorious rotten borough; and the neolithic monuments and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Stonehenge and Avebury.
SWR has been working closely with local partners such as Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership, the Railway Heritage Trust, Wiltshire Council, Salisbury City Council, English Heritage and Salisbury Cathedral to provide a suitable gateway to the city – one which celebrates what Salisbury has to offer and promotes travelling sustainably by train.
The investment to revamp the subway was provided by SWR, including with a grant from the operator’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund awarded to Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership; the Department for Transport ‘Access for All’ Mid-Tier programme; Network Rail; and the Railway Heritage Trust.
The subway revamp is part of a wider programme of improvements at the station, which includes the ongoing works to enhance the forecourt, due to be completed next summer.
During the works, engineers have discovered a hitherto unknown tunnel, which is entirely separate from the revamped station subway. While its origin and purpose are uncertain, SWR will be working with Network Rail and the Railway Heritage Trust to investigate, and is inviting anyone who might know more to get in touch.
Peter Williams, Customer and Commercial Director for South Western Railway, commented:
“Salisbury is one of the most important destinations on our network and one of the jewels of the South West, which is why we’ve been working so closely with our partners to revamp the subway as part of our wider programme of investments in the station.
“The subway has been restored in line with its Victorian heritage, while enhanced to provide greater accessibility for customers using the station today, creating an improved overall customer experience.
“We want to encourage even more people to travel sustainably by train and explore the many leading attractions that Salisbury and the surrounding area have to offer, with some of these showcased by our splendid new subway murals.
“This project was made possible thanks to a grant from our Customer and Communities Improvement Fund and the Department for Transport’s ‘Access for All’ scheme, as well as investment from the Railway Heritage Trust. We are grateful to all our partners who have worked us to deliver it.”
Nick Farthing, Chair and Director of the Hampshire Community Rail Partnership CIC, of which Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership is a subsidiary, said:
“It has been a pleasure working in partnership with our colleagues at South Western Railway, the Railway Heritage Trust and those others involved, to see the subway subtly but impressively transformed for both rail users and railway staff alike.
“The works have really brightened up the area and added some amazing historical railway images as well, to highlight the history of the area to those passing through.”
Cllr Tamara Reay, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, added:
“We are delighted that South Western Railway is continuing to invest in Salisbury station, enhancing its facilities and significantly improving the customer experience.
“These improvements align perfectly with the multi-million-pound station forecourt scheme, funded by the Future High Streets Fund, and set to be completed next summer.
“Together, these improvements demonstrate the Council and SWR’s commitment to providing a safer, more efficient and greatly enhanced experience for all station users at this key gateway into the city.”
Tim Hedley-Jones, Executive Director of the Railway Heritage Trust, commented:
“The Railway Heritage Trust is delighted to have been involved in this project. The station is a significant site for railway heritage, and we are very pleased that our grant has been used to make the subway a more pleasant and inviting area for passengers, while restoring its history and focusing on that of the local area.
“Well done to everyone involved in the scheme and we look forward to being involved in further projects at the station.”
Mark Goodall, Wessex Route Director for Network Rail, commented:
“We are pleased to support South Western Railway on improving the subway at Salisbury station to restore it to its former glory. While the station has embraced its heritage, it has also become more modern with the flooring containing anti-slip properties.
“Stations often form first impressions of a place and the colourful murals now in place provide a fantastic welcome to the city. I hope visitors to the station enjoy these modern changes.”
Richard Dewdney, Head of Historic Properties at Stonehenge, commented:
“As a gateway to this beautiful part of Wiltshire and the ancient wonder of Stonehenge, the newly refurbished subway at Salisbury station offers a warm welcome to all. With stunning images of Stonehenge, Old Sarum and the historic town of Salisbury, it serves as a daily reminder to commuters of the extraordinary heritage on their doorstep.
“For the traveller and tourist, just a short bus or taxi ride away lies a once in a lifetime experience, where the mysteries of the past await to be unravelled. Step through the Salisbury station subway and embark on a journey of discovery at Stonehenge."
Jane Morgan, Director of External Relations and Visitor Experience at Salisbury Cathedral, said:
“Along with our city partners, we are delighted to be part of the newly refurbished subway and wider station regeneration. Many visitors to the Cathedral arrive by train so it is great that they will now receive a more fitting welcome to the city and its attractions. It will also provide commuters with a pleasant addition to their daily journeys.”
Chris Roff, Contracts Manager for Milestone Infrastructure, commented:
“Milestone is delighted to be a part of the Salisbury station improvements programme of works. Both the national importance, and local love for this station has become clear to us through our initial engagement, planning and delivery of the station forecourt improvement works.
“The station forecourt improvement project, along with the renovation of the station subway, will bring the improvements to the immediate surrounding environment that this historic station deserves.”
Salisbury station has also benefited from waiting room upgrades, including the introduction of a calming space, which incorporates calming features to create a more inclusive space for customers who are neurodiverse or may have non-visible disabilities.
In addition, the café on Platform 4 has been refurbished and SWR has carried out an extensive repaint of the station, alongside other stations across its network.
