History of the MSWJ
The Midland & South Western Junction Railway was a minor railway of just under 60 route miles. While its passenger services ran between Southampton and Cheltenham, its own metals began at Red Post Junction outside Andover and ended at Andoversford. The towns along the line included Marlborough, Swindon, Cricklade and Cirencester.
In Swindon, the MSWJ had its own station at Swindon Town. This was quite separate from the Great Western station on the London to Bristol main line.
The early years of the line were made difficult by the Great Western, who were strongly opposed to any competition within an area where it had a monopoly. In the event the MSWJ, at its fullest extent, never attracted enough business to make a significant impact.
The only exceptions occurred during the two World Wars, when exceptionally heavy traffic was carried, including that to military camps on Salisbury Plain. The MSWJ's only branch was from Ludgershall to Tidworth, where services were dominated by military needs.
During its independent existence the MSWJ (and its predecessor, the Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway) purchased a total of 38 locomotives. Almost without exception, these were from well-known builders, including Dubs, Beyer Peacock, Sharp Stewart and North British.
At the 1923 Grouping, 29 locomotives passed to the GWR. While one or two were scrapped quite quickly, the majority received standard GWR features and lasted into the 1930s. A small class of three 2-4-0s, built by Dubs in 1894, survived into British Railways ownership. The last example was withdrawn in 1954.
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