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150 years
ago, in
1859, the
first train
departed
from the new
Fisherton
Station in
Salisbury
for
Gillingham
on the
initial
stretch of
the
Salisbury &
Yeovil
Railway
line. This
was later
incorporated
into the
Southern
Railway, and
eventually
connected to
Exeter.
Sadly, the
stations at
Wilton,
Dinton and
Semley have
all now
closed but
Tisbury and
Gillingham
remain in
active use
and this
book
celebrates
the history
of this
section of
the line,
which passes
through some
of southern
England's
prettiest
countryside.
There are
many
photographs
of
locomotives
and railway
buildings,
of course,
but also
numerous
shots of the
more
intimate
side of
railway life
- the men
and women
who ran the
line, and
often came
from
families
with
generations
of railway
service, are
seen here at
work and
play, posed
and relaxed,
in uniform
and out.
And to
accompany
the images
there are
several
stories
written by
people
connected
with the
railway.
Drivers and
firemen
(including
the first
female
driver to
work on
British
Rail),
guards and
signalmen,
not
forgetting
passengers,
including
two who met
as commuters
and describe
their
growing
romance and
resulting
marriage.
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