South Western Railway (SWR) has finished the most recent phase of improvements at Salisbury station in Wiltshire, culminating in the grand opening of the refurbished subway.

To enhance the customer experience, specialists have meticulously cleaned the original Victorian subway tiles on the ramps and within the subway.

Additionally, the floor has been resurfaced, concrete plinths have been restored and repainted, handrails have received a fresh coat of paint, and new, improved navigational signage has been installed.

The majority of the subway tiles were installed in 1859 with the opening of the current Salisbury station by the London & South Western Railway.

The station was built to the south of the initial Great Western Railway station built in 1856.

The subway restoration honours its nineteenth-century origins while prioritizing modern accessibility needs.

The newly resurfaced floor features anti-slip properties to aid customers using wheelchairs or strollers, and the contrast of the repainted areas, including the now black handrails, has been enhanced to assist those with visual impairments.

The subway walls have been adorned with new murals that showcase renowned local landmarks and historical events, generously provided by English Heritage, to encourage visits to Salisbury and its surrounding areas.

The region boasts some of the South West’s most splendid attractions: Salisbury Cathedral, a gem of Early English Gothic architecture that contains the Magna Carta; Old Sarum, an ancient hillfort known as a notorious rotten borough; and the Neolithic monuments of Stonehenge and Avebury, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

SWR has collaborated with local entities including the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership, Railway Heritage Trust, Wiltshire Council, Salisbury City Council, English Heritage, and Salisbury Cathedral to create an appropriate entrance to the city.

This gateway not only showcases Salisbury’s attractions but also encourages sustainable travel by train.

The funding for the subway renovation came from SWR, supplemented by a grant from the operator’s Customer and Communities Improvement Fund to the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership.

Additional contributions were made by the Department for Transport’s ‘Access for All’ Mid-Tier programme, Network Rail, and the Railway Heritage Trust.

The subway overhaul is included in a broader program of enhancements at the station, encompassing the current efforts to upgrade the forecourt, which are expected to be finished by next summer.

“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.”

Peter Williams, Customer and Commercial Director for South Western Railway

“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.”

Cllr Tamara Reay, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport

During the renovations, engineers uncovered a previously unknown tunnel, distinct from the refurbished station subway.

Its origins and purpose remain a mystery, but SWR, in collaboration with Network Rail and the Railway Heritage Trust, is conducting an investigation and encourages anyone with information about the possible origins or history of this separate tunnel to come forward.

While some subways at railway stations on the national network are original and maintained to keep them that way, more modern subways built during or after the British Rail era, are spacious enough that they can be used as arts spaces, such as the subway at Rugby