Shawford

Shawford Station opened in 1882 as ‘Shawford & Twyford’, much later than when the railway line was originally built and opened in 1839. The village of Twyford lies a short distance to the east of Shawford.

Originally the station had just two tracks, but a third line was added in 1943 during the Second World War. This was to allow the endless stream of trains coming from the north to avoid having to wait to join the main line at Shawford Junction. This also avoided trains having to wait on the Hockley Viaduct and be at increased risk of enemy air attack. The build-up of troops and military equipment in Southampton Docks ready for the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944 meant large numbers of extra trains were coming to the south coast port night and day, every day, for weeks on end.

Shawford is now a busy commuter station but is also an access point for walkers visiting Shawford Down. The station had a small goods yard that closed to railway use in 1960, but the site remained the location of a civil engineering contractor’s yard for many years.