Photo gallery - Milford Goods Yard then and now

John Palmer

Milford Goods Yard grew up around Salisbury’s first railway terminus and became a major centre of activity. It has its own page – Milford Goods Yard – where you can read about its history. There is little to see now of its railway heritage.

It was near this spot that Arthur Charlton, was tragically killed when he slipped under the wheels of the slow moving lorry that was taking him back to work. Employed at the Milford Goods Station, he must have been only fourteen or fifteen years old at the time, having left the boys' school the previous Easter. Arthur Maidment witnessed the aftermath of the accident from the top of the opposite lane as he was returning to the Infant School after lunch, an account of the incident being found in his book 'I Remember'.

John Palmer

The Blakey Road coal bunkers, opposite the Dust Hole pub, where the local coal merchants unloaded and stored coal from the yard, creating loads of dust - hence the 'Dust Hole' pub name. The last 2 were demolished c. 2012-13.

With kind permission of The Salisbury Museum © Salisbury Museum

This view looking along Blakey Road into the heart of the old goods yard site is similar to one shown in an old photo, with pub still there on the right - in the old photo there are coal bunkers on the left

John Palmer

The site of Milford Goods Yard looking East along Tollgate Road. The modern flats straight ahead are called "The Sleepers" in acknowledgement of the area's railway heritage

John Palmer

These flats, built around 2010, are on the old site of the Milford Goods Yard and their name "The Sleepers" acknowledges the railway heritage of the area

John Palmer

These flats, built around 2010, are on the old site of the Milford Goods Yard and their name "The Sidings" acknowledges the railway heritage of the area

John Palmer

The Milford Goods Depot in 1966.

With kind permission of The Salisbury Museum © Salisbury Museum

This area of the old goods yard is now known as the Barnack Business Park. It was home to coal bunkers and railway sidings.

John Palmer

A lot of the old goods yard site is covered in anonymous office and light industrial buildings

John Palmer

The retaining wall behind Salisbury Snooker Club, showing where the chalky hill was dug away to provide a level site for the Milford Goods Yard

John Palmer

A train heading from Salisbury to Southampton and Portsmouth passes the site of the old Milford Goods Yard, behind some robust fencing. From the train window you would never realise that this was the original centre of the railways in Salisbury.

John Palmer

This track is used by Network Rail to access the railway lines. The tracks in the distance are the line towards Southampton, along the route of the original railway line. From old maps it looks as though this track was a siding leading into the goods yard.

John Palmer

The goods yard site behind the Railway Inn/Dust Hole pub. The wall on the left looks old and may be one of the few relics left from the original railway constructions. The best thing about this photo is the view of the twin spires of St. Martin's church and the cathedral.

John Palmer