The view of Battledown Flyover as seen from a train approaching it on the up West of England line. This photo was taken from "The Cathedrals Express", which ran from Victoria via Bath and Bristol and back to Waterloo behind 35005 Canadian Pacific on 26th June 2002.

photograph by David Glasspool

When the L&SWR first opened the line from Worting Junction, just beyond Basingstoke, west to Whitchurch and Salisbury in 1854 a level juction was provided, which meant that down trains heading west and up trains from Southampton had to cross each others' paths. This was not a problem initially, but, as the traffic and speeds built up, Worting Junction became a bottleneck so to relieve this a flying junction was provided, opening on 30th May 1897. This changed the arrangement so that up trains from Southampton line now crossed over the up and down Salisbury lines on Battledown Flyover, some 3¼ miles west of Basingstoke. This was one of a number of improvements carried out to make the main line more suitable for high-speed running.

Diagram of the 1960s track layout at Battledown Flyover and Worting Junction.

An unidentified class 47 crossing over the West of England lines at Worting Junction with an up service from the Southampton Line, 10th September 1966.

photograph by Keith Harwood