Railway Terminus Station

Stagecoach travel was very popular in the early 19th century. However, it slowly declined with the coming of railways. The London and South Western Railway arrived with the line reaching the newly opened Terminus Station in 1840. It was designed by Sir William Tite and was busy with the Atlantic passenger trade. In 1847 engine sheds and a turntable were built.

The large South Western Hotel (then Imperial Hotel) was added and the line was extended into the docks to allow boat trains to terminate on the quayside. Notably many passengers about to depart on the ill fated Titanic in 1912 would have arrived here and spent their last night in the adjacent South Western Hotel. However, by the 1960’s, largely due to modern aircraft travel, this trade had declined and the Railway Terminus Station closed in 1966.

The former Terminus station building is now a casino. The platforms have been removed and all that remains is the huge glass canopy. Southampton Central is now the main railway station in Southampton.