Secret ‘labyrinth’ of tunnels and rooms found underneath Salisbury railway station

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Engineers working to remove an old phone box from a railway station made an incredible discovery.

Up to 2,000,000 people use Salisbury station in Wiltshire every year without realising an historic labyrinth of tunnels and rooms were lying under their feet.

Staff from Network Rail and South Western Railway found the hidden network underground during £5,300,000 upgrades.

The forgotten tunnel, which played a role in the station’s logistics, leads beneath platform four and features architecture using sections of rail for the ceiling’s structural supports.

Old signal equipment made from timber was also discovered.

Steve Kelly, asset engineer at Network Rail, said it’s ‘one of the most interesting discoveries’ of his career.

Video grab of engineers have found a "labyrinth" of historic tunnels and rooms underneath a railway station.Network Rail and South Western Railway (SWR) staff have discovered the hidden network froma bygone era underneath Salisbury station in Wiltshire. Photo released March 14 2025. It came after an old phone box was removed as part of the ongoing ?5.3m station forecourt upgrades, revealing a dark tunnel with unknown origins.Engineers ventured underground and found a labyrinth of tunnels and rooms.
Engineers inspect the incredible discovery (Picture: Network Rail/SWNS)

He added: ‘The tunnel’s origins and purpose have become a topic of fascination, linking modern development with historical exploration. The tunnel offered a rare look into the hidden layers of the railway’s history, preserving a snapshot of the site’s legacy.’

Video grab of engineers have found a "labyrinth" of historic tunnels and rooms underneath a railway station.Network Rail and South Western Railway (SWR) staff have discovered the hidden network froma bygone era underneath Salisbury station in Wiltshire. Photo released March 14 2025. It came after an old phone box was removed as part of the ongoing ?5.3m station forecourt upgrades, revealing a dark tunnel with unknown origins.Engineers ventured underground and found a labyrinth of tunnels and rooms.
Stairs leading down to the labyrinth (Picture: National Rail / SWNS)
Video grab of engineers have found a "labyrinth" of historic tunnels and rooms underneath a railway station.Network Rail and South Western Railway (SWR) staff have discovered the hidden network froma bygone era underneath Salisbury station in Wiltshire. Photo released March 14 2025. It came after an old phone box was removed as part of the ongoing ?5.3m station forecourt upgrades, revealing a dark tunnel with unknown origins.Engineers ventured underground and found a labyrinth of tunnels and rooms.
It’s hoped the discovery will reveal more about the station’s heritage (Picture: National Rail/SWNS)

While the discovery gave us a fascinating insight into the UK’s railway history, Paris is embracing the future with its £3,100,000,000 new mirrored subway station.

Villejuif-Gustave Roussy Station is part of the £29,000,000,000 Grand Paris Express railway project that will add new lines and stations across the French capital.

Meanwhile, French train carrier SNCF is giving a nod to the 70s with its latest high-speed TGV INOUI trains.

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