The Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway was incorporated in 1873 and opened in three stages: Stage 1 Swindon to Marlborough, 27 July 1881 Stage 2 Grafton to Andover, 1 May 1882 Stage 3 The complete line from Swindon to Andover was opened on 5 February 1883, by running trains over the Great Western Railway's Marlborough branch and a section of the Berks and Hants Extension Railway, as the SM&AR was unable to complete its own line between Marlborough and Grafton.