wˌɛn fˈɜːst ˈoʊpən, tɹˈeɪnz hˈɛdᵻd sˈaʊθ ɐlˈɔŋ ðɪ ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl bˈiː ænd dʒˌiːˈɑːɹ slˈæʃ mˈɪdlənd ɹˈaʊt vˈaɪə tə ɹˈiːtʃ bɹˈɪstəl, ɔːlðˈoʊ ɐ kənˈɛkʃən wʌz sˈʌbsᵻkwəntli lˈeɪd ɪn tə lˈɪŋk ðɪs ɹˈaʊt wɪððə ɹˈaɪvəl ɡɹˈeɪt wˈɛstɚn ɹˈeɪlweɪz nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θɹˈiː "bˈædmɪntən lˈaɪn" fɹʌm wˈuːʔn̩ bˈæsɪt tʊ ðə kˈɜːɹənt sˈaʊθ wˈeɪlz mˈeɪn lˈaɪn ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪt.
When first open, trains headed south along the original B&GR/Midland route via  to reach Bristol, although a connection was subsequently laid in to link this route with the rival Great Western Railway's 1903 "Badminton Line" from Wootton Bassett to  (the current South Wales Main Line) in 1908.