Shipton-on-Cherwell Halt railway station
Shipton-on-Cherwell Halt was a railway halt constructed in 1929 by the Great Western Railway to serve the Oxfordshire village of Shipton-on-Cherwell as well as the adjacent Oxford and Shipton Cement Company limestone quarry and cement works.
| Shipton-on-Cherwell Halt | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Place | Shipton-on-Cherwell |
| Area | Cherwell |
| Grid reference | SP470173 |
| Operations | |
| Original company | Great Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | GWR |
| Platforms | 1 |
| History | |
| 1 April 1929 | Station opens |
| 1 March 1954 | Station closes |
| Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom | |
| Closed railway stations in Britain A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z | |
History
Shipton-on-Cherwell Halt was one of 26 new halts opened by the Great Western Railway in 1929. It was situated on an embankment immediately adjacent to the single-span girder bridge over the A423 road. Facilities were basic: a short sleeper-built platform on the north side of the line, together with a small wooden shelter, running in board and two wooden lamp posts supporting traditional glass lanterns with ornamental finials. A sloping cinder path led down to the A423 where a sign proclaimed the halt as a station for "Blenheim, Oxford, Banbury, etc.".[1] The halt was constructed at a cost of £160 with a low platform for railmotors. The platform was later raised to standard height in 1933 at a cost of £120.[2]
The halt was opened to serve the community of cement workers employed by the Oxford & Shipton Cement Company which had opened a large quarry to the north of Shipton-on-Cherwell village. The company erected several rows of 1920s-style houses for its workers and this became known as "Bunkers Hill".[3] In the absence of competing bus routes, the halt was soon carrying significant numbers of passengers between Bunkers Hill and Shipton old village, contributing to a rise in passenger numbers at Woodstock from 17,000 in the early 1900s to 22,000+ in the 1930s.[4]
By the 1950s, rationalisation led to staff reductions on the line and the introduction of a modest timetable which saw eight services each way call at Shipton-on-Cherwell. Passenger numbers had fallen to 9,000, with each train carrying on average 5 to 6 passengers and sometimes empty.[5][6] The last train ran on 27 February 1954 adorned with a wreath.
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kidlington Line open, station closed |
Great Western Railway Blenheim and Woodstock Branch Line |
Blenheim & Woodstock Line and station closed |
Present day
After closure, the halt remained untouched except for the removal of the nameboard until the lifting of the track in January 1958. By 1973, all that remained was a solitary rail which supported a notice against trespassing and the kissing gate by the roadside which was buried in brambles.[7] Little now remains of the station.[6]
References
- Linguard, p. 16.
- Jenkins, p. 69.
- Jenkins, p. 46.
- Jenkins, p. 48.
- Jenkins, p. 89.
- Searle, p. 129.
- Linguard, p. 51.
Bibliography
- Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199.
- Jenkins, Stanley C. (1987). The Woodstock Branch. Didcot, Oxon: Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 0-906867-51-7.
- Jowett, Alan (2000). Jowett's Nationalised Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Penryn, Cornwall: Atlantic Transport Publishers. ISBN 978-0-906899-99-1. OCLC 228266687.
- Lingard, Richard (1973). The Woodstock Branch. Risinghurst, Oxford: Oxford Publishing Co. ISBN 0-902888-23-4.
- Searle, Muriel V. (1983). Lost lines : an anthology of Britain's lost railways. London: New Cavendish Books. ISBN 0-904568-41-5.