Alvescot railway station

Alvescot railway station was a railway station between the Oxfordshire villages of Alvescot and Black Bourton, in England. It was Oxford, Witney and Fairford Railway between Oxford and Fairford.[1]

Alvescot
Station site in 1990.
LocationAlvescot, West Oxfordshire
England
Coordinates51.73561°N 1.60034°W / 51.73561; -1.60034
Grid referenceSP277041
Platforms1
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyEast Gloucestershire Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
15 January 1873Station opens
18 June 1962Station closes

History

The station was opened by the East Gloucestershire Railway on 15 January 1873[2][3] as part of its 14-mile-10-chain (22.7 km) extension of the Witney Railway from Witney to Fairford.[4] Situated on the Alvescot-Clanfield road, the station served the village of Alvescot, situated less than half a mile to the north, and also the neighbouring village of Black Bourton.[5][6][7]

A small single-platform station was provided without a passing loop or signal box.[8] Ground frames controlled the access to the two goods sidings which trailed off the single track line at the western end of the platform to serve coal staithes, cattle pens and a goods shed.[9][10][11] A single refuge siding on the Down side lay just beyond the western end of the station.[12] Next to the station building was a Great Western Railway-type Pagoda shed and to the rear of the building, adjacent to the station forecourt, was a goods lock-up and a brick weigh house.[9][13] Unlike the Cotswold stone stations at Lechlade, Bampton, Fairford and Witney, the station building at Alvescot was constructed of red brick.[4][14]

In 1923, the station issued 9,046 tickets and handled 424 parcels and 9,616 tons of goods.[15] In 1944, Carterton station was opened 56 chains (1,100 m) to the east of Alverscot.[8] During the "Arctic" winter of 1946-7, the line was severed at Alvescot when a large snow drift blocked the line.[16] An emergency service was maintained with services running from either end of the snow-filled cutting.[16] During the final years before closure, a British Railways employee at Alvescot made a proposal for the line's operation using diesel railcars that, he claimed, would save at least £20,000.[17] This was to no avail as the station was closed along with the East Gloucestershire Railway on 18 June 1962.[2][3][17][18][19]

Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Kelmscott and Langford
Line and station closed		   Great Western Railway
East Gloucestershire Railway
   Carterton
Line and station closed

Present day

The goods yard remains occupied by G.F. Luckett, coal merchant, now supplied by road.[10][13][7] All the station buildings have been demolished and the remainder of the site is a light industrial area.[20][10] The station house still stands and is called "Station Bungalow".[7] Large sections of trackbed between Alvescot and Kelmscott and Langford remain intact.[20]

References

Notes
  1. Conolly (1976), p. 10, section E5.
  2. Butt (1995), p. 16.
  3. Quick (2009), p. 59.
  4. Jenkins (1985), p. 33.
  5. Jenkins (1985), p. 100.
  6. Mitchell, Smith & Lingard (1988), fig. 78.
  7. Stretton (2006), p. 91.
  8. Jenkins (1985), p. 97.
  9. Jenkins (1985), pp. 96-97.
  10. Mitchell, Smith & Lingard (1988), fig. 79.
  11. Clark (1976), Alvescot.
  12. Simpson (1997), p. 180.
  13. Waters & Doyle (1992), p. 101.
  14. Leigh (1982), p. 80.
  15. Jenkins (1985), p. 52.
  16. Jenkins (1985), p. 70.
  17. Jenkins (1985), p. 112.
  18. Clinker (1988), p. 3.
  19. Waters (1986), p. 28.
  20. Jenkins (1985), p. 147.

Sources
  • 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.
  • Clinker, C.R. (1988) [1978]. Clinker's Register of Closed Passenger Stations and Goods Depots in England, Scotland and Wales 1830–1980 (2nd ed.). Bristol: Avon-Anglia Publications & Services. ISBN 978-0-905466-91-0. OCLC 655703233.
  • Conolly, W. Philip (January 1976). British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer (5th ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-0320-3. EX/0176.
  • Clark, R.H. (1976). An Historical Survey of Selected Great Western Stations: Layouts and Illustrations. 1. Headington: Oxford Publishing. ISBN 0-902888-29-3.
  • Jenkins, Stanley C. (1985) [1975]. The Fairford Branch. Headington: Oakwood Press. ISBN 0-853613-16-8. LP86.
  • Leigh, Chris (1982) [1981]. GWR Country Stations. Shepperton: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1108-7.
  • Mitchell, Victor E.; Smith, Keith; Lingard, Richard (April 1988). Branch Line to Fairford. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 0-906520-52-5.
  • Quick, Michael (2009) [2001]. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology (4th ed.). Oxford: Railway and Canal Historical Society. ISBN 978-0-901461-57-5. OCLC 612226077.
  • Simpson, Bill (1997). A History of the Railways of Oxfordshire; Part 1: The North. Witney: Lamplight Publications. ISBN 978-1-89924-602-1.
  • Stretton, John (2006). British Railways Past and Present: Oxfordshire; A Second Selection. Kettering: Past & Present Publishing. ISBN 978-1-85895-203-1. No. 55.
  • Waters, Laurence; Doyle, Tony (1992). British Railways Past and Present: Oxfordshire. Wadenhoe: Silver Link Publishing. ISBN 978-0-94797-187-8. No. 15.
  • Waters, Laurence (1986). Rail Centres: Oxford. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 978-0-7110-1590-6.
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