Upton and Blewbury railway station

Upton and Blewbury railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It served Upton, with Blewbury and West Hagbourne being only a mile from the station. It was opened in 1882 to serve military camps in the area.[1] Originally named Upton; Blewbury was added to the name of the station in 1911 to recognise the more distant but larger village in the Vale of White Horse. In the latter part of the station's history it also served the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell. The station closed in 1962.

Upton and Blewbury
Upton and Blewbury station seen in 1976
LocationUpton, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire
England
Grid referenceSU511869
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyDidcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Pre-groupingDidcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Western Region of British Railways
Key dates
13 April 1882 (1882-04-13)Opened as Upton
16 January 1911Renamed Upton and Blewbury
4 August 1942Closed
8 March 1943Re-opened
10 September 1962Closed

Facilities

The station comprised two platforms, with the ticket office and station buildings located on the southbound platform on a passing loop. The northbound platform, linked by two paths across the tracks at either end for access, had a small wooden shelter and a signal box at its northern end. To the North of the station was a headshunt and two sidings, one flanking the southbound platform used for loading horses and other goods, the other siding curving to the east.

The site today

The station building is still in excellent condition with a recent extension in the original style. It even retains its original canopy, although it has also been recently surrounded by further housing. The original station approach and car park area has been named "Beeching Close".[2]

Routes
Preceding station   Disused railways   Following station
Didcot
Line closed, station open		   Great Western Railway
Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway		   Churn
Line and station closed

References
  1. Ditchfield, P.H and Page, W., A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 3 (1923)
  2. Karau, P., Parsons, M. and Robertson, K. (1984) An illustrated history of the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway, Wild Swan Publications, ISBN 0-906867-04-5

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