Lost stations and halts
Oxford towards Thame (GWR)
In 1861 the Wycombe Railway was authorised to construct a broad gauge railway from Princes Risborough to Oxford. Thame was reached the following year but construction onwards to Oxford took more time, delayed partly by the need for a 520 yard tunnel at Horspath, and the line to Oxford was eventually opened on 24 October 1864. This single track line joined the Didcot to Oxford line at Kennington junction, just south of Oxford. In 1867 the Wycombe Railway was absorbed into the Great Western Railway and three years later the whole line was closed for just over a week whilst it was converted to standard gauge. January 1963 saw the final passenger train on the line and the central section of the track was closed and had been lifted within a few years. The end sections were retained for goods traffic however, from Princess Risborough to an oil depot at Thame (closed in 1991 and the track lifted from Princes Risborough in 1998), and from Kennington junction to the car factory at Cowley. There are continuing moves to re-open this latter section to passengers and run a service between Banbury and Cowley with new stations at Oxford Science Park and Cowley, but at the time of writing this is still just a proposal.
Taken from map revised in 1910 and published by Ordnance Survey Office in 1922
Iffley Halt
Initially going to be called Oxford Sewage Bridge Halt, Iffley Halt opened on 1st February 1908 together with the other GWR railmotor halts around Oxford. When railmotor services were withdrawn on 22nd March 1915, the halt closed but the line remained open for through passenger services. Located on the west side of the river, on the south side of the tracks and next to the viaduct, it was rather inconvenient with passengers from Iffley village having to walk half a mile along the towpath and across the lock to reach it.
There are no known photographs of this halt, but it would have been similar in appearance to the others which were opened at the same time.
Taken from map revised in 1910 and published by the Ordnance Survey Office in 1922
Littlemore station in the mid 1950s
Image © Norman Simmons, courtesy of photosfromthefifties
Taken from map revised in 1910 and published by the Ordnance Survey Office in 1922
Littlemore station in the mid 1950s
Image © Norman Simmons, courtesy of photosfromthefifties
Littlemore Station
Opening at the same time as the line in October 1864, Littlemore Station was the first station on the Oxford to Prince Risborough line after leaving Oxford. The station had a small yard with a wagon turntable which enabled coal wagons to be turned and pushed into the large hospital adjacent to the station for unloading. The hospital predated the coming of the railway, dating from 1847, and a lodge entrance was built in the surrounding wall for visitors travelling by train. A short distance from the station was a sand quarry served by a short siding. For many years two or three wagons would be loaded by hand with the special sand from this quarry to be taken and used in the foundry at Swindon Works. British Railways withdrew passenger services between Princes Risborough and Oxford in 1963 with the last passenger train running on the 6th January. All intermediate were stations closed, including that at Littlemore, the following day. The station site has been cleared and nothing remains to remind us of where it once was, except that the service road leading from the bridge still exists to serve a small industrial site which occupies that of the former station.
Photograph ©Philip Marsh
Oxford Science Park
For a number of years active consideration has been given by Chiltern Railways and Network Rail to the possible reopening of the Cowley Branch for commuters from Oxford. Certain trains would not terminate at Oxford's platforms 1 and 2 (the bay) but would continue along the main line through to Kennington Junction and on to the Cowley Branch instead. On 5th November 2014, Chiltern Railways ran a demonstration train from Banbury carrying investors and local businessmen to a specially erected temporary platform named 'Oxford Science Park'. Philip Marsh was there to capture the moment, and we are grateful to him for allowing us to use this image of the train arriving. If reopened to passengers it is proposed that the line would have two new stations, one at Oxford Science Park and another at Oxford Business Park a bit further along, with the ultimate aim of a regular half hourly service. These new services would appear to be slated in to start after 2025 following the redevelopment of the station at Oxford and necessary upgrading of the line.
Whilst only seeing use on the one day, and then being dismantled, this must surely still count as a lost halt even if it is the most short-lived.
Taken from map revised in 1919 and published by the Ordnance Survey Office in 1921
Garsington Bridge Halt
Opened on 1st February 1908, and closing on 22 March 1915, Garsington Bridge Halt was situated to the south of the railway bridge over Garsington Road (now the B480). In common with the other halts opened at the time, Garsington Bridge had a single platform, with a corrugated iron passenger shelter. Steps led from the halt down to Garsington Road. In mid 1917 two loop sidings were opened on the Up side of the line to serve a munitions factory, but they were later removed when they were no longer required.
Taken from map revised in 1937 and published by the Ordnance Survey Office in 1941
Lens of Sutton Collection 59087, courtesy of S. C.Jenkins
Taken from map revised in 1937 and published by the Ordnance Survey Office in 1941
Lens of Sutton Collection 59087, courtesy of S. C.Jenkins
Morris Cowley Station
Morris Motors had been based in Cowley since 1913, and by 1926, their plant covered about 80 acres and employed around 4,000 workers to produce 1,000 cars per week. Two sidings were installed in March 1926 to serve the Pressed Steel Company factory, who produced the bodies, and five more were added in July 1928 for the Morris Motors factory. The GWR were keen to promote the siting of factories close to the railway and produced a number of publicity booklets in support of their campaign which featured, amongst others, an aerial photograph of the railway facilities at Cowley. With the number of workers travelling to work at the car factory increasing, it was proposed that a new station be opened on the site of the old Garsington Bridge Halt. Morris Cowley Station was duly opened to passengers on 24th September 1928 and to goods in the December. Basic passenger facilities were provided in the form of a single timber platform with a parcels and booking office, booking hall and toilets. Access to the station was via the path leading up from Cowley Road, seen on the map. As production at the Cowley plant increased, the freight facilities were also being extended and a new signal box had been opened in October 1928 to control the sidings. Special services were laid on for the workers, beginning with a through train that departed Banbury at 6:00 am, arriving at Cowley at 7:00 am. The return working left Cowley at 5:08 pm and reached Banbury at 6:06 pm. Passenger services were withdrawn between Oxford and Princes Risborough in January 1963 and the station closed to passengers on the 7th of that month. Freight services remained bowever, the principal traffic being from the car factory which generated several freight trains every day. The section of line between Thame and Cowley was closed and nothing remains of the station but the line still extends through the factory complex
UK Railtours 'The Thames Trumper' 27th January 2018. Top and tailed by 59204 & 66122
66122 stopped yards from the very end of the line
Heading back towards the main factory area almost as far as Horspath.
Taken from map revised in 1939 and published by the Ordnance Survey Office in 1946
PictureOxon POX0132865
Taken from map revised in 1939 and published by the Ordnance Survey Office in 1946
PictureOxon POX0132865
Horsepath/Horspath Halt
Horspath Halt opened on 1st February 1908 and was sited to the south of Horspath Tunnel on the Oxford side of the bridge which crosses the Cuddesdon Road. In common with the other halts, it had a single platform with a corrugated iron passenger shelter. The platform was perched on an embankment with the passenger shelter being supported on timber legs. The halt remained open only for seven years, closing on 22nd March 1915, but it was to reopen on 5th June 1933 when the GWR also opened their new halts at Appleford and another at Towersley which is between Thame and Princess Risborough. The new halt was sited a few yards west of the original, towards Oxford. Horspath Halt finally closed on 7th January 1963 once passenger services ceased along the line. The village name on the map is rather out of date as the Parish Council changed it from 'Horsepath' to 'Horspath' in 1912. Confusingly, the name of both the halt and the tunnel can be found with either spelling.
The old trackbed which runs through the cutting between Cuddesdon Road and the tunnel was purchased in 1982 by Horspath Parish Council and forms part of a 5 acre nature reserve. The tunnel itself was converted into a bat hibernaculum in 2002.
