Chalford | |
---|---|
General information | |
Location | Chalford, Stroud England |
Coordinates | 51°43′15″N2°08′54″W / 51.7207°N 2.1483°W |
Grid reference | SO898024 |
Platforms | 2 |
Other information | |
Status | Disused |
History | |
Original company | Great Western Railway |
Pre-grouping | GWR |
Post-grouping | GWR |
Key dates | |
2 August 1897 | Station opened |
2 November 1964 | Station closed |
Chalford railway station was situated on the Great Western Railway's Golden Valley Line, between Swindon and Gloucester. It was just east of the bridge carrying Cowcombe Hill over the railway. To the east of the station site lies Chalford Viaduct, and beyond that, Sapperton Long Tunnel.
The Great Western Railway (GWR) line between Kemble and Gloucester – which had been planned by the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway – had opened on 12 May 1845, but no station was originally provided at Chalford: to the south-east was Tetbury Road, and to the west Brimscombe. [1] On 2 August 1897, a new station was opened at Chalford. [2]
There were two platforms, a signal box, sidings and cattle pens. [3] At one time there was also a shed for the steam railmotor. [4]
On 12 October 1903, the GWR introduced a steam railmotor service along the route between Stonehouse and Chalford, [5] serving the existing stations at Stroud and Brimscombe as well as four new stopping places, each of which was situated close to a level crossing: St Mary's Crossing, Ham Mill Crossing, Downfield Crossing and Ebley Crossing. [6]
In 1933, Chalford station issued 98,109 passenger tickets and 282 season tickets; it forwarded 7,632 parcels and 66 tons of general goods; goods received included 99 tons of coal and coke, 321 tons of other minerals, 305 tons of general goods; and the station handled 143 trucks of livestock. [7]
Goods traffic ceased on 12 August 1963, [8] and the station closed on 2 November 1964. [2] The signal box remained in use until 13 June 1965. [9]
Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
St Mary's Crossing Halt Line open, station closed | Great Western Railway Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway | Tetbury Road Line open, station closed |
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838 with the initial route completed between London and Bristol in 1841. It was engineered by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who chose a broad gauge of 7 ft —later slightly widened to 7 ft 1⁄4 in —but, from 1854, a series of amalgamations saw it also operate 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in standard-gauge trains; the last broad-gauge services were operated in 1892.
Gloucester, formerly known as Gloucester Central, is a railway station serving the city of Gloucester in England. It is located 114 miles 4 chains (183.5 km) west of London Paddington, via Stroud.
Swindon railway station is on the Great Western Main Line in South West England, serving the town of Swindon, Wiltshire. The station is 77 miles 23 chains down the line from the zero point at London Paddington and lies between Didcot Parkway and Chippenham. It is managed by Great Western Railway, which also operates all of the services from the station. It is the busiest station in Wiltshire, and the fifth busiest station in South West England.
The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway was a railway company intended to link Cheltenham, Gloucester and Swindon, in England. It was authorised in 1836 but it found it very hard to raise money for the construction, and it opened only a part of its line, between Swindon and Cirencester, in 1841. It sold its business to the Great Western Railway, which quickly built the line through to Gloucester in 1845 and Cheltenham in 1847; part of that route was shared with other companies.
The railway station Downfield Crossing Halt was on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Stroud and Stonehouse in England.
Ebley Crossing Halt was opened on 12 October 1903 on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Stroud and Stonehouse. This line was opened in 1845 as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway from Swindon to Gloucester and this was one of many small stations and halts built on this line for the local passenger service.
Bowbridge Crossing Halt was opened on 1 May 1905 on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Kemble and Stroud. This line was opened in 1845 as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway from Swindon to Gloucester and this was one of many small stations and halts built on this line for the local passenger service. This halt opened with the introduction of the GWR steam railmotor services between Stonehouse and Chalford.
Ham Mill Halt was opened on 12 October 1903 on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Kemble and Stroud. This line was opened in 1845 as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway from Swindon to Gloucester and this was one of many small stations and halts built on this line for the local passenger service. This halt opened with the introduction of the GWR steam railmotor services between Stonehouse and Chalford.
Brimscombe Bridge Halt was opened on 1 February 1904 on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Kemble and Stroud. This line was opened in 1845 as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway from Swindon to Gloucester and this was one of many small stations and halts built on this line for the local passenger service. This halt opened following the introduction of the GWR steam railmotor services between Stonehouse and Chalford. The halt was between Brimscombe and Stroud, and featured staggered platforms either side of the overbridge for the local road "Brimscombe Hill", with the down platform on the East side and the up platform on the West. Access to the basic wooden platforms was from the overbridge. Each with GWR pagoda style shelters soon after opening and electric lighting was installed in February 1939 at an estimated cost of £90.
Brimscombe was opened on 1 June 1845 on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Kemble and Stroud in Gloucestershire. This line was opened in 1845 as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway from Swindon to Gloucester, and this station opened 3 weeks after the general opening of the line, originally as "Brimscomb". The station was renamed as "Brimscomb near Chalford" in June 1865 and finally to Brimscombe on 2 August 1897.
St Mary's Crossing Halt was opened on 12 October 1903 on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Kemble and Stroud. This line was opened in 1845 as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway from Swindon to Gloucester and this was one of many small stations and halts built on this line for the local passenger service. This halt opened with the introduction of the GWR steam railmotor services between Stonehouse and Chalford.
Hinksey Halt railway station was built by the Great Western Railway to serve New Hinksey, a suburb of Oxford.
The Tetbury branch line was a 7.5-mile (12.1 km) single-track branch railway line that connected Tetbury with the main line at Kemble on the line between Swindon and Gloucester.
The Cirencester branch line was a five-mile-long single-track branch railway line in Gloucestershire, England that connected Cirencester to the main line at Kemble. It was opened by the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway in 1841. The main line was extended from Kemble to a junction near Gloucester in 1845, by the GWR which had taken over the C&GWUR. The branch supported a busy passenger and goods business, but these declined in the 1930s, and closure was threatened in the 1950s. To reduce costs and maintain the viability of the line, lightweight four-wheel diesel railbuses were introduced, and they proved popular. Nevertheless, the line's decline was inexorable, passenger service closed in 1964 and the goods service ending the following year.
The Stert and Westbury Railway was opened by the Great Western Railway Company in 1900 in Wiltshire, England. It shortened the distance between London Paddington station and Weymouth, and since 1906 has also formed part of the Reading to Taunton line for a shorter journey from London to Penzance.
Cheltenham Spa St. James railway station was a station in the town of Cheltenham.
Tetbury Road railway station was built by the Cheltenham & Great Western Union Railway to serve the Gloucestershire villages of Kemble and Coates, and the town of Tetbury.
Park Leaze Halt railway station was one of two intermediate halts on the Cirencester branch line from Kemble, Gloucestershire, England. It was one of the shortest-lived stations in post-World War II Britain, being open for just over four years, between 1960 and 1964.
Bathampton railway station is a former railway station in Bath, England, serving the community of Bathampton. The station opened on 2 February 1857 and closed on 3 October 1966. Very little remains, as the station site was replaced with improved trackwork for a nearby junction. The only significant remains are the gateposts at the head of the approach road.