Chalford railway station

Last updated

Chalford
Chalford station (postcard).jpg
General information
Location Chalford, Stroud
England
Coordinates 51°43′15″N2°08′54″W / 51.7207°N 2.1483°W / 51.7207; -2.1483
Grid reference SO898024
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original company Great Western Railway
Pre-groupingGWR
Post-groupingGWR
Key dates
2 August 1897 (1897-08-02)Station opened
2 November 1964 (1964-11-02)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.

Contents

History

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]

Routes

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

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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 14 in —but, from 1854, a series of amalgamations saw it also operate 4 ft 8+12 in standard-gauge trains; the last broad-gauge services were operated in 1892.

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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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downfield Crossing Halt railway station</span> Railway station in Paganhill, Stroud, England

The railway station Downfield Crossing Halt was on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Stroud and Stonehouse in England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebley Crossing Halt railway station</span> Railway station in Ebley, Stroud, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowbridge Crossing Halt railway station</span> Disused railway station in England

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ham Mill Halt railway station</span> Railway station in Gloucestershire, England

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brimscombe Bridge Halt railway station</span> Disused railway station in England

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.

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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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary's Crossing Halt railway station</span> Railway station in Gloucestershire, England

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.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetbury branch line</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cirencester branch line</span> Branch railway in Gloucestershire, England

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.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetbury Road railway station</span> Former railway station in England

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bathampton railway station</span> Disused railway station in Bathampton, Somerset

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References

  1. MacDermot, E.T. (1927). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. I: 1833-1863. Paddington: Great Western Railway. p. 184.
  2. 1 2 Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 57. ISBN   1-85260-508-1. R508.
  3. Mitchell, Victor E.; Smith, Keith (January 2005). Swindon to Gloucester. Western Main Lines. Midhurst: Middleton Press. Figure XVI. ISBN   1-904474-46-2.
  4. Mitchell & Smith 2005 , fig. 69
  5. MacDermot, E.T. (1931). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. II: 1863-1921. Paddington: Great Western Railway. p. 428.
  6. Lewis, John (2004). Great Western Steam Railmotors and their services. Didcot: Wild Swan. pp. 2, 4. ISBN   1-874103-96-8.
  7. Mitchell & Smith 2005 , fig. 70
  8. Mitchell & Smith 2005 , fig. 71
  9. Mitchell & Smith 2005 , fig. 72