Compton | |
---|---|
General information | |
Location | Compton, West Berkshire, Berkshire England |
Grid reference | SU524798 |
Platforms | 2 |
Other information | |
Status | Disused |
History | |
Original company | Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway |
Pre-grouping | Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway |
Post-grouping | Great Western Railway Western Region of British Railways |
Key dates | |
13 August 1882 | Opened |
4 August 1942 | Closed |
8 March 1943 | Re-opened |
10 September 1962 | Closed |
Compton railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. Compton was the largest station between Newbury, Berkshire and Didcot, Oxfordshire, serving the villages of Compton, East Ilsley and Aldworth. The station closed in 1962.
The station consisted of two platforms with the ticket offices and station buildings located on the Northbound platform. This was the only station with the exceptions of Winchester (Chesil) and Newbury to have a footbridge linking the platforms, most likely to preserve the use of a footpath over which a Public Right of Way existed and to eliminate the danger of users having to cross the line by other means. To the north of the station was a goods shed plus cattle pens and three sidings which supported a busy coal trade and the loading of the products of the foundry. Evidence of the routes of these sidings can still be traced where continued use of weedkillers on the trackbed still inhibits the growth of invasive plants. A signal box was located at the north end of the southbound platform and there is an unusual single-truck bay set into the northbound platform to facilitate the loading of a horse-box to the rear of a Didcot-bound train. There is still the remains of a service road which ran from the station yard down alongside the embankment to meet the village road passing under the nearby bridge; the lower end of which has now been absorbed into the grounds of Compton Primary School. The station received relatively large volumes of goods traffic for the area with Baker's Foundry being located in the nearby village.
A link line to nearby East Ilsley was planned but never built, [1] although certain parts of the proposed route were levelled and ballasted for reasons as yet unknown. There was a facility at Compton for incorporating the junction and for the stabling of a small locomotive to operate the route.
The station house, booking hall and some outbuildings (lamp and oil stores and a porter's shed) and the nearby substantial brick road overbridge are still in existence. A public footpath allows access to the platform side revealing the complete platforms but with the trackbed filled in to the same level and laid as a lawn. An enamel "Platform tickets to be given up on leaving platform" sign, although it is not known if this is original. The large, well-built and relatively intact goods shed was demolished in 2001 to make way for a small business area. [2]
Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Churn | Great Western Railway Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway | Hampstead Norris |
Winchester railway station is a railway station in Winchester in the county of Hampshire, England. It is on the South West Main Line and was known as Winchester City from 1949–67 to distinguish it from Winchester (Chesil) station. It is 66 miles 39 chains (107.0 km) down the line from London Waterloo.
Aldermaston railway station serves the village of Aldermaston in Berkshire, England. The station is at nearby Aldermaston Wharf and about 2 miles (3 km) north of Aldermaston village. It is 44 miles 63 chains measured from London Paddington.
Newbury railway station is located in the centre of the town of Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire. The station is 53 miles 6 chains from the zero point at London Paddington. It is served by stopping services between Reading and Newbury and Bedwyn, and by faster services between London Paddington and Exeter St Davids and other parts of Devon and Cornwall. All train services at the station are operated by the Great Western Railway.
Watlington railway station in Oxfordshire was the terminus of the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway and opened in 1872. Watlington station was not in Watlington itself, but in the parish of Pyrton half a mile from Watlington.
The Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway (DN&SR) was a cross-country railway running north–south between Didcot, Newbury and Winchester. Its promoters intended an independent route to Southampton and envisaged heavy traffic from the Midlands and North of England to the port, but they ran out of funds to complete the line to Southampton. The intended heavy through traffic never materialised, and the line was dependent on larger railways—the Great Western Railway and the London and South Western Railway—for support, which was not freely given. The line opened in two stages, in 1882 and 1885.
The Lambourn Valley Railway (LVR) was a branch railway line running from the town of Newbury, Berkshire north-west to the village of Lambourn. It was opened in 1898. Fulfilling a local need, it was in financial difficulties throughout its independent life and was sold to the Great Western Railway (GWR) in 1905.
Churn railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It served Churn Down, a remote part of the Berkshire Downs. The nearest village was Blewbury, two miles north, which was already served by Upton and Blewbury railway station, the previous station on the line.
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. 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.
Hampstead Norris railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It served the village of Hampstead Norreys in Berkshire. The station closed in 1962.
Pinewood Halt railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It served the northern parts of Hermitage and Oare both in Berkshire. The halt was opened on 11 September 1933 in the hope of increasing passenger traffic from people unwilling to walk the long distance to the next station. It closed in 1962.
Hermitage railway station was a railway station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway which served the villages of Hermitage and Oare in Berkshire. The station closed in 1962. The station house remains and is occupied by a scaffolding company. The adjacent site became a light industrial site and was occupied by the Arena Seating Company. The Arena Seating site was subsequently re-developed for housing in 2006–07. The residential development is named Hermitage Green.
Woodhay railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It was located about five miles south of the junction with the Great Western Railway west of Newbury railway station. Woodhay station served the villages of Enborne and Enborne Row in Berkshire and Broad Laying in the parish of East Woodhay, Hampshire. It was a considerable distance from the villages of East Woodhay and West Woodhay. The site now lies under the A34 Newbury by-pass.
Highclere railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It shares the name of the nearby village of Highclere and Highclere Castle.
Burghclere railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It was further from the village of Burghclere than Highclere railway station but Burghclere station was relatively busy, serving the larger village of Kingsclere.
Litchfield railway station, on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway, served the small village of Litchfield, Hampshire, England. The station received relatively little traffic.
Whitchurch Town railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It served the town of Whitchurch, Hampshire, between 1885 and 1960.
King's Worthy railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It was built in 1909 as a direct petition from local residents of Easton and Abbots Worthy.
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Staple Edge Halt railway station is a disused railway station opened by the Great Western Railway (GWR) on the former Bullo Pill Railway, later known as the GWR Forest of Dean Branch.
St James' Park, Southampton is a recreational area situated in the district of Shirley, Southampton opposite St James' Church, Southampton. It is adjacent to Winchester Road and surrounded by housing, some of it dating from the mid Victorian Period. It is supported by The Friends Of St James' Park (FOSJP) who run a cafe and organise community events.