Withington Signal Box - The Last Train Register

I was able to acquire the very last train register from Withington Signal Box and have analysed the contents in this article to present a portrait of train workings in the latter part of the 1950s on this rural secondary line.

The Midland & South Western Junction Railway was a proud independent company which strove to provide a link between Southampton and the Midlands. Withington station in Gloucestershire was in a very rural location on the MSWJR, between Andoversford Junction and Cirencester, serving just a small village. As a consequence originating traffic was always modest though the station witnessed through coaches for various far-flung destinations on passing trains, plus long-distance freight. This section saw less activity than parts of the MSW to the south where local services operated in addition to the trains seen at Withington.

Withington signal cabin (as the MSWJ called it, rather than 'signal box'), measuring 14' x 11' with 14 levers - 8 for signals, 3 for points, 3 spare - was supplied by Dutton and Co of Worcester, and was in use when the first through passenger trains ran on the MSWJR between Andover and Andoversford (and on to Cheltenham) on 1 August 1891. The GWR absorbed the MSWJR in 1923 and singled the formerly double track between Andoversford Junction and Cirencester in 1928. After the singling, Andoversford Junction was next box to the north, 2 miles 59 chains away, while Foss Cross box was 4 miles 64 chains to the south - there had been boxes at Andoversford & Dowdeswell and Chedworth prior to that. The former down running line remained at Withington for use as a loop, whilst a 1935 picture shows single line apparatus at the north end of the station platforms. The GWR introduced the motor trolley system of maintenance on the line for which Withington cabin was equipped with a Ganger's Occupation Key instrument and there are regular entries in the register showing that track gangs were at work in the area. Platelayers could withdraw keys from boxes along the line, allowing a motorised trolley to be placed on the track and enabling the gang to work safely between trains.

In the First and Second World Wars Withington box opened continuously to deal with the intensive military traffic using the line, proving its strategic value in those dark days.

The station became an unstaffed halt from 28 May 1956 and closed after the final Cheltenham - Southampton public passenger train ran on 9 September 1961. A traveller through Withington on Easter Monday 1955 noted the station was 'in a terrible state of dilapidation, even the signals, mostly of MSWJ pattern, have virtually no paint on them!' The box closed on 24 November 1957 and this article gives details of the entries in the last train register, providing a glimpse of the trains which passed this remote spot on the BR network.

During the period covered by the register -17 June to 24 November 1957 - the box usually opened at 6.50am Monday to Saturday and worked two shifts. 17 June was the first day of the Summer service and while the working time table shows that the box was due to open at 4.15am, that had been amended due to cutbacks. Change of shift occurred about 12.45pm, with booking off time being at 8.5pm, though the working time table showed a closing time of 12.15am or after the last train had passed. Special workings such as excursion traffic could see the box open earlier, close later and sometimes operate on Sundays. The regular signalmen were H Harris and R Earnshaw. R J Parkes appears to have been relief signalman for the first couple of weeks in July. Harry Harris was the son of L Harris who used to be station master at Withington in MSWJR days. (When it absorbed the MSWJR, the GWR reported that the station master operated the signal box, which was opened for stopping goods trains only.) Harry Harris was on duty at Andoversford Junction box on 9 September 1961 and handed over the token for the Foss Cross section to the crew of No. 31791 on the very last scheduled Cheltenham - Southampton passenger train.

Up trains were travelling from Swindon towards Andoversford Junction, while down workings were those coming out of Cheltenham. Trains were not to exceed a top speed of 50mph between Andover and Andoversford Junction; the speed limit from the latter to Cheltenham Lansdown Junction was 40mph. Trains not stopping at Withington were further restricted to 15mph and to 30mph at the nearby Withington Bridge.

The final entries in the register were penned on Sunday 24 November 1957, with R Earnshaw booking on at 7am. As usual, the token was tested with the boxes at Andoversford Junction and Foss Cross. A code of '6' bells (Obstruction danger) was sent to Andoversford at 7.45am. The token instrument for the Andoversford section with ten tokens was disconnected and removed. Similarly with the instrument for the Foss Cross section, with five tokens. The occupation key for the Foss Cross - Withington section was taken out at 2.30pm. Signal arms and lights were removed. The points were set, clipped, spiked and plated. The loop line was thus taken out of use. Inspector P D Butt signed off the work at 4.35pm. Then, for the last time, R Earnshaw signed ‘Off Duty 5pm’ with the ultimate entry: ‘Signal Box closed as Block Post.’

The closure meant there was a block section of seven and a half miles from Andoversford Junction to Foss Cross.

Sadly, a photograph taken in 1960 shows the box already vandalised despite its rural location. The shell of the box was still extant when a demolition train removing track and headed by Churchward 2-8-0 2872 was photographed at Withington on 19 August 1963.

Regular Workings June to November 1957+

Immediately prior to the period under review there were eight regular Monday - Friday workings each way including light engines but from 17 June 1957 the first and last trains of the day no longer ran, though the working timetable for the period still shows both of them. These were the long established 4.10am Cheltenham High Street to Southampton class E freight, diagrammed for a 'Manor' 4-6-0, and the 7.4pm class H freight from Southampton Docks to Cheltenham High Street, usually a 43XX 2-6-0. The 4.10am was often heavily loaded and included vans of Cadburys Chocolate from the Bournville factory destined for export.

Interestingly if the first mentioned had run, it would have metamorphosed, according to the working timetable, into the 2.15am Washwood Heath to Southampton class C freight, leaving Cheltenham High Street at 4.30am after changing engines. But in the event, it appears to have been replaced by a working that did not run over the MSW, the thrice-weekly 2.15am Water Orton – Southampton Docks via Bordesley and Didcot and the 7.28pm return by the same route. While one published report says these were going to be worked by a Western Region loco from Tyseley shed, two almost new BR Standard class 4 2-6-0s 76085 and 76087 were transferred to 21A Saltley for the trains. Which makes one speculate whether the original plan had been to work throughout over the MSWJ with the 76XXX, a type familiar on the line. Cutting out these workings over the MSW meant Withington box opened later and closed earlier – it had been in operation for twenty hours a day, from 4.15am to 12.15am, but was now reduced to thirteen and a quarter hours, from 6.50am to 8.5pm.

In the revised scheme, the first train Withington box had to deal with was the 6.48am Cheltenham High Street to Romsey class H, booked for a 43XX 2-6-0 as far as Andover, which passed through at various times from around 7.20am. On nine dates during the period reviewed the working ran, usually a few minutes earlier, as engine and brake van only. It was cancelled on 20 June, a day when three pigeon specials ran in the down direction between 5am and 8am.

The 6.48am was followed fairly quickly by the 7.5am Cheltenham High Street to Swindon Town class K local pick-up. The booked engine on this turn was a 22XX 0-6-0. It sometimes dropped off or picked up wagons at Withington, such as ‘1 off’ 1 July; ‘1 on‘22 August; ‘2 off’ 20 September.

The only scheduled crossing of trains at Withington followed, between the 7.50am passenger from Andover to Cheltenham Lansdown, due there at 10.48am, and the 9.10am Cheltenham High Street to Andover class H freight, another working booked for a 43XX 2-6-0. The passenger was due to stop at Withington at 10.20am. Things did not always happen as planned, the 9.10am being a somewhat erratic timekeeper, so these two trains sometimes passed nearer to Cheltenham. On 22 June the 9.10am, although running to time, was put in the up loop at Withington until the 10.15am passenger from Cheltenham had passed. On Monday 2 September, it was not through Withington until midday, crossing with the regular light engine. On 8 October the word ‘steam’ in the delays column of the register suggests loco problems - the train was not out of Withington’s section until 12.20pm. It was also the most cancelled train, for example on three consecutive dates - 6, 7 and 8 August. In all the 9.10am failed to run on fifteen days in the review period, with an entry in the register showing the code ’Boxer 9.10am H St Cape’ - meaning ‘cancelled‘. However its booked path was occasionally utilised by special workings, on 10 July a pigeon special and a ballast train on 26 July. The scheduled departure time from Cheltenham for this working had been 12.48pm in earlier years, while the working time table from 17 June 1957 has it as 11.25am – though the signal box register consistently show it as 9.10am. This might help explain its erratic timekeeping!

Brian Knight said the 7.50am passenger had been the return working for Malvern Road crews who worked the 4.10am freight ex Cheltenham High Street. When Southern Region Moguls were introduced on the route,which was from at least 21 September 1953==, an Andover shed pilotman was provided to assist Malvern Road crews in getting used to them.

While the 9.10am was diagrammed for a GW ‘Mogul’, GW and WD 2-8-0s were also fairly common performers. During and after the War, Stanier 8Fs allocated to Gloucester Horton Road worked freight over the line. Ex–ROD 2-8-0s allocated at times to Gloucester Horton Road in the 1950s were, however, not permitted over the MSWJ.

At the time of this survey, the 7.50am passenger from Andover had a class 4 engine, normally a Southern Region class U 2-6-0, which first appeared on the working in March 1952, but again, other types such as BR Standard class 4 2-6-0s were also utilised as well, with a Standard class 3 2-6-2T on at least one occasion (Eastleigh shed had four of the class from new throughout the 1950s). On 28 September, a note in the Railway Observer showed the loco as class U 31618.

The next train was the 10.15am Cheltenham Lansdown to Southampton passenger, with a scheduled stop at Withington at 10.42am. This was a regular ‘Manor’ turn, either No.7808 Cookham Manor or No.7810 Draycott Manor; the latter engine was in charge on 28 September. Both passenger trains so far were belled as ‘3-1’, an ordinary passenger with class B headcode.

The 9.40am class K pick-up freight from Swindon Town to Andoversford was due around 12.15pm but appeared anytime between 11.45am and 1.45pm. It occasionally did business at Withington, picking up a wagon on Monday 1 July, possibly the one dropped off that morning by the 7.5am ex-Cheltenham. July 29 and 29 October saw the train double-headed, perhaps to reduce line occupation. It did not run on 31 July, with the engine running light through Withington. Maybe there were special circumstances on this day, as a later freight, the 11.30am ex Bevois Park, detailed below, was also replaced by a light engine.

The 9.40am was booked to run through to Cheltenham High Street provided there was a sufficient load, otherwise the engine ran light to Cheltenham Malvern Road shed. The turn was often used for running-in locos fresh from shopping at Swindon - green painted Churchward Moguls, with and without lining, stick in the memory. Any wagons left at Dowdeswell sidings, Andoversford by the 9.40am for forwarding elsewhere were collected by the Kingham to Cheltenham class K pick-up around 2pm.By the time of the MSW’s closure as a through route between Cheltenham and Andover in September 1961, the 9.40am was the only regularly timetabled freight on the northern part, running between Swindon and Andoversford Junction from Monday to Friday.

There was a regular light engine on the up which tended to follow fairly closely behind the 9.40am, but was sometimes earlier - 10.25am being the earliest. No doubt the timing depended upon other traffic requirements and line occupation. This was possibly the engine off the 7.5am Swindon Town freight*. A photo of an up light engine at Withington on 28 September depicts Collett 0-6-0 2254, an 85B engine, in the section from 12.5pm to 12.15pm. Apart from doubleheading the 9.40am as noted above, it was sometimes used for special workings. On 29 July and 7 August the loco was on a passenger train, possibly for the military, and on 18 September hauled empty coaching stock. On five dates it was noted in the register as being engine and brake van.

The 10.10am Southampton to Cheltenham Lansdown passenger was rated as a class A express, a turn for a class 4 engine, and the bell code was ‘4‘. It came through Withington just after 1.0pm, being non-stop from Cirencester Watermoor to Cheltenham in 38 minutes, into Lansdown at 1.35pm, giving some justification for the express headcode. Again booked for a class 4 engine, Southern Region class U Moguls were normal power, with, for a change, BR Standard 76XXX 2-6-0s - a few examples of the latter class were: No. 76013 on 28 September 1957; No.76060 on 8 June 1960; No.76011 on 16 December 1960; No. 76068 on 9 May 1961. The occasional class N 2-6-0 also appeared in the twilight days of the service and also, rather notably, three cylinder class U1 2-6-0 No.31896 on 24 July 1961. But the rarest loco I noted on this turn was T9 4-4-0 No.30288 of Eastleigh shed, which I was fortunate enough to see passing my home near Gloucester Loop Junction outside Cheltenham while on my way back to school after lunch. I don't have the actual date, but it could well have been Summer 1957.The train ceased to run on and from 30 June 1958.(T9s worked ambulance trains through from Southampton to Cheltenham during the First World War.) When this working arrived at Lansdown, it passed the 2.0pm departure for Southampton, so it was possible to see two Southern engines in Cheltenham at the same time.

The 2.0pm to Southampton, worked by Malvern Road men to Andover, was a class B passenger (it had been a class A up to 17 June 1957) and stopped at Charlton Kings Halt and Andoversford Junction, leaving the latter at 2.18pm before passing through Withington without stopping. Old habits die hard and it was still being belled from box to box as a '4', not a '3-1'.

About 4.0pm saw the passage of the 3.20pm Cheltenham High Street to Eastleigh freight, usually a class H, belled as a ’1-4’ and the return working of the loco off the 10.10am Southampton. However on 19, 20 and 25 June, also 30 September, it was a ’2-6-1’ or ’2-6-2’ to indicate an out-of-gauge or exceptional load in the train, probably military traffic. The freight was sometimes cancelled, a few examples being 17 August, 4 and 17 October with the loco returning home light. On 19 November it was engine and brake van.

Though booked to do so at Foss Cross, the Eastleigh freight occasionally crossed at Withington with the 11.30am Southampton Bevois Park (1.30pm ex Andover) to Cheltenham High Street, worked, I think, by the engine off the 6.48am Romsey. It was crewed fropm Andover by the Malvern Road men who worked the 10.15am passenger from Cheltenham. The Bevois Park was mostly entered as a ‘4-1’ bell code, a class H mineral or empty wagon train, but sometimes as a ‘1-4’ through freight. It was belled as a ‘1-3-1’ on a couple of occasions , 12 and 16 August, indicating a train ‘composed entirely of vehicles conforming to coaching stock requirements’ - probably pigeon empties. It was double-headed on 12 August. A few dates like 15 and 29 October had it as a ‘3-1-1’ express freight, noted as banana trains. And it ran as a light engine only on a small number of days. On 26 August, the regular up light engine which was running about 15 minutes ahead of the Bevois Park was held back at Withington and coupled to the freight. On Friday 13 September, Withington received a ‘Boxer Cape’ at 10.40am for the Bevois Park, meaning it was cancelled - only to receive a ’Boxer Calvin’ at 11.20am, and it did indeed run that day in its normal timings. The following Tuesday, the train arrived at Andoversford Junction with a broken token, so pilot working was introduced, with the 5.25pm ex Cheltenham and 4.36pm from Southampton having a pilotman. Pilot working remained in force until just after 8am the next morning. Perhaps there was some extra traffic on 19, 20, 22 and 23 November when this train is noted in the register as being double-headed.

Another light engine on the up was the one returning home off the 9.10am Andover freight. This and the morning light engine show the imbalance in freight workings on the line during this period. It tended to appear at Withington from around 4.45pm following the Bevois Park, but on a few occasions doubleheading with it as noted above. On 8 October when the 9.10am engine had steaming problems as mentioned earlier, the return light through Withington was at 8pm. Not surprisingly, the dates it did not run tend to match the days that the 9.10am freight was cancelled.

The next regular working was the 5.25pm Lansdown to Andover passenger, a class B belled as ’3-1’, due Withington at 5.50pm and headed by the loco off the 9.40am ex Swindon Town. This appeared to have had problems on Saturday 10 August, as it left Withington an hour late with a note in the ‘Delays’ column of the register which simply said ‘steam’. Presumably a lack of steam caused the problem, not too good on a train with just three coaches. It seems that assistance was called for, as there is a register entry started for a following light engine, which had been belled from Andoversford, then subsequently cancelled. So the crew must have managed to raise enough steam to set off towards Foss Cross. It would be interesting to know what the errant engine was on this occasion. And there may have been problems with it further on, as an extra light engine headed north that evening at around 9.45pm. The signalman booked off at 10.10pm - two hours overtime! I recall mainly GW Moguls on this working, sometimes ex-works in lined green livery. A rare loco seen by me on the train in July 1956 was ex-works Collett 0-6-0 No. 2222 of 81A Old Oak Common shed, definitely not a regular visitor. Another unusual engine for this particular train was 0-6-0PT No. 3666, from Swindon shed, 82C, again I saw this but do not have a date. On 6 April 1957 the train was photographed at Alstone Carriage Sidings (also known as The Vineyards sidings), Cheltenham, with another Swindon engine BR Standard 75003.

Finally came the class B 4.36pm (latterly 4.50pm) Southampton to Cheltenham passenger***, not timetabled to stop at Withington station, but sometimes noted in the register as setting down passengers - 1 and 15 August being two such rare events! It had scheduled stops at Chedworth at 7.42pm and Andoversford at 7.54pm, before arrival in Cheltenham Lansdown at 8.6pm. The loco was the one that went out on the 10.15am passenger from Cheltenham, while the crew from Andover were the Malvern Road men who had worked out on the 2.0pm passenger.

The 4.36pm was a pretty good timekeeper in the period. But on Saturday 20 July, a message was received that it was 22 minutes late, though the deficit had halved by the time it went through Withington. The following Saturday, it was half-an-hour down - indeed it had been late on the outward trip from Cheltenham. It needed to keep good time, being due into Lansdown station at 8.6pm, giving connections to a Bristol - Birmingham stopping train at 8.15pm and the Bristol - Newcastle express, which also conveyed the mail, at 8.38pm.

If the 4.36pm was running late, the Control Office made a decision as to whether to hold these connections. For example, an entry in Lansdown Junction signal box register for 15 December 1956 shows that Control allowed the Birmingham stopper to go on ahead after the MSW train had been reported 21 minutes late at Cirencester, although the latter still connected with the mail. On 17 December, the mail was held back by Lansdown Junction for eleven minutes to allow the late running 4.36pm into Lansdown station at 8.47pm as ordered by Control. A relief to the mail was also run that night, so it got held up as well. The 4.36pm may have been delayed due to an extra freight on the MSW, the 3.40pm class C banana special ex Southampton, which was overtaken somewhere en route, and which passed Lansdown Junction at 10.26pm. But next day the late running Southampton was not so fortunate, as Control allowed the mail to go ahead of it. Again there was a banana special on the MSW, in similar times to the previous day.

A typical day's workings as recorded in the register was Friday 28 June 1957:

6.48am Cheltenham – Romsey class H in section 7.30am – 7.34am

7.5am Cheltenham – Swindon Town class K in section 8.15am – 8.21am

9.10am Cheltenham – Andover class H in section 10am – 10.25am (crossed 7.50am)

7.50am Andover – Cheltenham class B in section 10.11am – 10.23am (crossed 9.10am)

10.15am Cheltenham – Southampton class B in section 10.43am – 10.45am

9.40am Swindon Town – Andoversford class K in section 12.10pm – 12.20pm

Light engine off 7.5am class K in section 12.35pm – 12.42pm

10.10am Southampton – Cheltenham class A in section 1.13pm – 1.21pm

1.56pm Cheltenham – Southampton class A in section 2.48pm – 2.52pm

11.30am Bevois Park – Cheltenham class H in section 3.51pm – 4pm

3.20pm Cheltenham – Eastleigh class H in section 4.37pm – 4.44pm

Light engine off 9.10am class H in section 4.59pm – 5.8pm

5.25pm Cheltenham – Andover class B in section 5.45pm – 5.51pm

4.36pm Southampton – Cheltenham class B in section 7.42pm – 7.51pm

These were the fourteen regular movements, with no extra trains. A fairly routine day, although the 1.56pm ex Cheltenham was about twenty-five minutes behind schedule, perhaps awaiting connections at Lansdown and the 3.20pm goods was around half an hour late.

The 6.48am ex Cheltenham, 9.40am from Swindon and 11.30am Bevois Park ran Monday to Friday only, until the winter timetable came into effect on 21 September when they commenced running on Saturdays as well.

As already mentioned, trains were crossed at Withington, with the most in one day being on Thursday 14 November. The first was the regular crossing of the 9.10am ex Cheltenham High Street and the 7.50am passenger from Andover. An extra DMU working around 1pm crossed the 10.10am ex Southampton, while the DMU often seen around 4 - 4.30pm crossed the 11.30am from Bevois Park.** Train crews also visited the box to carry out Rule 55, both the 7.5am and 9.10am Cheltenham freights doing so on 14 November.

Various minor dramas are recorded in the register. The down starting signal wire broke on 3 July, with a message left at Cheltenham St James Parcels Office for the lineman to come out and effect a repair. The 3.40pm ex Southampton special freight on 30 July was seen to have a smoking axle box on the guard’s van, resulting in the seven consecutive bells code ‘stop and examine train’ being sent to Andoversford. This was acted upon, judging from the time it took for ‘Train out of section’ to be received from Andoversford. A warning was sent to Andoversford on 8 August when the signalman observed that a door had swung open on the 7.50am passenger ex Andover; there was a similar incident on 15 October. Being in a very rural area it was no great surprise to find animals on the line, such as on 14 August with a report from a dmu driver of straying goats. The ganger was asked to investigate and the driver of the 11.30am Bevois Park which was at Withington to cross the dmu was cautioned to keep a lookout. 19 August witnessed the transfer - apparently using a passing light engine! - of no less than 22 tokens, received from Foss Cross and passed on to Andoversford Junction. These had accumulated due to the imbalance of workings on the line. On 12 September, the '7' bells code was received from Andoversford Junction at 3.44pm which had observed ‘iron bars on third truck from van hanging over.’ on the 3.20pm Cheltenham - Eastleigh. The train stopped specially at Withington where the load was examined and ‘found to be secure‘. On 9 November, the box received a ‘4-5’ code from Andoversford Junction to inform that the 4.50pm passenger from Southampton had passed without a tail lamp. The token instrument failed on 16 September, so pilot working was put in place for a couple of hours in the morning. (Next day, as related earlier, the token was broken.) Pilot working was also instigated from Andoversford on a number of occasions when problems with the token instruments arose there. The gangers’ motor trolley, which buzzed back and forth between trains, became derailed in Withington’s up main siding at 10am on 19 September. Luckily no damage was done and no trains were held up.

An important change affecting the future of the MSW was made on 1 February 1958 when the section of line from Grafton Junction, Savernake, to Red Post Junction, Andover, was transferred from Southern Region control to that of the Western Region meaning the latter had charge of the whole route. From 30 June 1958 it imposed a substantial number of train cuts across the Region as an economy measure and the through passenger service to and from Cheltenham over the MSW dropped from three to just one train each way, the 7.50am ex Andover and the 2.0pm ex Cheltenham. From 3 November 1958, the connection at Lansdown Junction from Lansdown station to the Andoversford line was severed and the service was diverted into Cheltenham Malvern Road and the terminus at Cheltenham St James, effectively putting paid to its usefulness as a through connection to and from the north. It must surely have been a deliberate act to time the 7.50am from Andover into Malvern Road at 10.53am - just six minutes after the Swansea to Birmingham Snow Hill diesel multiple unit had called, which could have provided a very good connection++. Any passengers for Birmingham and the north had to walk along a narrow footpath and cross a busy road to get to Lansdown station, not easy with luggage.

Also from 3 November 1958 the remaining through freights were withdrawn /. After that date the only surviving regular freight was the 9.40am pick-up from Swindon Town to Andoversford, arriving at 12.52pm and returning at 1.25pm. The 8.10am Cheltenham – Kingham pick-up also ventured onto MSW tracks to gain access to the Mileage Sidings at Andoversford and Dowdeswell. It drew wagons about half a mile along the old down line from Andoversford Junction and propelled them back. The Swindon Town working ceased on and from 11 September 1961, while the 8.10am Cheltenham finished on and from 15 October 1962.

The last MSW passenger trains, one each way,both now stopping at Withington, ran for the very last time on Saturday 9 September 1961 headed by U class 31791, with the final departure from St James station at 1.48pm having a goodly complement of enthusiasts aboard, on the platform and along the lineside. I opted to stay at home and watch it go past for the last time.

Special Workings June to November 1957 

( See also the section 'Specials on the Kingham and MSWJ Branches')

The register of trains on Monday 12 August 1957 includes special workings, shown in bold type:

6.48am Cheltenham – Romsey class H in section 7.11am – 7.20am

7.5am Cheltenham – Swindon Town class K Caped (cancelled)

9.10am Cheltenham – Andover class H in section 9.52am – 9.58am

7.50am Andover – Cheltenham class B in section 10.15am – 10.26am

10.15am Cheltenham – Southampton class B in section 10.42am – 10.48am

Down special diesel in section 12.6pm – 12.12pm

9.40am Swindon Town – Andoversford class K in section 12.34pm – 12.50pm

10.10am Southampton – Cheltenham class A in section 1.8pm – 1.17pm

1.56pm Cheltenham – Southampton class A in section 2.27pm – 2.31pm

Down special passenger 'L2' class A in section 3.55pm – 4.2pm

Up special empty pigeon train in section 4.11pm – 4.38pm (crossed 3.20pm and special diesel)

3.20pm Cheltenham – Eastleigh class H in section 4.21pm – 4.27pm (crossed pigeon special)

Down special diesel in section 4.31pm – 4.44pm (crossed pigeon special)

5.25pm Cheltenham – Andover class B in section 5.54pm – 5.59pm

4.36pm Southampton – Cheltenham class B in section 7.40pm – 7.48pm

Again there were fourteen movements, with four special workings, but four regular movements not running. Apart from the 7.5am and the return light engine not running, the 11.30am Bevois Park – Cheltenham class H was cancelled. The engine for that, normally returning off the 6.48am, found alternative employment with the empty pigeon special which was doubleheaded, presumably the second loco was off the 9.10am which usually returned light engine. The special passenger shown as 'L2' in the register was probably a troop train.

Four trains in less than an hour from 3.55pm made it a busy time for Withington box!

Diesel Multiple Units

New Swindon-built inter-city diesel multiple units on test for the Scottish Region worked through Withington towards Swindon for virtually the whole period of this register, with a total of 122 movements between 18 June and 21 November. The batch of 64 cars constructed in 1956/57 were destined for service on the Edinburgh - Glasgow via Falkirk services. The DMUs left Swindon and travelled down the Stroud Valley towards Gloucester, then headed towards Cheltenham Malvern Road, where they reversed and went up the Kingham line to Andoversford Junction, before branching onto the MSW. On 6 December 1956 a unit is reported to have climbed Andoversford bank at 37mph in third gear.

The DMUs were seen from Monday to Friday - not every day, but pretty regularly. Sometime there was one working - either around midday or 4.30pm - but with quite a lot of dates seeing both. The midday DMU often crossed the 9.40am local freight from Swindon to Andoversford, whereas the 4.30pm similarly crossed the 11.30am freight train from Bevois Park, Southampton to Cheltenham. 14 November had three units working over the MSW, the extra one being at 1.0pm. It had to wait at Withington to cross the 10.10am passenger from Southampton.

The register notes that a DMU suffered an ‘engine failure’ on 19 June despite which it was only at Withington from 12.5pm to 12.16pm. On a number of occasions, the unit was held at Withington until the 3.20pm Cheltenham to Eastleigh goods had cleared the section to Foss Cross. There were other days - 8,9 and 12 July, 22 August - when the 3.20pm was running late and, as a consequence, was put in the loop for up to half-an-hour to allow the diesel to pass and get clear.

During the period under review, none worked in the up direction,that is from Swindon to Cheltenham.

In 1960/61 driver training on DMUs was undertaken between Swindon and Andoversford Junction.

( Withington had seen diesel power as early as 1936 with the introduction of a short-lived GWR diesel railcar service between Cheltenham St James, Swindon Town and Marlborough.)

Pigeon Specials

These trains often brought locos from rare sheds, or indeed, rare loco types through Cheltenham on the main line to Gloucester, but I have no firm evidence that this was the case with the ones worked over the MSW, though actual observations of these workings would be welcome. A total of eleven pigeon specials were booked in the register. Thursday 20 June had no less than three, through Withington around 5.25am, 7.15am and 7.45am. Again these were down workings. The box was always opened early for these specials - at 4.10am on 20 June for example.

In the following week, 27 June saw two pigeon trains, the earliest at 6.20am, with another following at 8.10am. There were two more the next week, on 4 July, around 5.45am and 7.30am. On Wednesday 10 July a further two  passed through Withington, at around 5.45am and 8.20am.

The final two in this period were on Saturdays - 3 August at 5.40am and 10 August at 6.0am. One appears to have returned over the MSW, an up train of pigeon empties being at Withington from 4.11pm to 4.23pm on 12 August. It is marked in the register as being double-headed, either because of the train's weight or to reduce line occupation by light engines.

Excursions

There were just a couple of excursions booked in the period. The first was on Friday 21 June, going through just after 8.30am, bound for Portsmouth. There is no indication that it stopped at Withington station. The return is not recorded, so was presumably after the signalman signed off duty at his regular time of 8.5pm.  A similar excursion a year previously, on 10 June 1956, was hauled by two GW 2-6-0s, Nos. 6320 and 6384.

The other excursion, an annual outing from Gloucester to Portsmouth Harbour, witnessed some drama. It went southbound on Sunday 25 August, with the box being specially opened at 9.45am. The train, hauled by Mogul No. 6373 of 85B Gloucester Horton Road, was in the section between 10.21am and 10.26am with the signalman booking off at 10.50am. The excursion was due back very late, as the same signalman did not come on duty for the return until 12.15am on the Monday. Having sent ‘line clear’ to Foss Cross box at 12.32am, he was however ‘unable to restore slides in Andoversford Control Box at 12.40am’. The excursion is shown as entering his section at 12.47am. After several more attempts to make things work, he advised the Station Master, presumably at Andoversford, of the problem at 1.0am and the train office at 1.3am. Meantime the train’s driver had come into the box to carry out Rule 55 and sign the register. Pilot working was commenced at 1.40am and the train left with a pilotman, finally being recorded as going out of section at 1.54am. The signalman booked off at 2.10am, around which time the, no doubt, very tired and cheesed-off day trippers would have been approaching Cheltenham. It is always particularly annoying to be held up close to home and well after midnight after a long day out! According to the 'Railway Observer, No. 6373 worked throughout and had the distinction of being the first W R engine to work over the Netley line in 1957.

The box opened again at its normal time of 6.50am that Monday; the first train through, the 6.48am freight from Cheltenham, had a pilotman with normal working resumed at 7.45am. 

As mentioned, the August excursion to Southampton and Portsmouth was an annual event. On 22 August 1954, it started at Stroud at 8.45am, calling at Gloucester and Cheltenham. The loco from Cheltenham was a GW ‘Mogul’ with 8 coaches to Swindon Town where it combined with the 10.30am stopper, going forward with 11 coaches. In 1955 it ran on 21 August, with 2-6-0 No. 5398 and 10 coaches. Arrival back in Gloucester was 2.15am!

Another source of extra passenger traffic through Withington was the occasional football supporters train. The Gloucestershire Railway Society newsletter mentioned one such on 5 March 1955, 10 coaches hauled by a 43XX, for a Walsall - Swindon F A Cup match.

Troop Trains and Associated Empty Stock Workings

There were nine specials and five associated empty passenger stock workings in the period, which appear from the identification codes to be troop trains probably going to and from Tidworth Camp. The branch from Ludgershall to Tidworth had been closed for public passenger and freight in 1955, but continued to be used for military traffic.

Thursday 18 July saw special 1874, going towards Swindon around 9.10am. Probably connected with this was an up empty stock train at 5.20pm, held at Withington to cross the 5.25pm Cheltenham to Andover passenger.

Monday 29 July had an up special, code 29S3, at 11.0am, while on 30 July, special 30W10 went through on the down at 3.55pm. Also on this day was a note that an empty stock working from Ludgershall to Saltney (near Chester) had been cancelled.

There was another up special, 7S13, on 7 August, through around 11.0am. This extra movement came as a surprise to a cow which had strayed onto the line near Chedworth Tunnel! The special's driver reported it and the Withington signalman conveyed the information to Foss Cross.

As mentioned earlier, Monday 12 August had down special 'L2' belled as a '4', probably a troop train.

Thursday 22 August had special 2270 down through Withington at 9.15am. There is no indication of a return empty stock for this train, but there was an extra up light engine, possibly off the special.

Thursday 29 August saw down special 2970 through at 9.10am, this time with a corresponding return empty stock working, around 6.15pm.

A down empty stock ran on 16 September, passing Withington at 2.15pm. Two days later, an up empty stock was noted around 12.30pm, with a similar down working the same day at 6.40pm - perhaps the stock had gone for servicing or swapping. There was a special up passenger as well this day, code 18.D.36 at 4pm. It seems possible that the most recent ecs was used for an up special on 21 September, 21.D.36. This crossed the 5.25pm Cheltenham - Andover passenger at Withington around 5.45pm.

The final down special noted in the train register was on 11 October, code 1172, again at around 9.15am. (It appears part of the date is incorporated into these specials’ reporting codes).

A couple of pictures of troop trains taken at Lansdown Junction, signalled for Andoversford and the MSW line have been seen. One on 20 August 1955 had Collett 2-8-0 3866 at the front end, while another, believed to be from 1956, shows 7808 Cookham Manor doubleheading a GW 'Mogul' on a train of about twelve coaches with reporting number 20W10 on the front of 7808+++.

Banana Trains

Twelve banana specials were noted in the Withington Signal Box register. These were capable of bringing rare loco types to the northern end of the line - I saw a Southern Region Maunsell Q class 0-6-0 on a banana train at Cheltenham during the hours of darkness.

A BR Notice headed ‘Instructions For Working Banana Traffic via Southampton (Docks)’ stated:

‘It is important that these trains should start punctually and maintain their schedules throughout, and all concerned are requested to give the working special attention.’

The notice shows that from June 1958 there were two paths for banana trains over the MSW - 11.30am Southampton to Water Orton, Thursdays and Saturdays excepted, and 2.48pm  Southampton to Water Orton, Saturdays excepted. These were due to pass Withington about 4.35pm and 7pm. They had class 'C' headcodes. When the 11.30am ran, it was in place of the usual Bevois Park to Cheltenham freight working.

Banana train times in 1957 were fairly similar, but with an extra path. The first special shown in the register was on 24 June and is noted as the 3.40pm ex Southampton, passing through Withington just after 8.30pm - giving the signalman a bit of overtime.

It must have been a big boat that docked, as there was another banana train next day, through Withington around 6.30pm and shown as the 2.30pm from Southampton.

A month passed before Withington saw the next bunch of banana specials. The 2.30pm from Southampton ran on 29 July, being in section between 6.31pm and 6.41pm. Next day, it was the 3.40pm, at Withington around 9.10pm.

The 2.30pm ran again on 19 August and 2 September in broadly similar times to those already shown.

Three more, on 11, 25 and 26 September, were noted as the 3.40pm from Southampton and timekeeping was pretty consistent, all going through Withington between 8.0pm and 8.15pm.

A  banana special ran in place of the 11.30am from Bevois Park on 15 October, passing Withington between 4.0pm and 4.15pm, running about right time, or even a bit early. The train was given priority over the 3.20pm freight from Cheltenham to Eastleigh, which was held at Withington for the special, whereas the scheduled crossing was at Foss Cross. 

The 2.48pm special ex Southampton Docks ran on 28 October, somewhat late, being in section from 8.24pm to 8.35pm, having followed the 4.50pm ex Southampton passenger along the line.

On 29 October the 3.20pm Eastleigh was held at Andoversford for a banana special to come off the MSW.

Special Freight

On 19 June, there was an extra freight, shown as 8.0am ex Ashchurch, so was most likely traffic from the military depot there. It ran more or less in the path of the usual 9.10am freight ex Cheltenham High Street and  was held at Withington to cross the 7.50am passenger from Andover. The 9.10am High Street ran later, towards 11.0am.

An ammunition train during the Suez crisis of 1956 with rare motive power in the unique shape of a Q1 0-6-0 is recalled by a local railwayman as having problems surmounting the bank into Andoversford, eventually having to call for assistance.

Engineers Trains

Sundays, the traditional day for such work, saw a number of engineers trains at Withington in the early mornings, anytime from around 6.45am to 9am, all arriving from the Andoversford direction. There was a sequence of four consecutive Sundays from 23 June, then nothing until 6 October, followed by 27 October and 10 November. They tended to return around 5pm to 6pm, apart from 6 October at 11.25am. The one on 7 July is shown as having the engine run round at Withington and then departing back towards Andoversford. These Sundays had one signalman on duty, for around twelve hours from 6.0am. The Gloucestershire Railway Society stated in a 1955 newsletter that ‘weekend work trains are always worked by 43XX locos.’

Other movements related to engineering and maintenance  saw a weed killing train in both directions on Thursday 27 June;  ballast trains in mid-morning on 26 July and 10 October, returning in mid-afternoon; and the Chief Civil Engineer’s inspection saloon out on the line on 20 September, down at 11.30am, returning up at 2.45pm.

Light Engines

In addition to the regular light engines, there were others, all but one being on the up. The exception was on 24 June, an engine passing just before 2.0pm; it caused the 9.40am freight from Swindon to be held at Withington for a while.

A number of these movements can be matched against extra down workings - for example the engine at 5.0pm on 19 June seems likely to have been off the special freight earlier that day. There were two lots of double-headed light engines on 20 June in the afternoon, presumably returning from the pigeon specials earlier that day, On 3 August an up light engine about 9.20am was quite likely off the pigeon special which went down at 5.40am. In all there were thirteen extra light engine movements on the up in the period.

Motive power

Here are some sightings, both confirmed and speculative, of motive power on trains which passed Withington during the period - further actual observations on the section north from Cirencester would be welcome.

Saturday 27 July had 6373 on the 10.15am Cheltenham - Southampton and 4.36pm return; 31801 with the 7.50am Andover - Cheltenham and 2pm return working; 31639 on the 10.10am Southampton - Cheltenham and 3.20pm freight back.

BR Standard Class 4 75025 of 82C Swindon was at Southampton on 10 August  and again on 13 August. On the latter date at least it worked the 10.8am Cheltenham - Southampton passenger which Peter Hay photographed at Horsebridge. (75029 had a month shedded at 85B in late 1954 and was used on MSW trains, presumably on trial.)

Class U 31639 had the 10.10am Southampton Terminus to Cheltenham on 21 August 1957 with 31802 recorded on the 2pm Cheltenham - Southampton passenger on 7 September.

Horton Road's 6349 was at Southampton Docks on 23 August.

On 18 September which saw extra workings with a special up passenger plus up and down empty stock, 2-8-0s 2818 and 3810 were noted at Swindon Town - this type was certainly used on troop trains over the MSW, so may have been involved. An 82D Westbury Mogul, 7300, was seen at Ludgershall on the same day, again a possibility for one of the extras.

Collett 0-6-0 2254 of 85B Gloucester was one of two light engines on 28 September, when 7810 Draycott Manor, Class U 31618 and Standard 2-6-0 76013 were noted on the passenger turns. That day also saw Mogul 7323 on an up goods to Swindon and 75023 on a down goods.

The 10.15am Cheltenham - Southampton passenger was hauled by 7810 Draycott Manor on 14 and 18 September and 19 October, 6373 on 3 and 17 October, 6341 on 26 October and 6365 on 15 November; all of these were 85B engines. 7808 Cookham Manor was also a regular performer.

Typical train register entries

UP TRAIN, 9.40am Swindon – Andoversford – (Cheltenham) (Bell code 3, freight stopping at intermediate stations)

11.28am Reply sent to box in rear (Foss Cross) ‘Line clear through’

11.31am Train entering section received from box in rear

11.31am Reply received from box in advance (Andoversford Junction) ‘Line clear through’

11.42am Train entering section sent to box in advance

11.42am Train out of section sent to box in rear

11.48am Train out of section received from box in advance  

DOWN TRAIN, 1.56pm Cheltenham Lansdown – Southampton Terminus (Bell code 4, express passenger)

2.8pm   Reply sent to box in rear (Andoversford Junction) ‘Line clear through’

2.20pm Train entering section received from box in rear

2.20pm Reply received from box in advance (Foss Cross) ‘Line clear through’

2.24pm Train entering section sent to box in advance

2.25pm Train out of section sent to box in rear

2.35pm Train out of section received from box in advance

Freight timings

Down freights:

The long-running 4.10am class C Cheltenham High Street to Southampton arrived at Andover at 7.42am, stopping at Swindon Town for water. IF it had run from 17 June 1957 as the 2.15am ex Washwood Heath, it would have left Cheltenham High Street at 4.30am after changing engines, but still arrived at Andover at 7.42am.

The 6.48am class H ex Cheltenham had an hour at Swindon Town, called at Ludgershall and Weyhill for traffic and was due in Andover at 11.37am.

The 7.5am class K called if required at Leckhampton to detach traffic, then stopped at Andoversford, Foss Cross, Cirencester, Cricklade and Moredon Siding, and was due into Swindon Town at 11.59am.

The 9.10am class H was shown in the working time table as leaving High Street at 11.25am, just stopping at Swindon Town for traffic. Running time Cheltenham to Andover was four and a half hours. 

The 3.20pm class H had just one traffic stop, at Ludgershall, to pick up. It was due in Andover at 8.3pm.

Up freights:

The 9.40am class K ex Swindon Town made calls at most places en route to Andoversford, due there at 12.23pm. It only carried on to Cheltenham - at 1.31pm – if there were six or more loaded wagons and/or 15 empty mineral wagons. Otherwise the loco went light engine to Malvern Road shed. Mostly in my recollection, it was light engine.

The 11.30am class F ex Bevois Park got to High Street at 5.20pm.

The 7pm class H from Southampton Docks took six hours for its journey, due into High Street at 1.2am. This working was not to exceed equal to 50 wagons arriving at High Street.

Up freights had to pin down wagon brakes at Andoversford and pick them up before crossing Lansdown Junction.

After closure of Withington box

Despite the downgrading of the MSW in 1958, with just one passenger working into and out of Cheltenham providing the regular traffic, a few extra workings still traversed the line, with trains that travelled north of Cheltenham utilising the ex-GW Honeybourne route.

Fred Lea noted a troop train at Cirencester sometime in 1959 behind 7804 Baydon Manor, ex-works.

0-6-0PT 3680 was photographed at Chedworth in October 1960 on empty coaching stock heading towards Andoversford, have no more information than that. 

The picture below, from 'Swindon's Other Railway' website, shows another empty stock working heading in the other direction at Chedworth on 1 December 1960.

A DMU driving training special was photographed at Withington on 16 November 1960 by John Dagley-Morris; this would have come from Swindon via Gloucester and reversed at Cheltenham. He also photographed similar DMU workings on the line on other dates in 1960 and 1961.

John took a picture at Pilley Bridge, Cheltenham, of a Chesterfield to Andover pigeon special hauled by Mogul 7341 on 20 May 1961.

Another pigeon special that month brought a class U 2-6-0 to Cheltenham Malvern Road shed for servicing, seen by Derek Smith.

The 1.52pm Cheltenham - Southampton steams into Withington station at about 2.25pm on 13 May 1961 hauled by regular performer, U class 2-6-0 31618, with the usual three coach train. Just the one platform and track in use by this date with the signal box having been closed for nearly three and a half years. Photo Hugh Ballantyne

Postscript

In 2025 Graham Earnshaw, son of Ray Earnshaw contacted me and provided this information:

Dad was still working at Withington signal box till the day it officially closed in either 1960 or 61 then he went to Cirencester station as a signal man till that closed.  He then went to Lansdown station as a parcel Porter till he retired. 

Footnotes:

== A Western Region working notice concerning 'Cross Country Passenger Engine and Enginemen's Schedules' from the Winter Service commencing on 21 September 1953 says the Engine Working is a Southern Region turn with the Enginemen's Working being Cheltenham Malvern Road's turn no.100. 

+ For comparison, these were the scheduled MSWJ trains from and to Cheltenham per the Working Time Table commencing 26 September 1949 (a copy of which is onwww.michaelclemensrailways.co.uk)

DOWN

4.10am High Street – Southampton Docks 9.42am class D freight

5.42am High Street – Andover 9.58am class H freight Mondays excepted, ran as required

6.40am High Street – Romsey 1.2pm class J freight

8.5am High Street – Swindon Town 1.27pm class K freight

10.5am Lansdown – Southampton Terminus 2.19pm class B passenger

2.3pm Lansdown – Southampton Terminus 5.50pm class A passenger

3.20pm Lansdown – Andover 6.8pm class B passenger

8.10pm Lansdown – Andover 11.1pm class B passenger

UP

8.5am Andover – Lansdown 10.57am class B passenger

10.10am Southampton Terminus – Lansdown 1.30pm class A passenger

10.15am Swindon Town – High Street 1.58pm class K freight

2.35pm Andover – Lansdown 5.16pm class B passenger

2.10pm Swindon Town – Gloucester class K freight – routed via Hatherley Loop, stopping at Gloucester Loop Junction from 6.43pm to 6.53pm to pin down brakes

4.30pm Southampton Terminus – Lansdown 8.14pm class B passenger***

7.9pm Southampton Docks – High Street 12.5am class F freight

The main change was that there were four passenger trains each way in 1949, reduced to three by 1957. But there were, on most days, fourteen regular trains,the same as in 1957, though the latter included light engines.

In Summer 1953, the loco working the 4.10am ex High Street came home on the 11.30am freight ex Bevois Park. This was Malvern Road turn no.1. Turn no.2 was the morning Lansdown - Southampton passenger and 4.36pm return. Turn no.3 was the 6.48am freight as far as Andover, where the loco went on shed before heading the 2.35pm passenger to Swindon, due 3.55pm. It left there on the 4.49pm passenger back to Andover, arrive 6.5pm. It returned to Cheltenham on the 7.9pm freight from Southampton Docks, taking over at Andover at 8.55pm, with Cheltenham High Street reached at 1.2am. All these turns were diagrammed for 43XX class locos in this period.

* In earlier years, there was a timetabled light engine, 9.25am Andover – Cheltenham. On 14 August 1947 at 11.55am, this loco, Malvern Road based Mogul 5312, hit a tractor on a crossing one and three-quarter miles north of Cricklade. (per Adrian Vaughan's book 'Last Year of the GWR'.)

++ In the down direction, the 12.25pm Birmingham Snow Hill - Carmarthen DMU did provide a reasonable connection Monday to Friday, stopping at Malvern Road at 1.35pm, from where the Southanpton train left at 1.55pm.

** See 'Special Workings' section.

+++ Photo included in 'Specials on the Kingham and MSWJ Branches'. 

*** This train ran for many years without much variation in times. In July 1912, it left Southampton at 4.14pm with arrival in Lansdown at 8.2pm.In July 1923, with fewer stops, departure from Southampton was 4.35pm, due Lansdown at 8.6pm.

/ The 3.20pm Cheltenham - Eastleigh freight had been the return working for the 71A Eastleigh loco off the 10.10am passenger ex Southampton. After this ceased on and from 30 June 1958, it appears that 85B supplied a loco for the freight. E Wilmshurst photographed the 3.20pm at South Cerney and Ogbourne with Horton Road's Collett 0-6-0 3203 on Saturday 5 July 1958.