The Railway
A brief snapshot
Inset photo J.H. Moss
Please note, this page is only intended to cover a brief snapshot of the Kingham part of the railway.
This page is not intended to give a history of the line, the subject has been comprehensibly covered in many books written about the subject.
At the bottom of this page I have listed four books that in my opinion are essential reading for those interested in the railway.
When the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway was opened there was no station between Adlestrop and Shipton, this all changed in 1855 when the Chipping Norton Railway was opened and a station was opened on the outskirts of Kingham village and named as Chipping Norton Junction.
Delightful & full of interest photograph of the Cheltenham Spa train arriving at Kingham in 1962. (photo by M. Mensing)
Kingham Station
Kingham station was originally called Chipping Norton Junction station, it's name was changed to Kingham in 1909. The station was an important junction not only for the main line between London Paddington and Worcester it also had lines to both Cheltenham and Banbury. Sadly passenger services on the Banbury Cheltenham line ceased in 1962, freight services also ceased in 1964 leaving just the main line in use.
The delightful view of Kingham Station taken in 1931 looking towards Worcester. (Photo P.A. Hopkins)
As can be seen from the image above Kingham once had a beautiful original GWR railway station, what a dreadful shame this original Great Western station was wantonly demolished around 1975 (overnight to stop 'protesters') and replaced by little more than a glorified hut!
I well remember the roaring coal fire in the waiting room on a cold winter afternoon.
Locals will remember the footpath into the station from the Langston Arms when it was a thriving hostelry.
It makes me very sad when looking at the pictures of this once interesting and beautiful station and it's buildings, it also makes me quite angry at how it was all ripped apart and destroyed in the name of progress. I find it quite bizarre that society spends many millions of pounds on buying so-called works of art such as weird paintings to place in museums yet are happy to destroy wonderful buildings and railway architecture such as bridges and viaducts.
One such example was the beautiful Dowdeswell viaduct on the Kingham to Cheltenham railway shown in the photograph below, which was blown up and destroyed in 1967. Running alongside the A40 road near Cheltenham, it added so much to the scenery of the area.
The Main line Looking North Oct 1955. (Photo by J.H. Moss)
How the station looks now.
Oct 1989 HST from Paddington arrives at Kingham
May 1962 with a train waiting to leave for Cheltenham. Note that compared to a photo further down the page Banbury has been erased from the noticeboard, the line to Banbury having been closed in the late 1950's due in part to a landslide between Gt Rollright and Hook Norton which severed the route. BR decided it was not worth repairing the line which had already been earmarked for closure. Had the Hook Norton ironstone works remained in use the line might have been saved.
Photo by J.R.Besley
The Kingham to Cheltenham train awaiting departure. Lines to the right are to Chipping Norton, left for Cheltenham (Photo J.R. Besley)
Cromwell's Castle from Hereford to Paddington arrives at Kingham. (Photo by J.R. Besley)
Amazingly Kingham once had a total of four signal boxes. Uniquely for the GWR, known as East, West, North and South boxes.
Kingham South box 1902
Kingham East box 1950 (Closed 1953)
Kingham North box 1907
The huge size of Kingham's main (North) signal box can be seen in this picture. the box had 91 levers. Also in the picture is the Station masters pet pig!
Kingham South signal box was in use until 1922, it was made so tall to enable the Signal man to be able so see the line towards Oxford over the road bridge.
The South box picture gives some idea of the number of staff employed at the station.
Kingham West signal box was of the same design as the East version
Another view of the unique Kingham South signal box taken in 1894
Banbury & Cheltenham platforms, looking towards Oxford (P.Hopkins)
Same platforms a little nearer the bridge. (P.J. Garland)
Originally trains travelling from Banbury to Cheltenham had to go into the station then reverse out for Cheltenham, this was obviously inconvenient for trains not needing to call at the station so when the GWR took over the line in 1897 they needed to improve matters, the result was the new over bridge/flyover (built 1906) and the avoiding line thus saving the station reversal.
The new track and bridge allowed a new express service to run, this was the so called 'ports to ports' express which ran from Newcastle to Cardiff, calling at Sheffield, Leicester, Banbury, Gloucester,and Newport.
Both the east and West signal boxes were closed in 1953 and the line was reduced from dual to single track running.
The avoiding line embankment and bridge can be seen in this photograph together with the little used turntable.
Booking office 1960's. Wells Dormobile taxi waiting outside?
Busy scene in 1910
Largest of the four signal boxes
Cheltenham to the left. Chipping Norton to the right. 1956
Delightful snow scene from 1937
The massive water tower
Cattle being loaded into wagons after being sold via the adjacent Langston Arms. (Photo by Alan Brain)
During WWII a seven line railway siding was built on the Oxford-Worcester line just outside the station, it was built very quickly. A railway yard was also built on the way into the station at the Oxford end. these were built for storing huge amounts of munitions required for D-Day.
As a lad living in New Road I well remember hearing the clunking sounds from the buffers on the wagons when they were shunting in the sidings, this was in the late 1950's when the sidings were mainly used for storing wagons.
As children we could often be found playing around the wagons, frowned on today but times were different then and we did no harm. One thing I do remember were the huge amount of large daisies growing amongst the tracks and on the embankments, I think they were called Moon Daisies.
Kingham station map from 1920's Click for a larger view
Diagram showing the entire route of the railway
Map of The station 1903.
Note that the station was then called Chipping Norton junction. This is because originally when the main line was built no provision was made for a station at Kingham.
When the Chipping Norton branch was built it was named as Chipping Norton Junction.
It was renamed as Kingham in 1909.
Note from this map the Loop or 'avoiding' line is not shown, not being built until 1906.
The loop line was only used for 'through' freight workings and the 'Ports to Ports Express' (the only train not to call at Kingham during normal times).
Devizes Castle Approaching Kingham with the Cathedrals Express Sept 1961. (Photo by M Mensing)
The loop Bridge
The loop Bridge being removed in 1964
Lainchbury's elevators awaiting departure to places all over the UK. At one time there was a 3 year waiting list for an elevator. More photographs and information on the Lainchbury company can be found on my other site Lainchburys of Kingham
Station Master's pet pig.
1950's scene at Platform 4 for Chipping Norton.
Happy Memories
For a few months after I left School I had a job as an apprentice boat builder at Salter brothers Oxford, this is how I used to get to work.
Get to the station before 7:00am to catch the DMU to Oxford. The train stopped at every single halt on the line making it a seemingly endless journey!
1920's staff photo. Left to right Back row: Hector Townsend, Ernest Worrell, Charlie Hall, Bob Jakeman, Horace Matthews, Hedley Frankling. Front row : Odd job man Steve, Miss Andrews, Horace Markham, Cyril Stayt. Unknown.
Station staff inspecting punnets of fruit in the 1930's. Left to right. Ernie Payne, Fred Warren, Horace Duester, Frank Taylor and station master Curnock. During the 1930's Kingham station employed over 30 staff.
The pictures below are not of Kingham but are associated with Kingham. Sarsden halt was just a short distance from Kingham on the Banbury line. The Halt was actually in Churchill. The Halt was named after Sarsden House where Land-owner MP James Langston lived.
William Pearce outside the Sarsden signal box. William worked from Kingham Station in the Signals and Telegraph department. (Photograph kindly supplied by Michael Pearce)
Delightful view of Sarsden halt by Frank Packer from Chipping Norton. Frank Packer took a huge range of wonderful photographs.
Looking North from the main line platform showing the Cheltenham line going off to the left (J.H. Moss)
Sad days
Right. On the final day of service of the Cheltenham to Kingham service on Oct 13th 1962.
Left. The BR notice announcing closure of the Kingham to Chipping Norton section. the last train ran over the line on 1st Dec 1962 thus severing the railway network to Chipping Norton. A sad day indeed.
Withdrawal of service leaflet between Cheltenham & Kingham 1962
Many excellent books have been published about the Banbury and Cheltenham Railway but there are four that I would personally recommend.
Chipping Norton Railway by Alan Watkins & Brenda Morris
This book does not give a definitive history of the line and only covers railway from Kingham to Chipping Norton it is however a very interesting read and is profusely illustrated with more than 150 Historical photographs together with an ample amount of interesting text on the subject.
The book also contains many photographs of other interests around the railway such as the gas works. The book is available both new and second-hand. is a must have for those interested in the line.
The book was first published in 2014 by Amberley Publishing ISBN no 978-1445618845
The Banbury and Chipping Norton Railway 1887-1962 by J.H. Russell.
The second book I would recommend is entitled The Banbury and Chipping Norton Railway 1887-1962. This book was the first fully comprehensive study of the whole railway from Cheltenham to Banbury. The book comprises some 140 pages and covers the entire route from Cheltenham to Banbury. it is crammed full of superb historical and interesting photographs, diagrams, maps of the line and track plans of the stations. This book is essential reading for fans of this line, in fact any railway enthusiast could not fail to be impressed with this title.
The book was first published by the Oxford publishing Company in 1977 and is only available second-hand. (ISBN 978-0902888456)
The Banbury & Cheltenham Direct Railway by The Lightmoor press
For the real enthusiast the superb volume entitled The Banbury & Cheltenham Direct Railway is a fantastic read. This book is a 368 page fully comprehensive study of the entire line, it is superbly illustrated with a huge number of historical photographs.
You might describe this book as the Rolls Royce book of the railway in question it really is a top quality title. This book contains many unique historical photographs not normally seen in other titles on the subject. The book is available both new and second-hand.
First published in 2004 by the Lightmoor press. (ISBN 978-1899889150)
Banbury to Cheltenham Via Chipping Norton by Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith.
First published in 2009 by the Middleton Press it is part of their Country Railway Routes series. The book comprises some 96 pages and has no less than 120 interesting photographs and diagrams with many maps, track plans and details of local history.
The book is published by Middleton press and is available both New and second-hand ISBN 978-1906008635
