Oxford Road Halt railway station
Encyclopedia
Oxford Road Halt was a railway station on the Varsity Line
1 miles (1.6 km) west of the hamlet of Water Eaton, Oxfordshire
.
from to Oxford
was opened in stages by the Buckinghamshire Railway
. It had been opened as far as on 1 October 1850, from Islip to a temporary station at Banbury Road on 2 December 1850, and from Banbury Road to Oxford
on 20 May 1851. At the point where the main Oxford
-Banbury
road (now the A4165 road) crossed the line, a level crossing was constructed, known as Oxford Road Crossing . This was the location of the temporary Banbury Road terminus, which was used until the facilities at Oxford were ready.
On 1 April 1854 the Buckinghamshire Junction Railway
(often known as the Yarnton Loop) was opened, between Oxford Road Junction and Yarnton Junction. The former junction was constructed just to the south-west of Oxford Road Crossing, although the two routes did not diverge until a point somewhat further to the south-west, at .
For over fifty years no permanent station had been provided between Oxford and Islip. In 1905, the London and North Western Railway
(successor to the Buckinghamshire Railway) constructed three halts on that stretch of line; two were Summertown Halt
(later Port Meadow Halt) and , whilst the northernmost was Oxford Road Halt, and which was situated just east of Oxford Road Crossing. Two of these halts (including Oxford Road Halt) were opened on 9 October 1905; all three closed on 1 January 1917, reopened 5 May 1919 and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
finally closed them on 30 October 1926.
In 1935 the Oxford Road level crossing was replaced by a bridge to the north-east, which crosses the railway over the site of the former halt.
Oxford Road Junction remained; the signalbox was resited slightly to the north-east on 4 November 1956, and on 15 September 1958 was renamed Banbury Road Junction, since there is a junction just north of also named Oxford Road Junction. It was closed on 29 October 1973.
plans to launch services from a new station on an adjacent site next to the existing Water Eaton Park and Ride site, to be known as . This would be a stop on a new service between and .
Varsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
1 miles (1.6 km) west of the hamlet of Water Eaton, Oxfordshire
Water Eaton, Oxfordshire
Water Eaton is a hamlet in the civil parish of Gosford and Water Eaton, between Oxford and Kidlington in Oxfordshire.-History:The toponym Eaton is Anglo-Saxon, and "Water Eaton" means "farm by a river", referring to the manor's site beside the River Cherwell. Water Eaton manor house was built for...
.
History
The Varsity LineVarsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
from to Oxford
Oxford Rewley Road railway station
Oxford Rewley Road railway station was a railway station serving the city of Oxford, England, located immediately to the north of what is now Frideswide Square on the site of the Saïd Business School. It was the terminus of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which was worked, and later absorbed, by the...
was opened in stages by the Buckinghamshire Railway
Buckinghamshire Railway
The Buckinghamshire Railway was a railway company in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England that constructed railway lines connecting Bletchley, Banbury and Oxford...
. It had been opened as far as on 1 October 1850, from Islip to a temporary station at Banbury Road on 2 December 1850, and from Banbury Road to Oxford
Oxford Rewley Road railway station
Oxford Rewley Road railway station was a railway station serving the city of Oxford, England, located immediately to the north of what is now Frideswide Square on the site of the Saïd Business School. It was the terminus of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which was worked, and later absorbed, by the...
on 20 May 1851. At the point where the main Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
-Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
road (now the A4165 road) crossed the line, a level crossing was constructed, known as Oxford Road Crossing . This was the location of the temporary Banbury Road terminus, which was used until the facilities at Oxford were ready.
On 1 April 1854 the Buckinghamshire Junction Railway
Buckinghamshire Junction Railway
The Buckinghamshire Junction Railway was a standard gauge railway between Buckingham Junction on the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway and Oxford Road Junction on the Buckinghamshire Railway...
(often known as the Yarnton Loop) was opened, between Oxford Road Junction and Yarnton Junction. The former junction was constructed just to the south-west of Oxford Road Crossing, although the two routes did not diverge until a point somewhat further to the south-west, at .
For over fifty years no permanent station had been provided between Oxford and Islip. In 1905, the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
(successor to the Buckinghamshire Railway) constructed three halts on that stretch of line; two were Summertown Halt
Port Meadow Halt railway station
Port Meadow Halt was a railway station on the Varsity Line, between north Oxford and Port Meadow. The London and North Western Railway opened the halt as Summertown on 20 August 1906 and renamed it Port Meadow Halt in January 1907. It was closed between 1 January 1917 and 5 May 1919, and the...
(later Port Meadow Halt) and , whilst the northernmost was Oxford Road Halt, and which was situated just east of Oxford Road Crossing. Two of these halts (including Oxford Road Halt) were opened on 9 October 1905; all three closed on 1 January 1917, reopened 5 May 1919 and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
finally closed them on 30 October 1926.
In 1935 the Oxford Road level crossing was replaced by a bridge to the north-east, which crosses the railway over the site of the former halt.
Oxford Road Junction remained; the signalbox was resited slightly to the north-east on 4 November 1956, and on 15 September 1958 was renamed Banbury Road Junction, since there is a junction just north of also named Oxford Road Junction. It was closed on 29 October 1973.
Water Eaton Parkway
As part of the operator's Project Evergreen 3, Chiltern RailwaysChiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
plans to launch services from a new station on an adjacent site next to the existing Water Eaton Park and Ride site, to be known as . This would be a stop on a new service between and .