Steventon railway station
Encyclopedia
Steventon railway station was built when the Great Western Railway
extended their main line from Reading
to the village of Steventon
, opening the line on 1 June 1840. Two months later, on 20 July, it was extended to Faringdon Road
, and in December of that year, to Swindon
.
es transported passengers between Steventon and Oxford
, until 1844 when a branch was built to the city from Didcot
; despite this, mail trains from the West continued to call at Steventon, rather than Didcot, in order to drop off mails for Oxford - this practice did not end until March 1962.
On 7 December 1964 British Rail
ways withdrew passenger services from Steventon and all other intermediate stations between Didcot
and Swindon
.
The station was demolished soon after closure and there is now no evidence remaining.
). After a delay of several months, during which the accommodation was made ready, the weekly board meetings were held at Steventon from 21 July 1842 until 5 January 1843, when the permanent headquarters was established at Paddington.
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
extended their main line from Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
to the village of Steventon
Steventon, Oxfordshire
Steventon is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, about south of Abingdon and a similar distance west of Didcot. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred to Oxfordshire.-History:...
, opening the line on 1 June 1840. Two months later, on 20 July, it was extended to Faringdon Road
Challow railway station
Challow railway station is a former railway station south of the village of Stanford in the Vale on the A417 road between Wantage and Faringdon...
, and in December of that year, to Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
.
Station for Oxford
For four years stagecoachStagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
es transported passengers between Steventon and 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...
, until 1844 when a branch was built to the city from Didcot
Didcot Parkway railway station
Didcot Parkway is a railway station serving the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire in England. The station was opened as Didcot on 12 June 1844, and renamed Didcot Parkway on 29 July 1985 to reflect its role as a park and ride railhead....
; despite this, mail trains from the West continued to call at Steventon, rather than Didcot, in order to drop off mails for Oxford - this practice did not end until March 1962.
On 7 December 1964 British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways withdrew passenger services from Steventon and all other intermediate stations between Didcot
Didcot Parkway railway station
Didcot Parkway is a railway station serving the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire in England. The station was opened as Didcot on 12 June 1844, and renamed Didcot Parkway on 29 July 1985 to reflect its role as a park and ride railhead....
and Swindon
Swindon railway station
Swindon railway station is in the town of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The station entrance is on Station Road, to the south of the line.It is approximately from the central bus station and the town centre...
.
The station was demolished soon after closure and there is now no evidence remaining.
Headquarters of the GWR
Steventon was briefly the headquarters of the GWR: in October 1841, the Board decided to merge the previously-separate London and Bristol committees. Steventon was chosen as a suitable new location because it was close to the half-way point of the line (56 miles 22 chains from the old station at Paddington, 61 miles 71 chains from the old station at BristolBristol Temple Meads railway station
Bristol Temple Meads railway station is the oldest and largest railway station in Bristol, England. It is an important transport hub for public transport in Bristol, with bus services to various parts of the city and surrounding districts, and a ferry service to the city centre in addition to the...
). After a delay of several months, during which the accommodation was made ready, the weekly board meetings were held at Steventon from 21 July 1842 until 5 January 1843, when the permanent headquarters was established at Paddington.