Changes at Culham station
Changes between 1884 and 1947
1844 - Opening of the Oxford branch
The Didcot to Oxford branch opened on June 12th 1844 with Culham, initially called 'Abingdon Road', being for many years the only intermediate station. There was initially also a small station at Appleford, but this closed after only a few years, not being replaced until 1933 when 'Appleford Halt' was opened. This broad gauge line was engineered by Brunel who designed many of the structures associated with it including Thame Lane bridge, the original road bridge on Abingdon Road and of course the station itself. Further up the line another Brunel designed bridge still stands at Appleford.
More background can be found on the 'Some bits of history' page and read the detailed press report from June 15th 1844 on the 'Culham in the news' page, both under the 'ABOUT' menu tab.
1846 - The Railway Hotel is opened
Being some distance from the villages of Culham and Clifton Hampden the station at Culham would have been quite isolated with only a few cottages and scattered farms nearby. The hotel building nestles almost within the embankment of the original road bridge with the access road to the Goods Shed and Platform 1 passing in front. Little is known of the history of the Hotel but we believe that it may have been a private house which predated the railway and you can read more about this by visiting 'The Railway Hotel and its tenants' item under the 'ABOUT/Culham people' menu tab.
The landlords of the hotel have figured several times in the history of the station as might be expected, and the premises have on occasion been used to hold inquests including one on Friday 21st February 1873 for the unfortunate landlord at the time, Arthur Robert Smith, who was found dead after falling down the stairs. Originally opening as the 'Railway Hotel' it has undergone several name changes including a period as 'The Jolly Porter' but has reverted to what seems to be the more popular 'Railway Inn'.
Great Western Railway Magazine, October 1908
Nuneham bridge in 1897
James Dredge, PictureOxon POX0204781
Great Western Railway Magazine, October 1908
Nuneham bridge in 1897
James Dredge, PictureOxon POX0204781
1849/50 - Nuneham railway bridge replaced
The Didcot to Oxford line crosses the Thames twice, first between Appleford and Culham (Appleford Bridge) and again between Culham and Radley (Nuneham Bridge). The bridges were both originally wooden structures which were soon replaced by plate girder ones. The plate girder version of Nuneham railway bridge is often referred to as 'Black Bridge'.
No photographs have been found of the original bridge at Nuneham, but the October 1908 edition of the Great Western Railway Magazine contained a short article describing the replacement of this later plate girder bridge in 1906-7 and this included a part elevation of the old wooden bridge shown here. The same article also confirms the date that the original wooden structure was replaced as being 1849/50.
Three sheets of drawings relating to the rebuilding of the Thames bridgesClick or tap to see the two drawings showing Nuneham bridge are held by the Network Rail Corporate Archive who kindly made them available to us. It should be noted that the originals are very old and faded, so we have had to do a lot of Photoshoping to try and bring out some detail. It is interesting that the line is still referred to as the 'Oxford Branch' and that the drawing relating specifically to Nuneham Bridge spells it as 'Newnham'. Whilst undated, these drawings are catalogued as being produced in 1855.
1856 - Change of name
Upon the opening of the branch line to Abingdon 'Abingdon Road' station was renamed 'Culham' to save confusion with the interchange station where the branch connected with the main line which was given the name 'Abingdon Junction'. This new station really was in the middle of nowhere with no proper road access. The branch was later extended by just under a mile running alongside the main line to join it at Radley station which opened on 8th September 1873. The name 'Abingdon Road' was reused for a halt built to serve the village of South Hinksey. Opening on 1st February 1908, it closed on 22nd March 1915.
The only other connection (other than sidings) to the line between Didcot and Oxford was made in 1864 when the Wycombe Railway extended its line from Thame to Kennington Junction just south of Oxford. This completed their line from the junction at Princes Risborough through to Oxford. The GWR took over the Wycombe Railway company in 1867. A portion of this line survives between Kennington Junction and the BMW factory in Cowley being used for regular car transport trains with Chiltern Rail proposing its possible reopening to passengers.
Appleford bridge sometime before 1850
British Rail photograph
Appleford bridge in 1897
James Dredge, PictureOxon POX0203740
Appleford bridge sometime before 1850
British Rail photograph
Appleford bridge in 1897
James Dredge, PictureOxon POX0203740
circa 1860 - Appleford railway bridge replaced
As at Nuneham, the bridge at Appleford was originally a wooden structure, the one at Appleford being replaced by a plate girder version around 1860, just a few years after that at Nuneham. This photograph of the timber bridge at Appleford, taken just before it was replaced, is believed to have once been held within the British Rail archives, but so far it has not been traced.
Three sheets of drawings relating to the rebuilding of the Thames bridgesClick or tap to see the two drawings showing Appleford bridge are held by the Network Rail Corporate Archive who kindly made them available to us. It should be noted that the originals are very old and faded, so we have had to do a lot of Photoshopping to try and bring out some detail. It is interesting that the line is still referred to as the 'Oxford Branch' and, whilst undated, these drawings are catalogued as being produced in 1855.
1872 - Change of gauge
Starting in 1869 work was started to convert the whole of the Great Western broad gauge track to what they called the 'narrow gauge', but what was in reality the standard gauge of other companies. During the November of 1872 work was completed to convert the line from Didcot to Oxford and the Abingdon branch. The Abingdon branch was closed for a day on 26th November with a rail replacement omnibus service running from Culham.
Culham signal box in 1911
A.B.MacLeod, Chris Leigh Collection
1874 - Signal box opened
When first built, safe operation of the railway was overseen by Railway Police who monitored safety and controlled traffic on a local basis. Together with Switchmen (or Pointsmen) who operated the points (or switches) they may have been provided with a small box for shelter from the elements, but there was no centralised collection of control equipment in them. Signal boxes as we would now recognise them only started to appear when the fixed block method of controlling the flow of rail traffic was adopted and technology became available to allow for the remote control of signals and telegraphic communication was developed.
The following extract from a report in the Reading Mercury of Saturday 12th June 1915 gives us an insight into these early days and a date when the signal box was first opened at Culham.
'At the G.W.R. Station, Reading, on June 3rd, a pleasant gathering of railway officials took place ..... advantage was taken of the occasion to hand a suitable gift to ex-District Relief Signalman Mr. C. Tarrant who retired from the company’s service last February, after serving 42 years. Mr. Tarrant, joined the G.W.R. Company’s service in February, 1873, at Steventon, as a policeman (as signalmen were at that time termed). From there he went to Culham in July of the same year, thence he was removed to Kirtlington (now called Bletchington), and in November, 1874, he was sent back to Culham to open the new signal-box, which at that time was an undertaking of considerable importance. After being at Culham nearly four years, Mr. Tarrant was removed to Didcot as a district relief switchman. He remained 17 years. He was subsequently removed to Reading district as relief signalman in 1895, which position he held until his retirement.'
Whilst also sharing the same initial as the television personality Chris Tarrant, Charles Tarrant in the above report is in fact his great grandfather.
1898 - Station House built
It is understood that 'Station House', which is often referred to as the 'Station Master's house' on plans, was built in 1898. Some believe it was designed by Brunel but we have found no real evidence to support this. An undated drawing titled Culham Station - Proposed Station Master's HouseClick or tap to see a scan of the original drawing is held by the Network Rail Corporate Archive who very kindly scanned and made it available to us. The drawing shows a somewhat smaller house than that which was actually built.
Nuneham bridge
Great Western Railway Magazine, October 1908
Nuneham bridge
Great Western Railway Magazine, July 1937
Nuneham bridge
Great Western Railway Magazine, October 1908
Nuneham bridge
Great Western Railway Magazine, July 1937
1906-7 - Nuneham bridge replaced again
Replacement of the old plate girder bridge started in March 1906, and the new steel twin bow arch bridge was completed in March 1907. The October 1908 edition of the Great Western Railway Magazine carried an article describing the rebuilding projectClick or tap to reveal our hidden page about the rebuilding of Nuneham Bridge at Nuneham. It detailed the removal of the old and the construction of the new bridge together with this photograph of the bridge soon after its completion.
The Great Western Railway Magazine of July 1937 featured an interesting article outlining the work of their divers. Accompanying the article was a photograph, attributed to Fox Photos, showing a diver entering the Thames ready to carry out an underwater inspection of the pier foundations of the bridge at Nuneham.
1908 - Changes to track layout
The track layout was changed fairly substantially sometime during 1908. Comparison between the 1897 and 1910 revisions of the 25inch O.S. maps and the 1908 station plan show that the cross over between the two main running lines opposite the goods shed was modified with a single slip added to give a new connection to the goods shed from both running lines. The original connection to the goods shed which started outside the ticket office and crossed the other line by means of a diamond crossing was completely removed. With this change of access, the track emerging from the goods shed at the station end was greatly shortened and the connection at the Oxford end of the goods siding was moved along leaving a shorter shunting neck at each end. It is inferred that platform 1 was extended towards Oxford at the same time meeting up with the end of the foreshortened goods shed siding. A large area to the north of the goods shed seems to have been cleared and levelled for the length of the goods loop, possibly to provide coal storage facilities. This area was reduced in size at some point, together with a simplification and shortening of the northern end of the goods loop, as seen on the 1950 station plan. On the other side of the station much remained the same with the siding serving the cattle pens apparently untouched.
The amendments to the track layout necessitated changes within the Culham signal box, and the original lever frame was replaced with a new one possessing 19 levers.
Footbridge under construction
Courtesy of the Great Western Trust
1909/10 - Footbridge installed
We are very grateful to Laurence Waters for making available the original image held in the Great Western Trust archive from which this detail is taken. The full photograph is featured in his book Oxfordshire Railways in Old Photographs - a Second Selection, and is also shown on the 'Station through time' page under the 'IMAGES' menu tab.
This detail is included here as it shows workmen constructing what would be the very first footbridge connecting the two platforms. This helps to date the photograph, as we know the bridge didn't exist in 1908 but it is seen on a photograph from 1919. As noted elsewhere, another clue can be obtained from examining old 25inch to the mile O.S. maps. The bridge is absent from the map revised in 1897 and published in 1899, but clearly shown (along with the relatively new Station House) on the 1910 revision published in 1912. So 1909/10 is an educated guess until we find out different.
Close examination of the photograph reveals that the footbridge has yet to have its stair treads installed, and the canopy roof is clearly a work in progress. Health and safety would not have been a requirement at the time, as evidenced by the workman posing casually on a ladder leant against one of the smoke deflectors. We hope a train was not due soon! One workman is standing and another is kneeling on a temporary planked platform with what appears to be a large paint tin beside him.
Appleford bridge
Great Western Railway Magazine, October 1929
Appleford bridge
Great Western Railway Magazine, June 1931
Appleford bridge
Great Western Railway Magazine, October 1929
Appleford bridge
Great Western Railway Magazine, June 1931
1929 - Appleford railway bridge replaced again
In 1928 the Appleford bridge and approaches, itself a replacement for the original timber structure, was replaced by a steel single bow arch bridge.
The October 1929 edition of the Great Western Railway Magazine carried an article describing the rebuilding projectClick or tap to reveal our hidden page about the rebuilding of Appleford Bridge at Appleford. It detailed the removal of the old and the construction of the new bridge together with two photographs of the bridge soon after its completion. The June 1931 issue of the same magazine carried an advertisement for A.Jackaman & Son Limited of Slough who were the contractors responsible for the new bridge. It features a photograph of the newly completed bridge at Appleford and its short approach viaduct on either side.
1942 - RNAS Culham (HMS Hornbill) opens
On 1st November, The Royal Navy opened an air station next to Culham station called RNAS Culham, or HMS Hornbill. This air station is reputed to have been the Navy's most remote facility from the sea. Its siting may have been influenced by the easy rail connection and relatively flat terrain with little local population, or maybe its proximity to the many other neighbouring RAF air bases in Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It was originally an aircraft reciept and dispatch unit and closed on 30th September 1953.
A rail conection was laid into the airbase and ran from the siding which served the cattle dock. The connection appears to have been lifted when the air base was closed, and certainly by late 1954.
1946 - Proposed new Parcels Office
Parcels traffic after the war must have been sufficient for consideration to be given to upgrading the parcel facilities at the station. These were dealt with in a separate pagoda roofed building and it was proposed to replace this with a substantial brick extension on the end of the ticket office. This would have meant that the overall canopy would have been removed completely at that end of the building. A plan dated November 1946 is held in the Network Rail archives which details these changes, together with plans to fully enclose and upgrade the outside gents' toilets. Nothing came of these proposals however.
This plan is useful as it shows the Station Master's Office as occupying the whole of one end of the building without the partition shown on the station plan from the 1950s and which was subsequently removed in 1984. Somewhat confusingly it shows the track layout prior to the changes made in the 1920s, also the waiting shelter on platform 2 has the wrong footprint. It would appear that an old existing drawing may have been used as a starting point with only the proposed changes being added, thus saving a site visit.
