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1994. GWR Then and Now by Laurence Waters

• GWR Then & Now [top]
  First published in 1994 in Great Britain by Ian Allan in hardback with dustjacket, 256pp, ISBN 0711022674
  Original price when first sold in UK: £29.99

About this book: The Great Western Railway, a.k.a. God's Wonderful Railway, has a peculiar place in the hearts of railway enthusiasts. Whether this is because of its historical eccentricities or because it was the only one of the 'Big Four' companies after 1923 to retain the title of the original pre-Grouping company is difficult to tell, but interest in the company, its locomotives and its lines remain intense.

In The Great Western Railway Then & Now, well-known author and expert on the railway Laurence Waters explores photographically the Great Western inheritance on the modern railway. From the major locations like London, Oxford and Cardiff, to the lesser known branch termini, the book explores what the contemporary traveller and railway enthusiast can see from the great days of Western Steam. In many locations, surprisingly, the only difference is one of rolling stock; in others, the whole landscape has been radically altered so that, to a modern viewer, it is almost as if the railway has never existed

Contents:
Introduction
Section 1: Thames and Chiltern
-Middlesex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxon
Section 2: Somerset and Avon
-Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Avon
Section 3: The Southwest
-Devon and Cornwall
Section 4: The Midlands, Cotswolds and Border Counties
-Gloucester, Shropshire, Warwickshire, The West Midlands, Hereford & Worcester
Section 5: Wales
-Dyfed, Powys, Gwent, Gwynedd, Clwyd, West Midlands and South Glamorgan
List of Locations

List of Illustrations (all sections below list illustrations, drawings and photographs):
p1, top. Bedminster, 1950s, 'County' class 4-6-0 No. 1016 County of Hants passes through
p1, bottom. Bedminster, 28th November 1993, HST passes through with an up service from Weston-super-Mare to Paddington
p2, bottom. Saunderton, July 1961. Ex-GWR '9400' class 0-6-0PT comes through with a mixed freight
p2. top. Saunderton, 19th June 1993, Turbo 165019 in Network SouthEast livery arrives with the 12.10pm from Marylebone to Princess Risborough
p4. Concath, 28th August 1956, "4500" class 2-6-2T No. 4550 arrives with the 11.35am from Whitland
p5. Concath, 26th September 1993, the station and platforms lie derelict
p6. Henley-in-Arden, March 1957, 2-6-2T No. 3101 arrives with a service from Moor Street
p7. Henley-in-Arden, 27th November, 1993, Sprinter No. 150013 arrives with the 10.22am service from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon
p8. A selection of GWR publicity posters from the GW Trust's collection: Holiday Season Tickets; Aberystwyth; London Pride; The Glorious Thames

p9. Section 1. Thames and Chiltern
Section 1: Thames and Chiltern: Middlesex, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxon
p11, top. Paddington, June 1935, platform 1 viewed from the 'Lawn'. Shows passengers boarding the Cornish Riviera Limited the 10.30am service to Penzance. The '5700' class 0-6-0PT on pilot duty is 5745
p11, bottom. Paddington, 20th November 1993. Shows the extended 'lawn' of Paddington
p12, top. Paddington, 20th August, 1957, platforms 2 and 3. The down 'Bristolian' waits to leave platform 3 behind Newport Castle, No. 5065 ('Castle' class). Another member of the class waits behind with the 8.50am service to Weston-super-Mare
p12, bottom. Paddington, 20th November 1993, platforms 2 and 3, with two HSTs occupying platforms 2 and 3 on the newly introduced InterCity 'Shuttle' services to Bristol and South Wales
p13, top. Ranelagh Bridge Yard, 6th August, 1960 with several engines and the turntable in view. From left to right: County class No. 1027 County of Stafford, Britannia No. 70025 Western Star, Castle Class No. 7003 Elmley Castle, Castle No. 7020 Gloucester Castle and 5044 Dunraven and on the right King class No. 6011 King James I
p13, 2nd photograph - Ranelagh Bridge Yard is now a car park
p13, 3rd photograph - Royal Oak on 30th June 1959, showing '1500' class 0-6-0PT No. 1500 passing Royal Oak station with empty stock from Old Oak to Paddington
p13, 4th photograph - Royal Oak, 20th November 1993. Now served by Metropolitan line trains only. Class 165 No. 165128 passes the station in this photograph with a Thames Line stopping service from Reading
p14-15, top, West Ealing, 5th August 1962; and then in 1991 the station has had the down main platform removed and the up main fenced off. Turbo No. 165119 is passing in NSE livery on a Greenford - Paddington service
p14-15, middle, West Ealing Junction, summer of 1959, Castle No. 5037 Monmouth Castle heads the down 'Cathedrals Express' Paddington - Hereford service. West Ealing junction box can be seen in the background, behind which is the milk dock. On the modern photograph, an HST speeds through the junction on 20th November, 1993. The old milk dock is still in situ
p14-15, bottom. Hanwell, 5th August, 1960; and on page 15, the same view on 20th November 1993, showing that the down main platform has been removed. Replica gas lamps have been fitted to the island platform
p16, top. Southall, no date, looking down from the footbridge to the east of Southall, as Castle No. 7024 Powis Castle passes through with an empty milk train. On the left is the east end goods shed, and on the right, the large locomotive depot and water softening plant.
p16, bottom. Southall - both the east end goods shed and large locomotive depot buildings are still present, but the latter is now the Southall Railway Centre. On the far right is the remains of the Brentford branch, which was closed to passengers in 1942
p17, top. Southall, 1950s, general view of the station, with an unidentified Castle speeding through it with the 7.15am service from Plymouth to Paddington
p17, bottom. Southall, 20th November 1993 showing a pair of Turbo units Nos 165108/10 running through the now disused up main platform with a fast service from Oxford. The water tower on the right has been converted into flats
p18, top. Hayes and Harlington, 17th May, 1959 - ex-Great Western 2-6-2T No. 6150 arrives at Hayes & Harlington with a Thames Valley service to Reading. From the same spot on 20th November 1993 (2nd photograph), the footbridge has been removed and a Class 165 Turbo No 165106 passes through with a semi-fast to Reading. The large structure in the background is the ex-GLC incinerator built in the 1980s on the site of the old GWR creosote sleeper works
p18, 3rd photograph, Iver, in July 1949 as ex-Great Western diesel parcels car No. W34 pauses at Iver (Bucks) in July 1949. The 4th photograph shows Iver on 20th November, 1993 as a Class 165 Turbo No. 165123 arrives with a Thames Line service to Reading. The relief platforms are now the only ones in use
p19. Burnham Breeches, three photographs taken: firstly in 1921, which shows the signalbox (closed 17 November 1962). Secondly, the 15th May, 1959 shows 6100 class 2-6-2T No. 6117 arriving with a Thames Valley stopping service to London. And finally, refurbished in recent years, the 20th November 1993 photo shows a clean and tidy station with Class 165 Turbo No. 165137 calling with a service to Reading
p20, top. Maidenhead, July 1963, No. 7002 Devizes Castle speeds through with a service from Hereford to Paddington. An 'up' parcels train hauled by 2-6-0 No.6309 stands at the up relief platform. The Wycombe bay is on the right
p20, bottom. Maidenhead, undated, but recent. The down main is now unused and the platform has modern lighting. Turbo No. 166219 stands in the up relief platform on a Thames Line semi-fast from Bedwyn to Paddington
p21, top. Furze Platt Halt, 1st July, 1962 with 4800 class 0-4-2T No. 1445 pausing with the 12.14pm service from Maidenhead to Marlow (one carriage). The platform surface is made of crudely nailed-down boarding, but has a wooden waiting room
p21, bottom. Furze Platt Halt, 11th December 1993, Class 165 No. 165002 stops at the new concrete platform with the 12.10pm service from Marlow to Maidenhead
p22, top, Cookham, September 1954. In the platform is ex-GWR diesel railcar No. W13 arriving with a service from Marlow to Maidenhead. p22, 2nd photograph shows the station on 9th October 1993 in a much reduced state with only a single platform being used with a car park occupying where the down platform used to be. Turbo No. 165003 arrives with a service from Marlow to Maidenhead
p22, 3rd photograph, Bourne End, 1950s. Ex-Great Western 4800 class 0-4-2T No. 1448 prepares to leave with a service to Marlow. 4th photograph was taken on 9th October 1993 and shows the Marlow service in the hands of Turbo unit No. 165003
p23, top. Bourne End, late 1950s, 6100 class 2-6-2T No. 6131 approaches Bourne End with a service from High Wycombe to Maidenhead
p23, bottom, Bourne End today minus the level crossing, which was removed on 22nd August, 1971. The line from Maidenhead now terminates here
p24, top, Marlow, 17th February, 1962, with 4800 class 0-4-2T No.1421 waiting to depart with the 12.20pm service to Maidenhead. There are three different designs of gas lamp on the platform! p23, middle photograph shows where the old Marlow station used to be, and p23, bottom photograph shows the single platform station (opened 10th July, 1967) on 11th December, 1993 with Class 165 No. 165002 waiting to depart with the 12.10pm service to Maidenhead
p25, top, Twyford, viewed from the adjacent road bridge at some time in the 1920s. p25, bottom photo shows Twyford on 9th October, 1993 with Thames Turbo No. 166218 speeding through with an Oxford to Paddington service
p26, top. Henley-on-Thames, 1950s, with ex-Great Western 0-6-0PT No.9403 standing in the station with a service to Twyford and Reading. At this time the station had two main platforms, an overall roof and a bay platform. The roof went in 1975, and in 1985 the station was reduced to a single platform with a new entrance building. The photo at the top of page 27 shows Thame Turbo No. 165113 standing at Henley with the 11.06am service to Reading
p26, middle, Wargrave, around 1910. The photo also shows what the Henley-on-Thames branch looked like after doubling in 1898. Of course, in 1961, the branch was singled again and the down platform at Wargrave was closed. The middle photo on p27 shows what Wargrave looks like now minus the lovely station and footbridge: bare, and with a bus-type shelter
p26, bottom, Reading station in around 1919 and p27, bottom, Reading station on 20th November, 1993 showing little change apart from the change in lighting and removal of signals
p28, top, Reading station on 5th August, 1939 with ex-Great Western 2251 class 0-6-0 No. 2252 standing in the station with a service from Weymouth to Paddington
p28, middle, 20th November 1993, showing No. 165106 arriving with a Newbury-Paddington service. The large footbridge now visible was built in 1989 and connects all platforms to the car park and the Brunel Arcade complex entrance
p28, bottom, July 1955, Hall class 4-6-0 No. 6906 Chicheley Hall crosses Oxford Road junction on its approach to Reading West Station with a through service from Bradford to Bournemouth. P29 at the bottom shows the same stretch of junction on 11th December, 1993, with the signalbox on the left now missing (closed on 25th April, 1965). Class 166, No. 166201 accelerates through Reading West with a semi-fast service from Paddington to Bedwyn
p29, top, Newbury Race-course in the 1920s with a platform full of carriages, doors all open, and with very smartly dressed race-goers walking about, and chatting on, the platform
p29, middle, 19th January, 1994 with a pair of 166 Turbo units on services to and from Bedwyn
p30, top, Newbury, August 1961, with class 4-6-0 No. 6029 King Edward VIII departing from Newbury with C35 on the smokebox door. p31, top shows Newbury on 12th February, 1994 with both platforms occupied by Thames Turbo units. The station has remained almost intact apart from losing two bay platforms
p30, middle, Tilehurst, 26th April, 1959, Hall class No. 5901 Hazel Hall pulls into the station with an Oxford - Paddington stopping service. p31, middle, shows Tilehurst station looking pretty much the same on 11th December, 1993 with class 47, No. 47241 running through with the 05.30am Crewe Basford Hall to Southampton freightliner
p30, bottom, Goring & Streatley on 22nd May, 1963 showing an empty station. On p31, at the bottom is the station on 11th December, 1993 with Class 47, 47204 speeding through with the 16:42 Crewe Basford-Hall-Southampton freightliner service
p32, top. Cholsey & Moulsford, 14th May, 1951, an unidentified Hall pulls into the station with a Paddington - Oxford service. On the left of the picture, a 4800 class 0-4-2T No. 1447 waits in the bay with the connecting service for Wallingford. The Wallingford branch was closed to passengers on 15th June 1959, but remained open as a long siding to serve the Allied British Maltsters depot until 28th May 1981. The Cholsey & Wallingford Preserved Railway now runs into this bay. p33, top - Class 37, 37068 Grainflow runs through Cholsey station (as it is now called) with an empty ballast train
p32, middle, Wallingford, 19th April, 1952 - 4800 Class 0-4-2T No.1444 stands together with its autocoach outside the small engine shed attached to the station at Wallingford with a water tower prominently in the picture. All of this is now gone to be replaced by a housing estate with the gabled house in the distance the only point of reference
p32, bottom, Moreton Cutting Yard, 4th July, 1953, seen here with Grange class 4-6-0 No. 6805 Broughton Grange runs past with some down milk empties. The yard was closed on 10th August 1964 and has become overgrown in recent years. In the more recent picture, Class 165 No. 165104 passes with a Thames Line stopping service
p34, top. Didcot Engine Shed, 1963, with left to right 6100 class 2-6-2Ts Nos 6136 and 6159; and 4300 class 2-6-0 No. 5380. Also in the photo is a class 08 and a modified Hall. Since 1969, the Didcot Railway Centre has operated here, home to the Great Western Society.
p34, the middle photograph is a shot of the Didcot Railway Centre on 14th November 1993 as preserved 4800 class 0-4-2T No. 1466 and 4500 class 2-6-2T No. 5572 are being prepared for work
p34, bottom, view looking West from the Foxhall bridge towards Foxhall Junction on 7th June, 1960. The photo interestingly shows two coaches being slipped from the 7am service from Weston-super-Mare to Paddington, which was the last multiple slip working in the UK. Foxhall Junction signal box can be seen in the middle distance. The photo at the bottom of page 35 shows a radically different scene on 4th December 1993 with three of Didcot's cooling towers in the picture (Didcot has of course now been demolished (2016), a new signal gantry, no sidings and no signal box. An HST is just arriving with the 11.54am service from Weston-super-Mare
p35, top, Challow, early 1960s showing ex-works Grange class 4-6-0 No. 6826 Nannerth Grange arriving with a Swindon-Didcot stopping service. The station was closed on 7th December, 1964
p35, middle, Challow showing the scene on 11th January, 1994 with a Bristol - Paddington HST passing the space where the station used to be (the platform loops were removed)
p36, top, Shrivenham - a 'Modified Hall', class 4-6-0 No. 7902 Eaton Mascot Hall speeds through Shrivenham on August 5, 1950 heading the 4.35pm service from Kingswear to Paddington (via Bristol). Shrivenham was closed to passengers on December 7, 1964. The bottom photograph shows an HST speeding through the site where the station used to be. There is a new building now on the site of the old shed and the signalbox and siding are gone
p37, top, Culham station on the Oxford line, where an up stopping service from Oxford to Reading is pulling into the station. This is 'Hall' class 4-6-0, No. 5983, "Henley Hall". Culham was opened on June 12, 1844 but its original name was Abingdon Road. It closed on February 15, 1961; with the goods shed and down side buildings being removed in 1972. The upside building was designed by Brunel and is a listed structure, hence it remains in situ. The bottom picture shows the new up platform installed in 1993 with Class 166 No. 166217 running through the station with the 12 noon service from Oxford to Paddington
p38, top, Radley Station with 'Saint' Class 4-6-0 No. 2912 'St Ambrose' arriving with an up stopping service. The station was opened on September 8, 1873 and the picture here was taken in the 1940s and shows the Abingdon branch on the left. The small signalbox on the up platform was closed on May 23, 1965 and the station buildings were taken down that same year. The Abingdon branch closed to passengers on September 9, 1963 and survived for freight use until June 30, 1984. Radley Station is still there, as shown by the bottom photograph, but it's a basic, unstaffed halt. On January 8, 1994, an HST speeds through Radley with the 'Cotswold & Malvern Express' service to London
p39. Top and bottom are photos of Littlemore Station: the top photo taken looking east on August 13, 1959. The station was opened on October 24, 1864 and was the first station on the Oxford-Prince Risborough branch after leaving Oxford. The large building visible on the right was the County's "lunatic asylum" which, by the time of the bottom photograph of December 10, 1993, had become Littlemore Psychiatric Hospital. For many years, this institution had its own private coal siding. Littlemore Station closed to passenger traffic on January 7, 1963 and to goods traffic on June 21, 1971. At the time of this book's publication (1994), the line was still open as far as the Morris Cowley International Freight Terminal (BMW's Cowley Mini Factory). The bottom photograph shows Class 37, 37261 running down the branch with the '6M90' 10.15am service from Morris Cowley to Bescot Yard
p40. Oxford. The top photograph looks north from the Becket Street footbridge in 1958 and the station can be seen in the background. It's an active scene bathed in sunlight and shows '7200' Class 2-8-2T No. 7247 running through Oxford on an up freight. Standing in the up goods loop is ex-LMS Class 8F No. 48476. On the left are the West Midland sidings and on the right, Becket Street yard. The station which was opened on October 1, 1852 originally had an overall roof, but this was removed in 1891 in a rebuild. 1970 saw the station rebuilt yet again only for this new 'temporary' station to be demolished in 1989 and replaced with a brick structure evident in the bottom photograph taken on January 7, 1994. Class 47, No. 47839 can be seen departing Oxford in the bottom photograph with a Liverpool - Paddington service; Becket Street yard on the right has gone, closed on October 28, 1977. The photo shows that some of the West Midland sidings are still there, but visibly little used (a look of disuse and weeds in the track)
p41. An unidentified 'Hall' powers a through service from Birkenhead to Poole through Bletchington on August 24, 1963 in the top photo. Bletchington was formerly called Woodstock Road in May 1851, Kirtlington in July 1855 and finally Bletchington on August 11, 1890. It was closed on November 2, 1964 and no longer exists. In the bottom photo, Turbo No. 165108 speeds through the same (now empty) spot with a morning service from Banbury. Only the stationmaster's house still exists
p42. Shows a neat and tidy, well looked-after and attractive station at Fritwell & Somerton on the Oxford to Banbury line just to the south of Aynho. The top photograph shows the station, whose original name was just Somerton, in 1919 (it was renamed Fritwell & Somerton in October 1907). The little signalbox visible in the far left distance was closed on September 18, 1966 and the station closed on November 2, 1964. There is nothing now left of it and the bottom photograph shows Thames Turbo No. 166219 on April 18, 1994 approaching the location of the station on April 18, 1994
p43 shows yet another station that has been removed - Aynho for Deddington. The top photo shows 'Grange' Class 4-6-0 No. 6871 'Bourton Grange' speeding through on August 8, 1964 heading the 9.05am service from Wolverhampton Low Level to Portsmouth Harbour. When the Oxford to Banbury line was opened, Aynho was also opened: on September 2, 1850. It was closed November 2, 1964, with the signalbox closing September 16, 1968. The bottom photo shows No. 47826 on the 11.06am passenger service from Birmingham New Street to Paddington
p44. Top, Gerrards Cross Station on May 7, 1960, with '6100' Class 2-6-2T No. 6157 heading the 12.38pm service from Princes Risborough to Paddington
Bottom: No. 165022 waits with a High Wycombe-Marylebone service on October 30, 1993
p45. Beaconsfield: top photograph shows an unidentified 'Castle' Class locomotive on a down Wolverhampton service, with M03 on the smokebox door. The bottom photo shows Turbo Class No. 165029 waiting at the platform in 1993
p46, High Wycombe, north of the station. Top photo shows ex-streamlined 'King' No. 6014 King Henry VII accelerating away through High Wycombe on a service to Birkenhead in 1957. The bottom photograph shows Turbo No. 165038 heading the 11.40am service to Banbury on June 19, 1993. Note the 'Pay No Poll Tax!' graffiti relating to Margaret Thatcher's government on the cutting wall
p47. High Wycombe, looking north again, top photograph. 'King' class No. 6022 King Edward III heads into High Wycombe on the 3pm service from Birmingham Snow Hill to Paddington
On June 19, 1993, in the lower photograph, Turbo No. 165036 makes the same approach on the 11.30am Banbury to Marylebone service
p48. Princes Risborough, top photo, showing ex-Great Western 'Star' class 4-6-0 No. 4060 Princess Eugenie starting the climb up to Saunderton Summit with an up Birmingham service in 1950. Note the quadrant signal denoting that this was an LNER/Gw joint line. The bottom photo shows No. 165035 leaving Princes Risborough on the 12.30pm service from Banbury to Marylebone
p49. Prince Risborough: the top photo is an excellent view of the front and right hand side of ex-LNER 'L1' 2-6-4T No. 67800 at the front of a train with an ex-Great Western 0-6-0PT No. 7763 behind it with a single carriage behind. This train is in the bay platform and bound for the Aylesbury branch on September 13, 1955. The bottom photograph shows the bay platform, now used mostly for stabling, with Turbo no. 165022 standing there on June 19, 1993 with the 5.20pm service to Aylesbury
p50, top, Aylesbury station in the 1950s with 0-4-2T No. 1473 in the platform, which has just arrived with the autotrain from Princes Risborough. 'B1' No. 61001 Eland is standing in the shed yard. In the next photograph (middle photo), Turbo No. 165018 operates the Aylesbury to Princes Risborough service on October 30, 1993. The station looks remarkably cleaner and better looked-after in the 1993 photograph
p50, bottom, Chinnor. The photo here is of Chinnor Station around the year 1900, and certainly before the cement works was built in 1908. The photo at the bottom of page 51 shows the new platform for Chinnor nearly complete (the station had been closed on July 1, 1957), with the modern cement works in the middle background. This later photo was taken on April 16, 1994
p51, Thame Station, top photograph, on August 2, 1862 with the Brunel-designed overall roof still in place, and with 'Hall' class 4-6-0 No. 6990 Witherslack Hall departing with the 11.30am Oxford-Paddington via Maidenhead stopping service. The middle photo on page 51 shows the same location in the early 1990s, but the goods yard and station are now gone and nature is rapidly reclaiming the site
p52. Blackthorn, shortly after opening in 1910 (top photo). It was closed on June 8, 1953. The Bottom photo shows the same site today - the whole station is gone, and the only trace of it is the road entrance on the right behind the trees
p53. Top photo. Bicestor North showing the up platform constructed of wood and the goods shed in the background (closed 1964). The signalbox on the left was closed on October 27, 1968. The second photo down shows the station on October 10, 1993
p53, Third photo down: Ardley Station with 'King' class 4-6-0 No. 6011 King James I passing through with the 1.10pm service from Paddington to Wolverhampton. This station was opened July 1, 1910. The fourth photo shows the remains of the down platform still in situ, but nothing else remains of the station. Chiltern Turbo No. 165032 heads past with the 10.40am Marylebone to Banbury service
p54 and p55, top, Aynho Park Platform, shown here with wooden platforms. It was closed on January 7, 1963 and only the milepost and abutments of the road bridge mark where it stood in the photo at the top of page 55.
p54 and p55, middle - King's Sutton Station - shown here on February 7, 1962. It's an attractive building with ornate chimneys, but it was sadly demolished with the footbridge in the 1970s. Only the down side building remains in the picture in the middle of page 55, where Turbo No. 165034 arrives with the service to Marylebone on October 30, 1993
p54 and p55, bottom - King's Sutton looking South from the small overbridge. In the photo on p54, 'Castle' class No. 5076 Gladiator approaches the station with a service to Wolverhampton. Running in from the right is the Banbury-Cheltenham direct line, which ceased to be a through route on December 3, 1963 when the section from Chipping Norton to Hook Norton was closed by a landslip. This remained open as far as Adderbury until December 4, 1967. The photo at the bottom of p55 shows Turbo unit Class 165 No. 165307 heading towards the camera on a Chiltern Line stopping service. The bridge abutments that carried the Banbury-Cheltenham line over the River Cherwell are the only visible elements left of that route.
p56, Chipping Norton, top photo, shows an unidentified '5100' class 2-6-2T waiting at Chipping Norton with an afternoon service to Kingham in 1961. The through line from Banbury to Cheltenham was operated as a branch line between Kingham and Chipping Norton when passenger services were withdrawn between Banbury and Kingham on June 4, 1951. Chipping Norton itself was closed completely on September 7, 1964; the bottom photo from the early 1990s shows a builders' merchants on the site with the remains of the down platform still visible on the right
p57, Banbury, top photo shows a view of the station from the adjacent road overbridge on August 6, 1960. On the left of the picture, a new WR DMU with '2H49' on the train headcode stands in the up platform with the 7.05pm service to Reading. In the adjacent platform, 'Hall' class 4-6-0 No. 6934 Beachamwell Hall departs with the 3.40pm service from Portsmouth Harbour to Wolverhampton. Fellow class member No. 6931 Aldborough Hall waits in the bay platform. The bottom photo shows Class 47 No. 47849 leaving with the 9.05am service from Poole to York. The through line on the right was used by Chiltern Line Services. Apart from the south end bay, all other bay platforms were unused at the time of this book's publication
p58, Banbury. The top photograph shows a busy summer's evening at Banburgy in 1961. On the right, a through service from the South Coast to the Midlands has a pair of 'Hall' class 4-6-0 locomotives double-heading it: No.s 5947 St. Benet's Hall and 6906 Chicheley Hall. Approaching the station is 'King' class No. 6008 King James II with the 4.20 service from Wolverhampton. The bottom photograph shows a single Turbo unit No. 165032 departing with the 12.09 service to Birmingham Snow Hill on November 1, 1993. The various north end bay platforms were all unused, but the signalbox visible on the other side of the bridge, Banbury North, was still in operation. The box was demolished overnight on March 26, 2017 despite attempts to save it as an education centre
p59. Section 2. Somerset and Avon: Somerset, Dorset, Wilts and Avon
p61, Stratton in 1959 (it was closed 2nd March 1953). The bottom picture shows it today, minus track and station and the site used as a haulage depot
p62, top and middle, Highworth in June 1952, with '4800' class 0-4-2T No. 1403 waiting to depart with a service to Swindon. It closed to passenger traffic on 2nd March 1953 and remained open to goods till 6th August 1962. The site is now a housing estate
p62, bottom, Swindon station in 1909 and p63, bottom where Class 60, No. 60064 Back Tor with the down Colnbrook-Milford Haven oil empties. The down-side platform has gone and both up and down services use the remaining island platform
p63, top. Swindon Works, which closed in 1985. This photo shows ex-works 2-8-0 No. 4257 on 7th Feb 1960 next to the turntable. At the time of publication, the original works building still existed, as did the 65ft turntable, which is shown on the middle photo standing alone on 22nd October 1993
p64, Swindon Town, hq of the Midland & South Western Junction Railway, seen here on 9th July 1951 with 'Manor' No. 7824 Ilford Manor arriving with a service from Cheltenham to Southampton, and 0-6-0PT No. 9600 on a goods service to Swindon junction. It was closed to passengers on 11th September 1961 and remained open to goods traffic until 1st November 1966. The photo at the top of page 65 is of a small industrial estate which now occupies the site
p65, middle photo, Chiseldon, shown on 31st August 1959. The middle photo of page 65 shows the same site today as a children's play area
p64, bottom, Marlborough Low Level seen here in August 1950 with '4300' class 2-6-0 No. 5367 standing in the station with a Swindon-Andover service. It closed to passengers on 11th September 1961 and remained open for goods until 7th September 1964. The bottom photo of p65 shows the site on 21st October 1993 being used by Wiltshire County Council as a highways depot
p66, top, Ludgershall on 19th September 1962 with BR Standard Class 4, No. 75003 running through with a northbound freight. At the date of publication, the line remained open from Andover Junction to serve the military establishments and modern houses now occupy the original station site as shown on the photo at the bottom of p66
p67, top, Chippenham. 'King' class 4-6-0 6019 King Henry V arrives at Chippenham on 24th March 1951 with the 9.05am service from Paddington to Bristol. The bottom photo taken in October 1993 shows that the down main platform is now unused; and all the trains use the island platform, including the HST in the shot here. The Westinghouse Brakes factory still dominates the scene
p68, top, No. 6850 'Grange' Class Cleeve Grange pauses at Bathampton station with a Bristol-Swindon service in the early 1960s. In the middle photo, looking east, the junction at Bathampton can be seen diverging to the right to Westbury as ex-Great Western 0-6-0PT No. 8730 runs through the station with a down goods service on 14th August 1954. Bathampton station closed on 3rd August 1966 and no longer exists, as shown by the bottom photo on a sunny October morning with class 158 No. 158823 leaving the Westbury line with a Portsmouth-Cardiff service
p69. Freshford. The top photograph shows 'Castle' Class No. 4084 Aberystwyth Castle pulling away with a Westbury to Bristol stopping service on 3rd May 1958. At the time of publication, the station still existed, but as an unmanned halt with trains stopping by request and in the bottom photograph, an identified 2-carriage Sprinter is running through on a service to Weymouth on 10th October 1993
p70. Avoncliff Halt, shown here in the 1950s in the top photograph with 2-8-2T No. 7202 passing through with an up goods. The double span bridge in the background carries the Kennet & Avon Canal over the railway. The bottom photo taken on 10th October 1993 shows very little change to the scene
p71. Westbury. The top photograph shows Westbury on 15th June 1963 as 'Castle' class 4-6-0 No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe leaving with the 4.33pm service from Salisbury to Bristol, whilst 'Hall' No. 6930 Aldersley Hall waits with the 5.25pm service to Swindon. The bottom photo shows the station little changed, but with a new power box. 37191 departs the station on 14th August 1993 with a summer Saturday service from Weymouth to Cardiff
p72. Yeovil Pen Mill. Top photograph: On 18th April, 1952, the yard is home to two pannier tanks and a '4800' class 0-4-2T with an autocoach. The lower photo shows how little has changed - the semaphore signalling is still in place even, although there are fewer sidings
p73. Yeovil Pen Mill looking south from the roadbridge. The top photo show an unidentified 'Castle' class leaving Pen Mill with a service to Weymouth. In the centre is the small ex-GWR engine shed and on the right, the line to Yeovil Town. The later photograph taken prior to the book's publication in 1994 shows a very different scene - the engine shed is gone and the branch to Yeovil Town is gone. The cattle dock on the left interestingly remains in situ
p74. Yeovil Town, seen in the top photo on 25th August 1957 with the ex-LSWR loco shed visible in the top right. The modern photo (bottom) shows a car and coach park
p75. Maiden Newton on 22nd March, 1958 (top left photo) with Hall class 4-6-0 No. 5978 Bodinnick Hall arriving with a Weymouth to Yeovil service. In the bay platform with a Bridport service is '4500' class 2-6-2T No. 4507. The Bridport branch closed on 5th May, 1975 and the modern day photo (top right) shows a Class 150 unit leaving for Weymouth on a murky September day
p75, middle photo, is Weymouth Quay on 19th June, 1959 with ex-Great Western 0-6-0PT No. 7780 heading towards the quay at Weymouth with a short freight. In the scene are small fishing boats, vintage cars and a small open truck with 'Lambretta Scooters' advertised on the rear left panel of the cab. In the modern-day photo, the line is closed, but still in place
p76. Bath Spa. The top photo shows the 2.33pm service from Portsmouth to Bristol Temple Meads coming into the station on 30th May 1956, hauled by 'County' class 4-6-0 No. 1014 County of Glamorgan. The same services today run through to Cardiff and at the time of publication were handled by Class 158 units - the photo at the top of page 77 shows No. 158870 arriving at Bath.
The middle photo on page 76 shows 'Modified Hall' class 4-6-0 No. 6981 Marbury Hall arriving at Bath Spa with the 7pm service from Bristol to Westbury on 18th July, 1964. The station looks pretty much the same in modern times (middle photo p77) as it did in the 1960s, apart from the missing elevated signalbox on the down platform (demolished in the early 1970s).
p76, bottom, this photo shows a railway enthusiasts' excursion to Bristol pulled by 'Hall' class 4-6-0 No. 6963 Throwley Hall in March 1965. The bottom photo on page 77 shows the same stretch of line from lower down with 37705 running through with some oil empties on 19th September 1993
p78. Stoke Gifford Yard, top photograph shows ex-Great Western '7200' class 2-8-2T No. 7252 restarting an up permanent way train from Stoke Gifford yard on 17th October 1964. The yard was closed on 4th October 1971 and the site was used to construct Bristol Parkway, which opened on 1st May 1972. Bristol Parkway can be seen in the background of this picture as an unidentified HST heads towards the camera
p79, top, Pilning - ex-Great Western '4100' class 2-6-2T No. 4151 passes through Pilning on 23rd May 1958 with an up freight. Renationalisation has seen the platform buildings removed and the station has become an unstaffed halt served by Bristol-Cardiff local services. The middle picture shows an HST speeding through on 28th November 1993
p79. Severn Tunnel, 2nd photo up from bottom: The 12.50pm service from Cardiff to Brighton pulled by 'Hall' class 4-6-0 No. 4918 Dartington Hall has just emerged from the Severn Tunnel and is making its ascent up to Pilning on 10th February, 1962. The bottom photograph shows the same piece of track with Class 158 No. 158864 approaching Pilning on 28th November 1993 with a through service from Swansea to Portsmouth Harbour
p80, top, Severn Beach station in the early 1960s when the line to Pilning (which closed on 23rd November, 1964) was still open. The second photo down shows Severn Beach on 28th November 1993 as Class 143 No. 143612 waits with the return service to Bristol
p80. Bristol Temple Meads station in December 1935 showing the new layout at that time at Temple Meads together with the new (at that time) colour-light signalling that had recently been installed. Top photo on page 81 shows approximately the same view on 2nd September, 1952 with 'Britannia' Pacific No. 70022 Tornado leaving with a service to Plymouth. The bottom photo shows again roughly the same view with the station looking much the same and two ex-BR Class 20s Nos 20904/1 running through on 16th August 1993 with a weedkilling train
p82. Top, Bristol Temple Meads on 12th July, 1957 with 'Castle' class No. 5085 Evesham Abbey pulling into the station with empty stock for the up 'Bristolian', the 16.30 service to Paddington. On the left of the picture can be seen fellow Castle class member No. 7037 Swindon. The bottom photo shows the same vantage point on 16th August 1993 with Class 158 No. 158853 departing with a service to Milford Haven
p83. Bristol Bath Road - the top photograph shows the large ex-Great Western locomotive depot on 9th July, 1960. It closed to steam on 12th September, 1960 for conversion to a diesel depot. The new diesel depot opened on 18th June 1962 and is seen here in September 1993 with class 47s (for the parcels sector) and class 37s present
The depot ceased all operation on 28 September 1995, when its last operator Great Western trains transferred all operations to St. Philip's Marsh T&RSMD
p84. Yatton - top photo shows the station on 7th September, 1963 with a view of 'Castle' No. 7036 Taunton Castle arriving with the 9.45am Saturdays-only service from Paddington to Weston-super-Mare. On the right, and in the bay platform, is ex-LMS 2-6-2T No. 41245 on the 1.45pm service to Witham. This day was actually the last ever day of steam services between Paddington and Weston-super-Mare, and also sadly, the last day of Yatton-Witham services because that closed officially on 9th September, 1963. In the bottom August 1993 picture, only the up-side canopy still survives and the bay platform is filled in and now a car park. Class 153 No. 153362 arrives with a service from Bristol-Weston-super-Mare.
p85. Cheddar station (on the Yatton-Witham branch) on 17th August, 1963 with an ex-LMS 2-6-2T No. 41245 waiting at the station with the 15.28 service from Witham to Yatton. The 2nd photograph down shows the station building still in place providing a home to a stone yard
p85. Wells (Tucker Street) station on an unknown summer day in the 1950s. Ex-Great Western 0-6-0PT No. 3773 arrives at Wells Tucker Street with a service from Yatton to Witham. The bottom photo in August 1993 shows the now empty track bed with a housing estate where the station yard used to be; and the stone road overbridge still in place. The station of course is long gone
p86. Worle Junction - top photograph shows the Weston-super-Mare branch leaving the main line to the east with Castle No. 5089 Westminster Abbey joining the main line on 26th March 1956 with the 7am service from Paignton to Liverpool. The remains of Worle Junction station, which closed on 2nd January 1922, can be seen in the background
p86, bottom photo, shows Worle Junction singled, but still in use, and this time there is an HST leaving the branch (No. 43017) again with a service to Paddington
p87. Uphill Junction. The Weston-super-Mare line rejoins the main line at Uphill Junction (after leaving at Worle Junction). In the undated photograph at the top of the page, No. 4143, a class 2-6-2T heads westwards past the junction box. The bottom photograph shows Class 47 47813 heading into a now singled Weston-super-Mare branch with a service from Plymouth to Paddington via Weston. The signalbox is gone (closed 31st January 1972)
p88. Weston-super-Mare General, top left photograph, the station in the 1920s. Bottom left photo shows the station on 17th August 1993 as Sprinter No. 150249 waits to leave with a service to Birmingham New Street
p88-89 - large photograph, top right, shows Weston-super-Mare Lockring Road in August 1962 as King class 4-6-0 No. 6018 King Henry VI moves the empty stock for the 2.35pm service to Paddington round to Weston General. The small engine shed (closed August 1960) can be seen on the right and a Grange class 4-6-0 stands on the turntable. The site was closed on 6th September 1964 and at the time of press was used as a car and bus park
p90. Bridgwater (top photo): Castle class 4-6-0 No. 5053 Earl Cairns arrives at Bridgwater (Sedgmoor) on 16th June 1959 with the 10.20am service from Taunton to Paddington. The top photograph on p91 shows the station still open on 23rd January 1994 with Sprinter 150242 departing with the 11.32am service from Taunton to Bristol. The station and footbridge look remarkably the same
p90, middle photograph. At Bridgwater station, Castle class 4-6-0 No. 5090 Neath Abbey approaches Bridgwater Station on 14th June 1959 with the 6.45pm service from Taunton to Bristol. In the up siding waits Grange class 4-6-0 No. 6833 Caldicot Grange, whose job is to attach a couple of open wagons to the train (a regular working). The middle photograph on page 91 shows an HST approaching Bridgwater Station in August 1993 with a service from Plymouth to Paddington. The trackside hut seen in 1959 is still there
p90, bottom photograph. Ilminster branch can been seen here - and this was a 16-mile branch which ran from Creech St. Michael junction, east of Taunton to Chard where it connected with the ex-LSWR branch from Chard Junction. Ilminster (shown here) was an intermediate stop on the branch. This photo from the 1950s shows 7400 class 0-6-0PT arriving with the 1.35pm service from Chard Central to Taunton. Both closed to passengers on 10th September, 1962. The line remained open for goods traffic until 6th July, 1964. The same photo taken on 5th August 1993 (bottom of page 91) shows the line gone, but the station building and goods shed are still in use
p92. Chard Central (top photograph). With the weeds growing high on the platform surface outside, this photo shows Chard Central in the early 1960s with 7400 class 0-6-0PT No. 7436 arriving with a passenger service from Taunton. These services did not have long to run - the passneger services from Taunton were withdrawn on 10th September, 1962; and the services to Chard Junction were withdrawn on 7th March, 1966. The top photograph from 5th August, 1993 on page 93 shows the station building still in use as a tyre depot.
p92, middle photo. Taunton Station with Castle class 4-6-0 No. 7001 Sir James Milne standing in the station on 2nd May 1959 with the RCTS Brunel Centenary Special from Paddington to Saltash and Plymouth (Millbay). On the middle photograph on page 93, on 25th January 1994, the centre platform is closed and planted out with trees and shrubs. Class 158 No. 158825 stands at the down platform with a 10am service from Cardiff to Paignton. Station pilot class 08953 stands in the old Barnstaple departure bay in platform 3
p92, bottom photo, shows Norton Fitzwarren in the 1920s in a remarkably crystal clear photo. Sadly it was closed on 30th October 1961. On page 93, the bottom photo shows Class 158 No. 158840 passing the site where the station used to be on 16th July 1993. The line on the right used to serve the Taunton Cider plant until BR's Speedlink freight service ended, but it does provide a connection to the West Somerset Railway
p94. Williton, top photograph - a 4500 class 2-6-2T No. 5571 arrives at the station on 22nd August 1961 with the 11am service to Minehead. In the 2nd picture down from September 1993, the scene is almost identical except that the footbridge is missing: 4100 class 2-6-2T No. 4160 arrives with a Minehead service
p94, 3rd photo down: Watchet station with 5700 class 0-6-0PT No. 9764 arriving at the station on 22nd August 1961 with the 11.12am service to Taunton. On the bottom photo, 4100 class 2-6-2T No. 4160 arrives cab first with a service from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard
p95. Minehead Station. The top photograph shows an empty Minehead statin in 1921. The 2nd photo down is taken from a slightly different angle on 7th April, 1959 with a 5700 class 0-6-0PT no. 9732 waiting with service to Taunton. The platform canopy missing in the top photograph had been installed (1934) by the date the 2nd photo was taken on 7th April, 1959. Today, the station is preserved by the West Somerset Railway Society and the bottom photo shows the station busy with visitors and the old engine shed being used for locomotive restoration
p96. Wellington Station - the top photograph shows the station as it was, fully operational, on 15th November 1932. The original two track layout was extended in 1931 to create two through running lines and two platform loops and the new station was opened on 21st Feb, 1932. Wellington was closed to passengers on 5th October 1964 and the bottom photo shows the remains of the station (overgrown fenced-off platforms) on 26th January, 1994, as an HST set powered by Nos. 43029 and 43004 sped through with the 11.35am service from Paddington to Plymouth
Section 3: The Southwest: Devon and Cornwell