Station Name: BLENHEIM AND WOODSTOCK[Source: Darren Kitson]
old18.jpg)
On the afternoon of the final day No. 1420 with autotrailer W183W displaying the Union Flag gives the station a steam clean while awaiting the next departure. It may have been raining, or perhaps drizzling, at the time because, unusually for that final day, the station appears deserted. Another autotrailer has been stabled in a siding. The afternoon through train to Oxford General, as it was still named at the time, departed Woodstock at 12.55PM and returned from Oxford at 2.48PM for which departure an additional autotrailer was attached ahead of the locomotive to accommodate the large number of enthusiasts, reputedly 150, wishing to travel. This ensemble is known to have also worked the 3.42PM Woodstock - Kidlington and 4.10PM return. The next departure from Woodstock was the 5.16PM to Kidlington and it appears the second autotrailer was detached prior to the 5.16PM departure as there was an adequate gap in the timetable to allow for shunting and disconnecting the auto gear. Sunset in the Oxford area on 27 February 1954 was at 5.41PM and as this photograph was taken during daylight were are probably looking at the 5.16PM departure. Following this the timetable contained a number of Not Saturdays (NS) and Saturdays Only (SO) variations. The 5.16PM departure returned from Kidlington 5.45PM SO and returned from Woodstock at 6.20PM by which time the train would be operating during darkness. The next departure from Kidlington was the 6.39PM SO followed by the 7.15PM departure from Woodstock and this was the final passenger train. Normally the 7.15PM would arrive at Kidlington's Up Main platform at 7.31PM and then run as empty stock to Oxford when the locomotive would go 'on shed'. However, it would appear from anecdotal evidence that on the last day the 7.15PM ran in service through to Oxford and probably because of the number of enthusiasts on board. British Railways could be very obliging in such circumstances and often at short notice. It is known that the final train was worked by No. 1420 with autotrailer W183W so it must be assumed the second autotrailer remained in the siding at Woodstock. If so it would have been collected, probably on the following Monday, with any wagons still at Woodstock. Wagons would have included 'Toad' brakevan W68776 which was allocated to Blenheim & Woodstock. The track layout seen here is the result of the rationalisation on 1926 which also saw the closure of the signal box, following which the branch was worked 'one engine in steam'. If the branch had to be worked by a non auto-fitted locomotive it was still possible to run round by means of a loop which had been installed just outside the station confine.
Photo by Ben Brooksbank old17.jpg)
A common error in books, magazines and on the internet is captions claiming the applicable photographs depict the last train when in fact they were taken earlier on the final day. This view is one such and has appeared in at least one book claiming to show 'the last train'. While locomotive No. 1420 and autotrailer No. W183W did indeed operate the final train on the Woodstock branch, this view was taken earlier and probably just prior to the 5.16PM departure. The gas lamps on the platform at Woodstock were to a somewhat strange design and one can be seen on the left of this photograph. Ostensibly post-mounted casement lamps, they had a swan-neck bracket which suggested the casements were actually suspended. No information on these lamps had, at the time of writing, been discovered.
Photo from John Mann collection old24.jpg)
Another view taken on the final day, 27 February 1954. The autotrain has reversed out of the station to take on water and 0-4-2T No. 1420 has already received a number of chalked scribblings to mark the closure of the branch. Side tank locomotives had a balancing pipe connecting the two tanks, therefore it was only necessary for firemen to fill up via one tank. Woodstock's water tank originally had a capacity of 3,206 gallons at a depth of four feet. This tank was supplied by Messrs. Ransomes & Rapier. The tank is thought to have been replaced at some point in time but details are elusive. The brick tower had two windows in its rear and a doorway in its east end, the interior space being used for storage as was often the case. This part of the station site was also the location, until 1926, of the engine shed and signal box. There was a locomotive coaling stage near the east end of the engine shed which apparently also disappeared in 1926 and, perhaps obviously, this was also the year a locomotive ceased to be shedded at Woodstock. No evidence of a replacement coaling stage has been found so perhaps coaling when the branch train ran through to Oxford was deemed sufficient. However, the wheel tyre of the wagon on the left is not exactly highly polished, suggesting this wagon had been on the siding for some time which may in turn suggest provision for hand coaling was made. If so it would have been done via the goods shed road, which siding was closer to the wagons than that in the centre of the photograph. The siding on which the wagon stands ended, at this time, at a bufferstop just out of view to the left. Between the wagons and the autotrain can be seen Woodstock's goods loading gauge. It is over the siding which served the carriage dock, opposite the station platform. The gauge itself is of the type with hinged outer sections and is here seen set for the GWR loading gauge (this means clearances at bridges, tunnels and so on). The GWR loading gauge was more generous than that of other railways, or Regions following Nationalisation, and with the outer sections of the gauge lowered it then represented the LMS loading gauge. Thus any wagons with a load which fouled the goods yard gauge were deemed 'out of gauge' and were not permitted to travel until compliantly reloaded. The system was simple and effective. As will be realised, the term 'loading gauge' has two meanings, firstly the measuring device as seen here and secondly, clearances along the lines although of course the two are inextricably linked.
Photo
from John Mann collection
old19.jpg) The GWR running in board at Blenheim and Woodstock remained in place until closure. Probably seen here on the last day.
Photo from John Mann collection old20.jpg)
Another last day scene and as only one autotrailer is now present we are probably looking at what would be the 5.16PM departure. No. 1420 has already been adorned with various scribblings. A good number of ladies are present, no doubt local, and this was not untypical of branch line closures. Unfortunately most such people never, or rarely, used the trains and apart from market days in Oxford when the through trains were popular the Woodstock branch became infamous for its light or zero passenger loadings. During the Second World War a number of military bases were set up in the area but surprisingly given that in wartime passenger trains generally tended to be crowded, the Woodstock branch actually saw a dramatic fall in traffic from which it was never to recover. The purpose of this photograph would appear to have been the lady in a wheelchair, her attendant and the chap in the duffel coat who seems to have been overcome by a bout of hilarity. To the left of No. 1420 can be seen the end loading dock, described on some plans as a carriage landing which means it would have been used for loading road vehicles onto wagons. 'Carriage' in this context meant, however, horse-drawn vehicles. Woodstock's cattle pens were located on the Up side of the line and roughly opposite the signal box. On duty for the afternoon, or late, shift on the final day were Driver Harry Collins, Fireman Jack Loveridge and Guard Cecil Watkins. It is probably Jack Loveridge standing talking next to the locomotive cab.
Photo from Michael Jordan collection old21.jpg)
This is one of several views of Woodstock taken after sunset on the final day and just prior to departure of the last train, the 7.15PM. The Union Flag had been attached earlier that afternoon but here we see a wreath being placed on the front of the autotrailer. Many of the people present were from the University of Oxford who seemingly outnumbered the local people who turned out for the occasion. The driving cab is also well populated and British Railways were remarkably tolerant of this sort of deluging when branch lines closed. Whether Driver Collins allowed people to remain in the cab during the final journey is another matter.
Photo from Michael Jordan collection old22.jpg)
A more general view of the platform at Woodstock just prior to departure of the final train. Many of the people would have been locals out to witness the occasion and one has to wonder just how many of them had actually used the trains on a regular basis; the Woodstock branch was, after all, noted for its light passenger traffic and with many trains running empty other than on market days.
Photo from Michael Jordan collection old23.jpg) A close up view of more of the scribblings on No. 1420 just prior to the final departure. Funereal comments such as "Born [and] Died" and "RIP" were pretty much the norm on these occasions as were anti Government remarks such as "Killed by Govt" as seen here. While Government was responsible for the 'pen to paper' aspect it was lack of usage which actually killed off branch lines. Nevertheless, while economies were applied to the Woodstock branch in 1926 the ratio between revenue and operating costs remained disproportionate and not helped by the majority of trains running only to/from Kidlington. A further economy, in later years at least, was the branch goods being operated as a mixed train, i.e. goods wagons attached to passenger trains, while shunting was often carried out with the autotrailer still attached. In 1949 an ex-GWR diesel railcar appeared on the branch. While operating the Woodstock branch the steam autotrain would disappear to the Thame branch before swapping over again later in the day. The use of the diesel railcar proved to be short lived and possibly because it was unsuited to hauling unbraked goods wagons. Whether the railcar created an increase in business is not recorded but its time on the Woodstock branch was probably too short to have made any real difference. Also on the side of No. 1420 has been chalked 'Fair Rosamund', the name of a 517 Class locomotive which had worked the branch for many years. The origin of the name is explained elsewhere.
Photo from Michael Jordan collection 
A very dejected-looking Woodstock station sometime before the track was lifted, which work commenced in late 1957. The carriage dock has already been demolished which was rather unusual as such features were not normally removed until after track lifting, if they were removed at all. Probably it was done in connection with Young's Garage taking over the site. Vehicular access to the dock was via the gate seen here right of centre and while this may appear obvious it was less obvious when viewing from the street. When autotrains took over the branch they normally ran with the locomotive at the Woodstock end and this will account for the smoke staining on the canopy valance. The water tower seen left centre background stood near the County Police Station on Rectory Lane and was nothing to do with the railway. The motor car is either a Ford Anglia E494A or a Popular 103E. It may have been the same vehicle seen in the forecourt view (below) taken at around the same time, which was an Anglia E494A, but we have no way of knowing thanks to the registration number in this view being illegible. Either way these vehicles were very common for many years. They were very basic and offered economical motoring to working class people who might otherwise be unable to have a new car. The Popular 103E came to be referred to affectionately as the 'Ford Pop' and while the Popular (and Anglia) name was used on other Ford models, from the nostalgia point of view there will only ever be one 'Ford Pop''.
Photo from John Mann collection
Woodstock station forecourt after closure with evidence of Young's Garage which had taken over the station. The motor car appears to be a Ford Anglia E494A. This model was ostensibly dropped in 1953 when it became the 103E 'Popular' fitted with a larger engine. The extremely basic model remained in production until 1959, quite late for what was essentially a vehicle with pre-war styling. On the right, between the station and school, New Road has already been excluded to motor vehicles, this end of the road being extremely narrow.
Photo
from Michael Jordan collection
 A photograph taken from a house on New Road, Woodstock on the occasion of a family christening on 17 May 1956 with, it would appear, plenty of cameras at the ready - all very much standard practice at the time when religious ceremonies featured in people's lives rather more than they do now. The front of the motor car is obscured but it nevertheless shows signs of being a Morris 8 Series E. As of July 2023 all the buildings seen here on Hensington Road still exist and partially hidden by the tree, left of centre, is St Hugh's Roman Catholic Church. The object of the photograph was of a course the christening party but it has also captured, perhaps unintentionally, the disused railway just outside Woodstock station, out of view to the left. The entrance to the former goods yard, off Hensington Road, is visible at extreme left. The water tower somewhat dominates the scene and this area had once been the site of the engine shed and signal box. Some dubious stories exist about the water tower, namely that it contained fish and people swam in it. Both seem unlikely but readers are left to decide for themselves. Track lifting began in 1957 back to a point close to the main line and was completed in early January 1958. The contractor was Messrs. Pittrail Limited and their usual method was to hire in a road crane to lift track panels onto a bogie flat wagon shunted by one of their own locomotives. Trains of loaded wagons would then be removed by British Railways. Today the water tower has of course long gone and the former railway land comprehensively built upon.Photo from Rose Greenough Click here for Blenheim and Woodstock Station Gallery 4:
1950s - 2011
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