Disused Stations: Kidlington Station

Kidlington Station Gallery 3: 1970s - February 2004

Sometime in the 1970s a Brush Type 4 (Class 47) passes Kidlington station building with a northbound train. The locomotive appears to be carrying a TOPS 47xxx number so this is 1974 or later. The headcode box is now redundant and carries the 'dominos' as they became generally referred to as. Alpha-numeric headcodes are now known by other names and have long since ceased to be displayed on trains by reasons of the gradual abolition of traditional signalling and more modern technology in general. 'Dominos' reputedly first appeared on the Class 55 'Deltics' as early as 1971 and British Rail officially abolished the displaying of headcodes in 1976. Turning now to the station building, the two doorways in the end led into lavatories while the porch area was accessed directly from the ticket office. At the far end of the building is the former waiting room with a sign above the door but which is unreadable. There is a noticeboard on the wall between, from right the left, the second and third windows. It looks like the type of board which displayed omnibus timetables; usually these were located in the more logical place on the forecourt side of stations but could also be found on platform sides.
Photo by Geoff Hall

Following closure, Kidlington station building had a number of tenants. Despite the very crude 'Kidlington Aerial Supply' sign on the chimney stack in this 1970s view the tenant would appear to be a builder or perhaps a plumber. The gargoyle-like embellishments on the valance were common to many of these 'Cotswold' style station buildings and can be seen more clearly in other photographs. The photographer Geoff Hall's father was stationmaster at Kidlington in the late 1950. he family lived in the station house.
Photo by Geoff Hall

Another 'domino' fitted Class 47 passes Kidlington with a southbound train during the 1970s. The chimney visible far right is thought to have been on the former stationmaster's house. On the end of the station building the bay window of the waiting room can be seen, providing intending passengers with a good view of approaching northbound trains. This feature was common to most, if not all, of these 'Cotswold' style station buildings and the window was always placed so as to give a view of trains approaching, on double track lines, the platform upon which the building stood. However, these windows may have been flat originally as the style of bay window is typical of the early 20th century. Perhaps an architecturally knowledgeable reader can inform us.
Photo by Geoff Hall

A view across the former goods yard in June 1981. The former broad gauge goods shed would be demolished three years later. Among the lorries or trailers present is a Bowyers lorry and two, probably former, St Ivel trailers or which at least one has had the name painted out. This view is facing south and the station building was out of shot in the left background.
Photo by Michael Sullivan

The station building across the forecourt in June 1981. By now the crude Kidlington Aerial Supply sign has gone and C. E. Austin Engineering have moved in. Note that the telephone number was still a Kidlington four-digit issue at this time. Kidlington telephone exchange still exists as of 2023 but the area now falls within the Oxford, 01865, dialling code. The building's roof was by this date starting to show signs of becoming decrepit although behind all the clutter the general fabric of the building appears sound. Among the vehicles are left, a much ridiculed Morris Marina estate and right, an anything but ridiculed Mk 1 Ford Transit pickup.
Photo by Michael Sullivan

Looking south from Banbury Road bridge at the site of Kidlington station in August 1982. By this date the Down platform building and goods shed, out of view to the right, was all that survived of the former station.
Photo by Alan Young

The fire damaged station building on 8 August 1990, the day after the fire. We cannot of course see inside the building but the damage appears to be confined to the roof and the fire had not spread to the adjacent buildings which look to be completely untouched but were subsequently demolished. Some cast iron canopy brackets were recovered and taken to Didcot and used for the rebuilding of Heyford station which is a very similar building from the same period. The building by this date was well hemmed-in between the railway and industrial estate, which latter has also obliterated the station forecourt. The building on the right sits more or less on the site of the Woodstock bay bufferstop and dock while where the lorry is parked on the left had been part of Stationmaster Cooke's gardens.
Photo by Martyn Sanders

A Poole - Manchester service passing the burnt out shell of Kidlington station the morning after the fire,

Photo by Martyn Sanders

The site of Kidlington station looking south in February 2004. It would appear there is wrong line working in force, probably because of engineering work as the Class 220 DMU seems to be approaching the camera. The 'X 35' sign on the right indicates a 35MPH speed limit from trains running wrong line. Note the apparently new cable conduit alongside the Down line. The station building had stood where the gap in the hedging is on the right. Compare this view to that of 7 August 1990. Readily apparent is the wider than normal spacing between the two tracks, a legacy of the former broad gauge.
Photo by Michael Willis

[Source: Darren Kitson]

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Station Name: KIDLINGTON