Wolvercot Platform was a halt on the Great Western Railway line between Oxford and Banbury. The line is now known as the Cherwell Valley Line or the "Oxford Canal Line".

History

The platform was opened on 1 February 1908;^[1] it was situated on the north side of Godstow Road,^[2] and served the village of Wolvercote, but was spelt Wolvercot to try to reduce confusion with the nearby Wolvercote Halt on the London and North Western Railway's Varsity Line. Although only a halt, Wolvercot had once been staffed and during the First World War it became the first station to have a stationmistress. The lady in question was Miss Margaret Elsden, sister of Mr A.H. Elsden who became stationmaster at Birmingham Snow Hill. Margaret Elsden later married Frank Buckingham who became stationmaster at Oxford.^[3]

The GWR closed Wolvercot Platform on 1 January 1916.^[1] Wolvercot Siding signalbox, a 29-lever hipped roof structure which survived the closure, controlled the level crossing over Godstow Road as well as vehicular access to the adjacent meadows. The down starter in Wolvercot Siding carried the distant arms for Wolvercot Junction, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) to the north, where the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Line diverged north-westwards from the Birmingham Main Line.^[3]

Route

Railways around Oxford
to Banbury to Worcester to Bicester to Witney and Fairford Oxford Parkway Yarnton Oxford Road Halt Yarnton Loop City boundary Wolvercot Junction Wolvercot Platform Wolvercote Halt Oxford North Junction Port Meadow Halt Exchange sidings Sheepwash Channel Rewley Road Swing Bridge Oxford Oxford Rewley Road Osney Rail Bridge Gasworks Bridge Oxford Gas Works River Isis City boundary Oxford (Grandpont) Goods Hinksey Halt Millstream Junction Abingdon Road Halt Kennington Junction Radley Iffley Halt to Didcot Kennington Railway Bridge Littlemore Morris Cowley BMW Mini terminal Horspath Halt to Princes Risborough

Services were provided by steam railmotors based at Oxford, which was also the southern terminus; the northern terminus of these services was Kidlington, Blenheim and Woodstock, or Heyford.^[4]

Notes

References

• Jenkins, Stanley C. (1987). The Woodstock Branch. Didcot, Oxon: Wild Swan Publications. ISBN 0-906867-51-7.
• Mitchell, Vic; Smith, Keith (February 2003). Didcot to Banbury. Western Main Lines. Midhurst: Middleton Press. ISBN 1-904474-02-0.
• Waters, Laurence (1986). Oxford. Rail Centres. London: Ian Allan. ISBN 0-7110-1590-2.

51°47′06″N 1°17′11″W / 51.7851°N 1.2865°W / 51.7851; -1.2865