Churchdown railway station
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| Churchdown | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Cheltenham - Paddington express passing Churchdown station in 1961 | |
| Location | |
| Place | Churchdown |
| Area | Tewkesbury |
| Grid reference | SO886202 |
| Operations | |
| Original company | Birmingham and Gloucester Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Midland Railway/Great Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway/Great Western Railway |
| History | |
| 9 August 1842 | Opened |
| 27 September 1842 | Closed |
| 2 February 1874 | Re-opened |
| 2 November 1964 | Closed |
| Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom | |
| Closed railway stations in Britain A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z |
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Churchdown railway station was situated on the main line between Birmingham and Bristol.
[edit] History
The railway line between Cheltenham and Gloucester opened on 4 November 1840, the final section of the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway (B&G) which had been authorised in 1836.[1] At first, there were no intermediate stations, but on 9 August 1842 the first station at Churchdown was opened by the B&G; it proved to be temporary, being closed again on 27 September.[2] Less than a year later, on 22 August 1843, a station opened closer to Cheltenham at nearby Badgworth.[3][4] Both stations were built in response to request from the residents of Badgeworth for a station closer than Cheltenham or Gloucester; Churchdown was the first choice of the railway company since it was closer to the half-way point between the two towns.[5]
The permanent station at Churchdown was opened on 2 February 1874, and was the joint property of the Midland Railway (successor to the B&G) and the Great Western Railway,[2][6] who had shared the line since 1847.[7]
The station closed on 2 November 1964,[2] as part of the reshaping of British Railways by Dr Beeching.
The site of the station is 89 miles 65 chains (144.5 km) from Derby.[4] Little remains of the station itself next to what is now Station Close, but through traffic continues on the line. Plans have been proposed in the past to put in a third or fourth track though Churchdown between Cheltenham and Gloucester. It is not expected that Network Rail will put in this third track in the near future.[citation needed]
[edit] Routes
| Preceding station | Disused railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucester Eastgate Line and station closed |
Midland Railway Bristol and Gloucester Railway |
Cheltenham Lansdown Line and station open |
||
| Gloucester Line and station open |
Great Western Railway Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway |
Cheltenham Malvern Road Line and station closed |
||
[edit] References
- ^ James, Leslie (November 1983). A Chronology of the Construction of Britain's Railways 1778-1855. Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 29. ISBN 0 7110 1277 6. BE/1183.
- ^ a b c Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 61. ISBN 1 85260 508 1. R508.
- ^ Butt 1995, p. 22
- ^ a b Long, P.J.; Awdry, The Rev. W. V. (1987). The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway. Gloucester: Alan Sutton. p. 274. ISBN 0 86299 329 6.
- ^ Long & Awdry 1987, p. 261
- ^ "Railways in Gloucester and Churchdown - after 1845". http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/Railgloschur2.htm. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
- ^ MacDermot, E.T. (1927). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. I: 1833-1863. Paddington: Great Western Railway. p. 188.
