Midgham railway station
Midgham | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | West Berkshire |
| Coordinates | 51°23′46″N 1°10′42″W / 51.3961°N 1.1783°W |
| Managed by | Great Western Railway |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Other information | |
| Station code | MDG |
| History | |
| Original company | Berks and Hants Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Great Western Railway |
| Post-grouping | GWR |
| Key dates | |
| 21 December 1847 | Opened as "Woolhampton" |
| 1 March 1873 | Renamed "Midgham" |
| 2 November 1964 | Renamed "Midgham Halt" |
| 5 May 1969 | Renamed "Midgham" |
Midgham railway station is located in Berkshire, England, in the valley bottom village of Woolhampton. Originally called Woolhampton, the station's name was changed to Midgham, a neighbouring village, in Victorian times to avoid confusion with Wolverhampton.
It is 46 miles 59 chains (46.74 miles, 75.22 km) measured from London Paddington.
History
The line from Reading to Hungerford was planned by the Berks and Hants Railway, and before it was opened, it was absorbed by the Great Western Railway (GWR).[1] The station at Woolhampton was opened with the line on 21 December 1847;[2] it was originally named "Woolhampton" but on 1 March 1873 was renamed "Midgham".[3] According to oral history, the name Midgham was used in preference to Woolhampton in order to avoid possible confusion with Wolverton railway station and the much larger Wolverhampton railway station;[4] the GWR having reached Wolverhampton in 1854.[5]. The station appeared in a 1943 World War 2 training film for US Soldiers titled "How to Behave in Britain."[6]
The station was subsequently renamed twice by British Rail: on 2 November 1964 it became "Midgham Halt" but on 5 May 1969 it reverted to "Midgham".[7] The station name was subtitled "for Douai Abbey" until refurbishment with current Network Rail signage.
Description
Midgham station is near the centre of Woolhampton village, on an unclassified road just south of its junction with the A4 road. There are two flanking platforms on each side of the double track line. The Reading bound platform has a small shelter and a small car park. The unclassified road crosses the railway line at the eastern end of the station by means of a level crossing, and this crossing also provides the only access between the platforms.
Services
The station is served by local services operated by Great Western Railway from Reading to Newbury. Trains run hourly in both directions on Mondays to Saturdays, and every other hour on a Sunday. Typical journey times are about 12 minutes to Newbury and 20 minutes to Reading. Passengers for London Paddington must normally change trains at Reading (except on Sundays, when services runs to & from the capital).[8]
| Preceding station |  National Rail
|
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aldermaston | Great Western Railway Reading to Newbury Local Services Reading to Taunton line |
Thatcham | ||
References
- ^ MacDermot, E.T. (1927). History of the Great Western Railway, vol. I: 1833-1863. Paddington: Great Western Railway. pp. 192–3, 294–5.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 255. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - ^ Butt 1995, pp. 159, 255
- ^ "Basingstoke Railway History in Maps". Christopher Tolley. 2001. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
- ^ MacDermot 1927, p. 336
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltVtnCzg9xw
- ^ Butt 1995, p. 159
- ^ Table 116 National Rail timetable, May 2016
External links
- Train times and station information for Midgham railway station from National Rail