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Wokingham railway station

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Wokingham
General information
LocationWokingham
Managed bySouth West Trains
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeWKM
History
Original companyReading, Guildford and Reigate Railway
Pre-groupingLondon and South Western Railway
Post-groupingSouthern Railway
Key dates
4 July 1849Station opened
1 January 1939Line electrified
1973Station rebuilt
1987Platforms lengthened
October 2013New station building opened
A 1909 Railway Clearing House map showing (left) lines in the area of Wokingham

Wokingham railway station is a railway station in Wokingham, Berkshire, England. It is at the junction of the Waterloo to Reading line with the North Downs Line. South West Trains manages the station and provides services along with Great Western Railway.[1]

History

The line from Reading to Redhill was built by the Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway (RG&RR), and was opened in stages. The first sections, from Reading to Farnborough North, which included a station at Wokingham, also from Dorking West to Redhill, were opened on 4 July 1849. Other sections followed, with the last section, from Guildford (Surrey) to Shalford, on 15 October 1849.[2][3] From its beginning the RG&RR was worked by the South Eastern Railway (SER), which bought the RG&RR in 1852.[2]

The Staines, Wokingham & Woking Junction Railway (SW&WJR) opened a line between Staines and Wokingham (Staines Junction) on 9 July 1856. The London and South Western Railway (LSWR) worked the SW&WJR and was authorised to run over the SER to Reading.[4] This gave Wokingham a direct route to London Waterloo.

In 1933 the Southern Railway opened the current signal box. It controls part of the North Downs Line, part of the Waterloo route, and the level crossing. On 1 January 1939 the SR extended its Waterloo – Virginia Water electric service to Wokingham and Reading.[5]

In 1973 British Railways replaced Wokingham's station building with one built with CLASP prefabricated concrete sections. In 1987 BR slightly extended the platforms to accommodate eight-car Waterloo trains. Platform 2 ("down") has recently undergone a further extension to accommodate longer trains and the addition of a signal at the London end. This is for reversing trains in times of disruption and during the Reading station upgrade.

Level crossings

In 1976 BR converted the main level crossing next to the station from gates to barriers. There is also a footbridge for pedestrians to use when the crossing is closed for the passage of a train. The first bridge was built from old double-head rails, but has been replaced by a more modern angular design. There is a concrete footbridge in the 'V' of Wokingham Junction – where the Waterloo and North Downs lines meet.[6] There is also an occupation crossing located on the Waterloo line at Knoll Farm, opposite Langborough Recreation Ground, that it is restricted to use by the farm.

There is a very busy level crossing further along the same line on Easthampstead Road at Star Lane. BR installed automatic half-barriers (AHB) on it in about 1964. In 1997 Railtrack upgraded it to full barriers and equipped it with CCTV. BR equipped Waterloo Crossing with AHBs in 1965, and they remain in use today. BR also converted Amen Corner level crossing to AHBs, but in 1982 the A329 road was re-routed and two bridges were built to replace the Level crossing. The diverted road uses an overbridge nearer Wokingham station, and a pedestrian footbridge occupies the site of the former crossing.[7]

Services

South West Trains runs a service between London Waterloo and Reading. This runs every 30 minutes daily, with some extra peak time weekday services in either direction.[8]

Great Western Railway runs an hourly semi-fast service between Reading and Gatwick Airport and an hourly stopping service between Reading and Redhill, giving a total service frequency of about two trains per hour on this route off-peak.[9]

Wokingham station is an interchange for passengers between the Waterloo – Reading line and the North Downs Line.

Redevelopment 2013

In 2011 it was announced that Wokingham station would be redeveloped from spring 2012 to spring 2013[10] at a cost of £6 million.[11] The initial plan involves a new station building further along the platform nearer to Reading than the existing building and creating a new spur road linking Wellington Road to the Reading Road. An artist's impression of the new station building was released to the news media in July 2011.[12] Enabling work for the link road was started on 11 February 2013.[13] In August 2013 the new footbridge opened to the public and in October the same year the new station building opened with the old 1973 CLASP building was demolished to make way for the new station sign and clock tower.[14] However following the development it was decided by South West Trains to choose a new café chain to serve in the new building over the ones previously serving in the old building, despite local opposition.[15]

Notes

  1. ^ "Wokingham Station". National Rail.
  2. ^ a b Kidner, R.W. (1982) [1974]. The Reading to Tonbridge Line. Locomotion Papers. Salisbury: Oakwood Press. p. 6. LP79. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  3. ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 253. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  4. ^ Kidner 1982, p. 7
  5. ^ Kidner 1982, p. 51.
  6. ^ "Aerial View". Google Maps - Satellite view.
  7. ^ "Aerial View". Google Maps.
  8. ^ Great Britain eNRT 2015-16 Edition, Table 149 Network Rail
  9. ^ Great Britain eNRT 2015-16 Edition, Table 148 Network Rail
  10. ^ "Major improvements coming to Wokingham railway station". Wokingham Borough Council. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  11. ^ "Wokingham railway station gets £6 million upgrade". BBC Berkshire. 24 October 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  12. ^ "First glimpse of new station". Wokingham Times. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  13. ^ "Enabling work starts on Wokingham station link road". Wokingham Borough Council. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  14. ^ "Old station demolished". Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  15. ^ "Café owner's disgust". Retrieved 20 November 2013.
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Reading   Great Western Railway
North Downs Line
semi-fast services to Gatwick Airport 		  Blackwater
Reading   Great Western Railway
North Downs Line
local stopping services to Redhill 		  Crowthorne
Bracknell   South West Trains
Waterloo to Reading line 		  Winnersh
or Reading
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wokingham railway station.
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