OXFORD 1960

[s182ggu]

Along with a few others, I'm looking at the way that trains were operated within the environs of Oxford Station during the late '50s / early '60s. Whilst we are reasonably happy as to how through passenger and freight trains were handled, we are less sure about both north and southbound terminating trains.

 

We guess that Northbound terminating trains, such as the Paddington semi-fasts would run on into the north-west carriage sidings where the loco would be released to the shed or to run round and that the southbounds would terminate in the north-east bay platforms, with the locos then being shunt-released. However these are just educated guesses. Maybe the train engines were released in the platforms and a shunter used to move the stock to the carriage sidings?

 

Are there any of you out there with any knowledge of these operations? We are all gluttons for the right information so if you can help us out, we'd really appreciate if you can share your knowledge.

 

Thanks in advance.

[The Stationmaster]

By the late '60s and early '70s (and then on until the loco hauleds finished) the train engine was used so it might have been similar in the period you have in mind. I'll delve out the Oxford Station Working Book I happen to have for the wartime period and see if that gives any clues that can be transferred forwards to the 1950s/early '60s and when I get time (which won't be this week alas) I'll have a delve in AV's 'Heart of The Great Western' although I suspect it won't be too strong on that sort of thing.

[BrushVeteran]

My mermories of Oxford in the early sixties was that almost as you say Northbound Padd terminators were stabled in the NW sidings until the train was ready to depart back to Padd much like the workings to this day. The NW bay platform stabled parcels and stock and occasionally local trains up the Worcester line usually Moreton in Marsh locals. The NE bay platforms usually received the trains from Banbury, Bletchley/Cambridge and these became parcels when the parcels office got moved across the tracks. It is still used by Bicester trains today and occasionally short working Worcester line trains. I hope this is of help and I can always find out more specific answers to questions regarding Oxford from some of my 'railway' colleagues.

[s182ggu]

Mike & BV - thanks for your prompt replies - much appreciated.

 

BV - do you know / are you able to find out exactly how the ECS trains were handled?

 

- Was the train engine used to move the ECS to the sidings or were station pilots used for this?

- were these practices different for Northbound and Southbound trains?

- was there an east-side pilot and a west-side pilot?

- the main carriage storage lines were / are north west of the station. Were there any others and how were they used?

 

We really do want to get down into the real detail so anything that you can pass on to us is extremely valuable.

 

Thanks again for your help so far.

[Rugd1022]

Hi Graham,

 

GWR Journal #64 / Autumn 2007 has a wonderful 38 page article on Oxford, it's well worth giving Wild Swan at Didcot a ring on 01235 816478 and asking if they have any back issues. The accompanying photographs are extremely useful!

 

It goes into a lot of detail, especially that concerning the Up and Down Pilots, with anecdotes from staff who were there at the time.

 

As for carriage sidings... apart from those at the north west side (down side, known as Miller's Sidings) there were some shorter ones on the down side at the south end, between the platform end and Osney Lane footbridge, these were and still are known as the West Mids Sidings (alas there are only two there now, with one of them being clipped out of use). The two sidings alongside the down bay platform were known as Binsey Sidings and were often used to stable the Moreton-in-Marsh local stock, DMUs and sundry parcels vans. On the up side, alongside the up bay were two 'dock roads' (still there today and currently occupied by a faded BR blue CCT and GUV used by FGW as stores), and next to these were three carriage sidings labelled 1,2 and back road.

 

Hope that helps

[s182ggu]

Hi Nidge

 

Thanks for this. We've got a copy of that article from the GWR Journal #64 - I had just forgotten that we had it!!

 

And you're quite right - it has a shed load of info about the local movements in and around the station.

 

Thanks again

[The Stationmaster]

Oxford Station Working books for Winter 1946 and Summer 1947 duly 'dug out' but the best I can do for Coach Working so far is 1941 (which might be a bit 'out of the norm').

[s182ggu]

Oxford Station Working books for Winter 1946 and Summer 1947 duly 'dug out' but the best I can do for Coach Working so far is 1941 (which might be a bit 'out of the norm').

Thanks Mike. I'm sure 'the boys' will be delighted to see these.

 

Thanks again.

[Panelman]

Hi,

I have just found this topic whilst i was searching for info on locomotive workings at Oxford in the early 60s.

 

I have a copy of the 1961 carriage working book if it is still of interest. I am building a layout based on operations at Oxford.

 

All the best,

 

Kevin (former signalman at Oxford)

[Rugd1022]

Hi,

I have just found this topic whilst i was searching for info on locomotive workings at Oxford in the early 60s.

 

I have a copy of the 1961 carriage working book if it is still of interest. I am building a layout based on operations at Oxford.

 

All the best,

 

Kevin (former signalman at Oxford)

 

Hi Kevin,

 

Sounds very interesting that, and a warm welcome to the forum

 

Out of interest, when did you work at Oxford...?

[Panelman]

Hi,

 

I worked at Oxford panel around 2003, and also did a stint on the relief at Banbury covering Banbury North, South, Fenny Compton and Claydon L&NE Jcn on the former Oxford-Cambridge line.

 

Now in Carlisle, and working the power box here. I am building a OO gauge layout based on operations at Oxford in the early 60s, though the station is relocated to Worcester St, nearer to the city centre as if the GWR had extended their original line to the Grandpont terminus rather than divert to the west to the station that exists today.

 

I have a number of working timetables from the period 1958-1966, and electronic copies of the 1961 carriage workings and through carriage working programme from the helpful chaps at the BR coaching stock yahoo group: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/BRCoachingStock/

 

These have really helped with researching train formations and understanding which originating trains were formed from which terminating ones. Not always easy to decipher from WTTs!

 

Now i'm really keen to have a look at a locomotive working book, if any such thing exists. Something that shows what inward engines did next. Any information would be appreciated, and i would be glad to offer help to interested parties with the material i have collected to date.

 

All the Best,

 

Kevin