Fritwell & Somerton railway station

Fritwell & Somerton

Site of the station in 1992
Location
Place Somerton
Area Oxfordshire
Coordinates 51°57′22″N 1°16′44″W / 51.956°N 1.279°WCoordinates: 51°57′22″N 1°16′44″W / 51.956°N 1.279°W
Grid reference SP496289
Operations
Original company Great Western Railway
Pre-grouping Great Western Railway
Post-grouping Great Western Railway
Platforms 2
History
2 September 1850 Line opened from Oxford to Banbury
1855 Station opened as Somerton
2 July 1906 renamed Somerton Oxon
1 October 1907 renamed Fritwell & Somerton
2 November 1964 Station 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
UK Railways portal

Fritwell & Somerton railway station was on the Oxford to Banbury line of the Great Western Railway,[1] and was opened four years after the line, in September 1854.[2] It was in the village of Somerton, Oxfordshire.

History

The line had been authorised as the Oxford and Rugby Railway, but had been absorbed by the GWR prior to its opening on 2 September 1850. No station was originally planned at Somerton — the nearest station to the village was Heyford, three miles to the south.[3] The station at Aynho for Deddington was closer by rail, being about 2.5 miles (4 km) to the north, but the road journey was about 5 miles (8 km).

It was soon decided that Somerton needed a station. It was built south of the railway bridge in the village, and opened in 1855, being originally named Somerton.[3][4]

A station at Somerton (Somerset) was opened on 2 July 1906,[5][4] and to avoid confusion, the Oxfordshire station was renamed twice: first to Somerton Oxon also on 2 July 1906,[4] then to Fritwell & Somerton on 1 October 1907,[6][7] although the village of Fritwell is 2 miles (3 km) away.

The goods service was withdrawn on 4 May 1964,[8] and the passenger service ceased on 2 November 1964.[9][10][2]

Route

Preceding station Disused railways Following station
Heyford   Great Western Railway
Oxford and Rugby Railway
  Aynho for Deddington

Notes

  1. Conolly 1976, p. 10, section D4.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Simpson 1997, p. 93.
  3. 3.0 3.1 MacDermot 1927, p. 300.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Butt 1995, p. 214.
  5. MacDermot 1931, p. 433.
  6. Butt 1995, pp. 100,214.
  7. Mitchell & Smith 2003, figure XX.
  8. Mitchell & Smith 2003, figure 90.
  9. Butt 1995, p. 100.
  10. Railway Magazine, December 1964, p.920

References