Upton and Blewbury railway station

Upton and Blewbury railway station was a station on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway in England. It served Upton, with Blewbury and West Hagbourne being only 1 mile (1.6 km) from the station. It was opened in 1882 to serve military camps in the area.^[1] Originally named Upton; Blewbury was added to the name of the station in 1911 to recognise the more distant but larger village in the Vale of White Horse. In the latter part of the station's history it also served the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell. The station closed in 1962.

Upton and Blewbury
Upton and Blewbury station seen in 1976
General information
Location	Upton, Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire England
Grid reference	SU511869
Platforms	2
Other information
Status	Disused
History
Original company	Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Pre-grouping	Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway
Post-grouping	Great Western Railway Western Region of British Railways
Key dates
13 April 1882 (1882-04-13)	Opened as Upton
16 January 1911	Renamed Upton and Blewbury
4 August 1942	Closed
8 March 1943	Re-opened
10 September 1962	Closed
Location

Facilities

The station comprised two platforms, with the ticket office and station buildings located on the southbound platform on a passing loop. The northbound platform, linked by two paths across the tracks at either end for access, had a small wooden shelter and a signal box at its northern end. To the North of the station was a headshunt and two sidings, one flanking the southbound platform used for loading horses and other goods, the other siding curving to the east.

The site today

The station building is still in excellent condition with a recent extension in the original style. It even retains its original canopy, although it has also been recently surrounded by further housing. The original station approach and car park area has been named "Beeching Close".^[2]

Routes

Preceding station		Disused railways		Following station
Didcot Line closed, station open		Great Western Railway Didcot, Newbury and Southampton Railway		Churn Line and station closed