I only went to Oxford for one Summer, but passed the Station twice a day on my way to work, and occasionally on Saturday or Sunday. Those weekend journeys tended to take me South to Didcot, Reading and London, and most often just as far as the former, where there was still a good deal of rail traffic to see. I was able to look around Oxford Stabling Point and cab a Hymek, and I can remember sitting under the first over bridge north of the Station in the sweltering heat, insects buzzing, watching the occasional DMU, main line passenger or freight pass through. One thing that did puzzle me, though, was where exactly the old steam depot had been. There was a large space behind the present depot that had bushes and saplings at least six feet high, so whatever had been there was hidden (if it had been there), and trying to survey it from vantage points nearby didn’t seem to throw any light on the subject. It was only recently I came across photos showing the features that enlightened me – the old LNWR side as well as the GWR side of the tracks.
Beret-wearing fireman of GWR 2-8-2T locomotive 7226, hauling a long heavy goods train through Oxfordshire in 1947, peers at the track ahead as it passes a yard. I had always been a bit curious of this class of loco as one was mysteriously and incongruously pictured at Long Rock depot in the book “Great Western Steam in Cornwall”. 69###AT01-OXF-s7226-GOODS
A very atmospheric view of an out-bound goods train headed by a GWR 2-6-0 crossing the Botley Road bridge to the south of Oxford Station in 1925. To the left at the end of the up platform is a large water tower, with advertisments on the passenger-facing side, and right, shrouded in smoke is a signal box. A parachute water tower peeps above the train. 25####A01-OXF-S_LCO-GOODS
A BR (ex-GWR) 2-6-2 Tank loco No.6167 runs into the environs of Oxford Rewley Road Station past the LNWR-built Signal Box, to the east of the former GWR tracks, in 1961. The station became a Goods Yard in 1951, with traffic diverted westwards. 610415A01-OXF-s6167-LIGHT
A passenger train headed by BR (ex-GWR) 4-6-0 No 6948 ‘HOLBROOKE HALL’ runs through Oxford in 1961, past tanks and a well-bottomed bogie bolster. A neat undergirding of ballast spreads out from the sleepers on a very neatly-maintained railway! 610415A02-OXF-s6948-PASGR
Heavy freight loco 2814 takes a southbound freight of wagons and vans through an apparently empty Oxford on 29th April 1955. At the end of the down platform, housing the typical sack barrow, flatbed trolley and GWR monogramed seats, there is the black weatherboarding of Oxford loco shed. 550429A01-OXF-s2814-FRGHT
I was greatly surprised when I first saw this – as Long Rock depot’s coaling stage had a water tank on it, I automatically assumed they all did. 42969 (coaled) and 75079 (awaiting coaling) are parked together on Oxford Shed in the shadow of the building. 64###AC01-OXF-WTR_T-VI_SW
With loaded tender, 7327 sits on the turntable at Oxford in 1964, awaits its next duty. Behind are lines of similarly available locos including 2248 (that has had its numberplate replaced by paint), the coaling stage, water tower and sheds. Photo: D M Cox 64###AG01-OXF-s7327-TURNT
Locomen pose on the front of the bunker of a 4-6-0 “namer” that waits along with similar locos beside the repair shop of Oxford depot, and before the running shed. Both it and the 43XX adjacent have no GWR emblems on their tenders, although others have, and along with wooden signals, caked in dirt, this picture may show fairly early nationalisation days. 5####AA02-OXF-DEPOT-VI__N
Before the north signal box, shrouding it in steam, an unidentified loco brings a train of mixed wagons towards Oxford Station. A large 61XX class side tank and 57XX class pannier tanks are in the left foreground awaiting duty, and between them and a rake of carriages on the main line is the coaling stage, the ramp filled with coal trucks. Photo: B.R. (W.R.). 5####AA01-OXF-DEPOT-VI__N
Oxford goods yard and approach lines south of the station, seen from the station bridge in 1964. Most dominant in view is a gas holder; in the middle distance are the Goods Shed and Offices; beyond to the left are many sidings of wagons; and a van is isolated on the fan of tracks to the right. On the right extreme is a boundary wall, with splayed telegraph poles. 640521A01-OXF-TRACK-VI_SE
The bright red numberplate of 9789 draws the eye as the shunter runs slowly backward before the coaling tower at Oxford depot, the driver watching carefully its progress towards connection and a mate walking beside to hook up. Silhouetted on the mound behind are mineral wagons of loco coal, and adjacent a classmate to the shunter, with enthusiasts. 1965####A01-OXF-s9789-SHNTG
6923 ‘CROXTETH HALL’ and 6136 wait outside Oxford shed on 30th August 1965. Although both ex-GWR engines, a rich variety of locomotives of several former companies visited this central location right up until it closed to steam the following year. 650830A01-OXF-s6136-PARKD
With loaded wagons before it, large ex-GWR tank 6150 pushes them ahead under the watchful eye of the fireman at Oxford in 1964 on the lines to Rewley Road goods station. To the right are the main running lines with track fans opening out into the depot yard, and beyond is the area that mystified me – here revealed as open land and sidings. 640704A01-OXF-s6150-SHNTG
Visible splasher nameplate supports and a painted number show this Hall Class loco is withdrawn and waiting disposal, at Oxford on 13th March 1966. Its general appearance suggests it to be otherwise sound – intact connecting rods hinting perhaps that removal is not imminent. The area of reeds and osiers beds behind point to this being at the north end of the depot. 660313A02-OXF-s7914-PARKD
New and old buildings co-exist at the north end of Oxford Station as a Hymek runs south across the bridge over the arm of a tributary between the canal and the Isis. Its exhaust nearly obliterates everything behind it under the eastern expanse of the gantry. 6####GN01-OXF-D70##-LIGHT
The signal board reads ‘GOODS LOOP’ as a Brush type 4 in green livery and a rake of maroon vans passes under the signal gantry across the tracks at the north end of Oxford station. Beyond it are a couple of steam tanks, parked up vans and the old depot building is to the left: front right a maroon enamel sign forbits public crossing on the boardwalk between platforms. 6####II01-OXF-STATN-VIS_N
The repair shop of Oxford depot forms the backdrop to D3195, in original green livery with a prominent RA disc beneath its number, and a fellow 08 shunter. This building was on the west side of the running lines north of the station close to the running shed. 66###AC03-OXF-D3195-PARKD
I remember coming across this bridge to the east of Oxford Station ten years before it is pictured here and was a little mystified by it, but because of its proximity to the canal and the bridges under the main lines, imagined it was a necessity to enable boats to periodically navigate through the space under it. It was already apparently derelict at that time. 840519A01-OXF-BRDGE-VIS_N
D7073 waits amid the hard-packed ballast on a siding at Oxford in the 1960s. It is in two-tone green livery with small warning panels and its headcode displays a London destination from a recent passenger service. Lighting poles, semaphore signals and a swathe of sidings are behind the locomotive, and a DMU and Southern Region stock are beyond. Photo: Willian Kerry 6####HT01-OXF-D7073-PARKD
Brush type 4 No D1716 enters Oxford Station with a Southern Region bound train. The semaphore gantry is still in use; there is a pre- British Rail sign by the foot crossing; and the edge of the diesel depot recently built on the steam shed site lies behind it. 6####FH01-OXF-d1716-PAS_S
W.R.- allocated 47059 is under the partial awning of Oxford Shed, presumably being refuelled between duties. The shed staff were very accommodating when I visited, even trusting me to “cab” a D7XXX unsupervised. To the right in the background is the overgrown area I assumed might be the site of the former steam shed, but was never certain about. 75###AM01-OXF-47059-PARKD
The slip road to the west side of Oxford Station as I remember it on my daily visits in the Summer I was there. Spear point railings flank the pavements and NCL vans are parked against the station building, overlooked by the tower of St Paul’s church, Jericho. 7####EY01-OXF-STATN-VI__N
Oxford Station in the state of my first visit in the mid-70s. The station has been mainly rebuilt with new offices and awnings, although the signalling is still semaphore. The awning closest is stained with diesel exhaust as this is where ‘up’ trains’ locos would wait. The tail end of a MkI train is on the stopping ‘down’ road, and BRUTE trolleys await use on both platforms. 730703A01-OXF-STATN-VI_NW
D1005 “WESTERN VENTURER” is parked against the buffers on a siding at Oxford depot. This is how I remembered it, with wasteland behind that I realised was probably the site of the old steam shed, but I had no idea of what was previously there. 75###AG01-OXF-D1005-PARKD
The facade of the former LNWR Oxford station of Rewley Road, next door to the ex-GWR that was by now the main city one, is in a state much as when I first saw it, converted to a garage and no doubt a bit of a come-down from its former glory. Between-times it functioned as Oxford’s goods terminal, with the lines north from it just lying derelict until development. 7####HC01-OXF-S_BLG-VIS_N
Its cabside displaying loco number (minus prefix); Route Availability disc; Builder’s Plate; Information Panel and Depot Transfer, 7026 waits for a cleared signal in the down through road at Oxford Station in 1974. Behind it is a rake of Mk1 carriages; between its track is an AWS ramp; and beside it, between it and the other down track is signalling cable conduit. 74###AO02-OXF-D7026-HOP_E
Exhaust rises from 2 vents as 7026 stirs at Oxford Station in 1974 slowly dragging squeaking Grampus EW flat wagons of an engineers train forwards. I don’t know why ‘OLE’ is sprayed on its side, but a smaller sized ‘NB’ (no boiler), similarly added, was a common sight. A man sorts his sacks on the down platform, and a DMU approaches from the north. 74###AO01-OXF-D7026-HOP_E
With its numberplate prefix painted out, 1010 “WESTERN CAMPAIGNER” pauses at Oxford Station with a Mk II coach service to Paddington. Steam from the buffer beam suggests steam heating is on, and exhaust is blown down the bodyside. 740615B01
-OXF-D1010-PAS_U
B434 forms a 3-car DMU service from Worcester Shrub Hill arriving in the bay platform at the north end of Oxford Station as passengers prepare to board. A main line service has pulled into the adjacent platform, which has a surface of non-slip stippled asphalt. 7####DT01-OXF–B434-PAS_I
With empty tracks before it and a boardwalk beyond, 47492 pulls away with a northbound passenger service as a group of enthusiasts cluster around the platform end. On the rather scaled-down diesel depot behind are two 08 shunters and a Class 31 loco. 7####EI01-OXF-47492-PAS_D
08946 is parked at the north end of the depot at Oxford. Remedial work is going on around the site and materials have still to be cleared. In the background is the wasteland so intriguing to me, as the stunted trees and bushes hid the history of the old steam shed and I just couldn’t comprehend how it could be totally obscured in such a short space of time. 8####BI01-OXF-08946-PARKD
The Eric Curnow Collection 