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When traveling down line, Boxford Station was the first stop
on the route that had been equipped with a small goods siding.
This siding took the form of a passing loop, i.e, connected
at both ends. Unlike Stockcross and Bagnor, Boxford Station
was in very close proximity to the actual village of Boxford.
Like all other stations on the line, passenger
facilities were sparse. Public access was a basic cinder crossing
that led from the goods yard to the ramp at the Newbury end
of the platform. To the rear of the station there existed a
steep embankment that dropped away quite sharply, ruling out
any form of legitimate access from that direction.
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Looking towards Lambourn, early 1920s.
The first building on the platform was the LVR supplied, wooden
office at the rear of which was a small lean-to storeroom.
In 1908 the board of trade had approved plans for the partial
reconstruction of the station. These included lengthening
the platform by some thirty feet and raising it to standard
height. The siding length was increased to accommodate up
to nineteen wagons, and of course, the regulation GWR pagoda
was constructed next to the original office.
The nearer of the two cinder crossings in the above picture
is, the afore mentioned, passenger foot crossing. The other
one was there to enable road vehicles to back up to the platform
edge, to facilitate easier loading and unloading operations.
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During the independent days of the
LVR, the station was looked after in the usual fashion, by
a lad porter. But in line with the other larger stations,
the GWR upgraded the position to that of a Class One porter.
Here at Boxford, he was also required to undertake the free
delivery and collection of small parcels within a half mile
radius of the station, on a GWR supplied pedal cycle.
From 1903 until around 1940 the station was overseen by local
man 'Charlie' Brown. Despite the requirement of him to perform
the many varied tasks associated with the railway, Charlie
was always immaculately presented in his Great Western uniform.
He was also credited for being able to swing up the door of
a drop wagon to the closed position and then knock up the
clips single handedly, not the easiest of things to accomplish
whilst standing at ground level.
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In addition
to his railway duties, Charlie was also a special constable.
In 1926, at the start of the general strike, he locked up and
secured the station and subsequently reported for police
duty. Charlie was detailed to provide security cover for public
amenities buildings to prevent sabotage, where was he assigned
too? why, the local railway station at Boxford of course. |
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The
south end of the station, and looking towards Newbury. The black
hut on the right of the picture is that of the permanent way
gang and housed the various equipment required for the safe
and uninterrupted operation of the line. Equipment for dealing
with snow and ice in the winter months would also be stored
here. The line dropped away on a gradient of 1 in 82 through
the station, then out onto the embankment and away to Stockcross.
Left of centre, a standard height loading gauge.
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Initially it was necessary for all outgoing goods to be delivered
to the station by the sender. The goods in question would
have been in the form of quite sizable quantities of corn, barley,
hay, straw, timber, milk and eggs. In later years a local carrier,
probably one of the coal merchants, took on the contract for
collecting this type of produce direct from the farms. As a
result of the introduction of the GWR Country Lorry Service
from Newbury however, the contract was short lived. Given the
small rural nature of the station, the amount of traffic handled
was impressive and accounted for a high percentage of the receipts
for the branch. |
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Charlie Brown was succeeded by local lady,
Edith McCartney, Edith was known by the village folk as the
'station master of Boxford'. She took on all the duties previously
handled, by Charlie, but was assisted with the heavier lifting
by a porter from one of the other stations.
The goods vehicle crossing had long gone by the time this photograph
was taken in 1951, leaving just the foot crossing. Milk traffic
was now in the domain of the road hauliers and had completely
disappeared from the railway
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Mrs. McCartney remained at the station until staffing ceased
on 2nd August 1954, at which point she took control of the station
at Speen. This arrangement required a daily cycle ride
from her home at Boxford and continued until closure of the
line. The wooden hut was moved from the platform to a roadside
position in the village. Situated adjacent to 'The Bell Inn.'
it started a new career,
still protecting passengers from the elements, but this time
as a Bus Shelter. In the year 2003 it is still there doing a
stirling job. The sole job of this over bridge at the north
of the station was to provide access to a nearby field. |
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The
railway continued on through a cutting towards Welford Park.
The open air ground frame controlling the north end turnout
is just visible to the left of the cutting with a single tongue
catch point in the siding alongside the mile post.
The points were removed in 1964, having been clipped out of
use in June of 1962. The set at the southern end of the station
was lifted in March 1965. |
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| (Below),
the line to the south of Boxford with the three car unit on
the Isis tour of 1970. (Below
right) ~The same stretch of line presumably taken
a few days later when the snow had almost disappeared from view. |
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