In addition to the large scale improvements already detailed on the introduction page of this site, the GWR also carried out a general upgrading of facilities, including the fitting of new Lamp posts and and name boards on the stations. A two way telephone system was installed, linking all staff attended stations with Newbury. During 1908, The GWR decided that facilities at Lambourn fell short of their requirements and as a result the decision was made to completely reconstruct the terminus, keeping only the goods and locomotive sheds.

At Great Shefford a horse loading platform and extended sidings were the order of the day. Welford Park became a crossing place with a signal box an additional platform, and a passing loop. Boxford gained an extention to its loop siding. The line was equipped with a signalling system and in June 1908 the electric tablet method of operation was introduced. For this purpose, the line was divided in to two segments. Newbury to Welford Park and Welford Park to Lambourn.

The board of trade inspection of the completed works in 1910 reaffirmed both the 25mph speed limit introduced originally back in 1898, and the 8 ton axle weight. Somewhat surprising as they had cleared the line for the use of 12 ton axle loading railcars in 1904.Equally surprising was the fact that the GWR didn't stengthen the underbridges during the revamp of the line, this would have facilitated an increase in both the speed and weight restriction areas.

1912 and approval was granted by the Great Western Board for the introduction of a new Sunday service. It would consist of two passenger runs each way over the line, hauled by a Lambourn based locomotive. The Service became effective on the 5th of May and coincided with the new Summer timetable.

Time Table for Sunday Services May 5th 1912

Great Western Railway	.	a.m	p.m	.	Great Western Railway	.	a.m	pm
Lambourn	dep	10.00	6.15	.	Newbury	dep	11.15	7.42
Eastbury	dep	10.06	6.21	.	Newbury West Fields	dep	11.17	7.44
East Garston	dep	10.10	6.25	.	Speen	dep	11.21	7.48
Great Shefford	dep	10.15	6.30	.	Stockcross	dep	11.25	7.52
Welford Park	dep	10.21	6.36	.	Boxford	dep	11.31	7.58
Boxford	dep	10.26	6.41	.	Welford Park	dep	11.36	8.03
Stockcross	dep	10.32	6.47	.	Great Shefford	dep	11.42	8.09
Speen	dep	10.36	6.51	.	East Garston	dep	11.47	8.14
Newbury West Fields	dep	10.40	6.55	.	Eastbury	dep	11.51	8.18
Newbury	arr	10.42	6.57	.	Lambourn	arr	11.57	8.24

In spite of world events and all the associated hardships of the war years, traffic on the line had increased quite significantly and by 1923 receipts had practically doubled in comparrison to those of 1913. In November 1924 the Great Western Board decided to re-introduce a Sunday train service, primarily for the collection and conveyance of Milk from the farms along the valley. It would start from Didcot, using a Didcot based locomotive and crew, the idea being that it would also provide for collections on the Didcot, Newbury and Southampton line. This new service became operational in January 1925.

Great Western Road Services

Road transport was by this time starting to impact on the railway companies quite noticeably and in an effort to compete with the private transport operators, Great Western aquired a large fleet of it's own road vehicles.

Great Western's very first local bus service was inaugurated on the 17th of August 1925 and ran from Swindon to Lambourn, travelling via Stratton Park, Wanborough and Aldbourne. A second Swindon service was introduced on the 26th of July 1926 passing through Ashbury, Wanborough and Coate. This particular route lasted just three years, and was withdrawn on the 6th of July 1929. May the 27th 1926 saw the emergence of a GW bus route from Newbury to Lambourn but this ran on Saturdays and Sundays only. This venture however proved to be unprofitable and in line with Great Western's unparalleled efficiency, it was withdrawn by the end of the year. Great Western bus services were run in an affort to discourage the smaller private operators but the plan was unsuccessful. Midland red, Bristol Tramways, The Newbury and District Bus Company and The Thames Valley Traction co. were all up for a bite of the cherry. In 1932 Great Western ceased bus operations altogether.

Back with the railway and the year is 1926, the year of the General strike. Great Western was badly affected, as indeed were all companies. Even the tiny Lambourn branch line didn't escape, with only one eratically operated train per day , watched over by a skeleton staff. The Winter of 1926/27 brought with it heavy snowfalls causing further chaos to services. A snow plough was transhipped from Reading to work on both the D.N & S and the LV lines. Unfortunately the plough itself became a victim of the weather and ended up firmly stuck at Eastbury for several hours resulting in the complete cancellation of all train services on the LVR.

Despite these unavoidable setbacks, the early 1920s to the early 1930s were to be the most profitable and successful time the line would enjoy. During this period both passenger traffic and goods traffic were at a premium. The transportation of horses reached its peak in 1927/28 with special trains running to race meetings all over the country, this was in addition to the local traffic already created by the opening of Newbury Racecourse in back in 1905.

A number of trainers had their own private boxes leased on a permanent basis, but the overall responsibility for ensuring enough horse boxes were available was the that of the clerk at Lambourn. It must have been a job that required a degree of clairvoyancy as most trainers would delay giving the station notice of their box requirments until the very last minute. Race specials achieved there peak during the years 1920 to 1935 when up to 35 horseboxes in a single day would be hauled into and out of Lambourn Station.

In March 1929 the ATC ramps were removed and replaced by fixed distant semaphores, Furthermore in July of that year,the electric train tablet instruments were replaced by electric token, thus affecting the signal boxes at Lambourn, Welford Park and Newbury West.

Mid July 1932 saw the introduction of a late evening passenger service running on Saturdays only. The train left Newbury at 10-15pm and arrived in Lambourn at 11-00pm. This particular service was very well patronised in so much as it provided transport home for people from along the Lambourn Valley, after spending an enjoyable evening in town. The service was one way only and the train would run back empty from Lambourn arriving in Newbury at 11-45pm.

The financial decline of The Lambourn Line started in 1934, and this continuing situation forced the GWR to look for operational economies. The halts at West Fields, Stockcross & Bagnor and Eastbury were now left un-staffed and two years later a decision was made to deploy diesel railcars on the line in preference to steam hauled trains.

1937 saw the new Diesel Railcar, ( No 18 ) enter service. Specially built for branch line working, it was fitted with coupling gear and buffers enabling it to pull a tail load of up to 60 tons. It's two engines, producing 242 b.h.p. The new Railcar could carry 49 seated passengers and was geared to a top speed of 45 m.p.h.

The introduction and subsequent use of the new diesel in service had a positive effect on the line by restoring a small profit. however, a few unforseen operating problems were encountered such as the driver needing to stand up to see the couplings when shunting. This in itself made control of the foot throttle somewhat difficult. Another early problem was that the electric token carrier hoop had to be modified as the original was to large to fit through the cab window. The car was based in Reading and would travel down in the mornings, bringing with it newspapers for Newbury and Lambourn. After the day's operations it would run back light to Reading. This produced a further reduction in costs by resulting in the closure of the engine shed at Lambourn. All future workings including the daily goods train would now also operate out of Reading.

Railcar No 18 failed on many occasions and was eventually replaced by a M.S.W.J. 2-4-0 or a saddle tank. It was transferred to Glamorgan for use on the Cowbridge and other branch lines. Consequently, new Railcar ( No19 ) was subsequently commisioned and introduced to cover the workings on the Lambourn line. Although parcel traffic had increased, passenger numbers were adversely affected by the introduction of a valley bus service. In 1938, The Thames Valley Traction Co. started bus operations between Lambourn and Newbury, running on Thursdays and Saturdays. Specifically tailored to coincide with Newbury market days, this new bus service was instrumental in attracting many regular passengers away from the railway, leaving it reliant on the other, less profitable days of the week.

1945 The War Years and Beyond

Being a terminal branch, the Lambourn Line escaped the strains of heavy second world war through traffic, but the war itself did have a impact on the line in other ways. For instance, unlike the 1914/18 war, many of the railway staff chose to join the armed forces making the day to day running of the line somewhat difficult. The GWR overcame this problem by employing women to replace the Porters, Signalmen and Clerks that had taken this option.

Military bases were set up in and around Lambourn anticipating the arrival of troops from various divisions and countries including the Americans and the Canadians. Special military trains operated from 1940 bringing in troops and armaments for the air base at Membury. As the War progressed, the irregularity of train movements both up and down the line neccessitated the line remaining open 24 hours a day. However, only Signalmen were required to work out of normal hours, not a difficult task for them as very few trains ran along the line at night.

In the months following the end of the War, goods traffic on the line was at an all time low, the race specials had dwindled to the point extinction and any goods that were carried would be those required locally such as coal and Agricultural based items. Passenger numbers however, remained constant, possibly due to the issue of low cost day return tickets and the fact that petrol rationing was still in force. In the run up to Nationalisation, the overall condition of the line and its associated stock, was good. passenger patronage still held firm and train services were superior to those of the Independant LVR days.

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