Purton
The former Purton Station seen from Widham road bridge in August 2023
General information
LocationPurton, Wiltshire
England
Coordinates51°35′38″N 1°51′59″W / 51.5939°N 1.8664°W / 51.5939; -1.8664
Grid referenceSU093883
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyCheltenham and Great Western Union Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Western Railway
Post-groupingGreat Western Railway
Key dates
31 May 1841 (1841-05-31)Station opened
2 November 1964 (1964-11-02)Station closed

Purton railway station was in operation on the Swindon to Gloucester line in Wiltshire, England, between 1841 and 1964.

The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway through Purton parish was opened in 1841 and was absorbed by the Great Western Railway in 1843. Purton station opened when services began in 1841, in the hamlet of Widham, about 700 metres north of Purton village at the bridge over the Purton-Cricklade road. British Railways closed the station in 1964 but the line remains open. The booking office building survives with a small part of its platform.[1]

To the west of the station was a goods yard, and beyond it a private siding for a brickworks.[1]

Trains run along the Golden Valley Line through from London Paddington via Reading, Didcot Parkway and Swindon, then past the three closed stations of Purton, Minety and Oaksey Halt to Kemble, continuing to Stroud, Stonehouse, Gloucester and Cheltenham Spa. When engineering work closes the Severn Tunnel, trains from Paddington to Swansea are diverted from the Great Western Main Line and South Wales Main Line via Bristol Parkway to run via Kemble to Gloucester, then along the Gloucester to Newport LineCaldicot before rejoining the normal line at Severn Tunnel Junction.

Originally laid as dual-track, British Rail reduced the line between Kemble and Swindon to single-track in 1968. Network Rail investigated the options for reinstating the second track, along with the estimated cost (see Golden Valley Line). In the 2011 Budget the Government announced that funding for the redoubling was to be provided[2] and the works were completed in August 2014.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Oakley, Mike (2004). Wiltshire Railway Stations. Wimborne: The Dovecote Press. pp. 104–105. ISBN 1904349331.
  2. ↑ "Chancellor approves Kemble to Swindon railway upgrade". BBC News. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 24 March 2011.
  3. ↑ "£45m rail doubling from Kemble completed". Wiltshire Gazette & Herald. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Minety and Ashton Keynes
Line open, station closed		   Great Western Railway
Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway		   Swindon
Line and station open
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