Cholsey & Wallingford Railway

Traffic diminished after WW2 and passenger services to Wallingford ceased in June 1959, freight services continued until September 1965 when Wallingford Station was closed, and the line was shortened to serve only the ABM Maltings – the site of the present Wallingford Station. This freight-only long siding was used until 29th May 1981 by which time even the Maltings were moving most of their goods by road and the condition of the line had deteriorated considerably. On the 30th May the Royal Train was present overnight and on the 31st May 1981 a DMU tour (The Wallingford Wake) ran from Paddington to Wallingford. The Cholsey & Wallingford Railway Preservation Society was formed by those travelling on that DMU.

The line was often used to stable the Royal Train to allow the Royal party to arrive in Slough (for Windsor) or London in daylight, it was also used to stable Winston Churchill’s train at times during WW2. In another claim to fame the initial publicity photos for the new high-speed 125 trains were all taken on the branchline – the 8-coach, blue and yellow liveried train would have made quite a sight on the line as would have double-heading Castles on the Royal train!

Later this year we hope to install a run-round loop at Wallingford. We’d love to build an engine shed, have plans to relocate Stoke Canon signal box to Wallingford and erect the old Oxford signal gantry with semaphore signalling. We also hope to install a water tower close to the signal box. Looking further ahead we have plans for a Station building and we would like to construct a small Halt by Church Bridge to provide access to St Mary’s Church where Agatha Christie is buried. Your assistance in any of these projects would be much appreciated!