Changes at Culham station
Changes between 1948 and 2013
The new signal box as seen in 1957
Courtesy of Pendon Museum
1952 - New signal box
The original signal box from 1874 was taken out of use on 18th November 1952 being replaced by a new larger one which was built a few feet away. This bigger box contained a 29 lever frame with nine spaces. The old signal box, which can be seen in the 1904 postcard of the station, contained a 19 lever frame with no spares or spaces and no trace was left following its demolition. The platform was extended slightly at some time to pass in front of the new box with the different paving and edging still in evidence. Plans for this new box are held in the National Records Office in Kew.
1961 - Signal box closure
The new signal box had a comparatively short life as it was closed on 12th January 1961. It is not known when it was demolished, but this probably happened some years later when other buildings at the station were taken down. It is possible that the closure of this box was as a result of changes in trackwork and associated signals which took place around that time. Photographs seen from January 1965 show that all crossings between the main running lines had been removed together with the loop and trackwork on the goods shed side. Clearly seen in those photographs however is a line of coal wagons standing on the cattle dock siding hinting that coal was still being delivered to at least one merchant there. This would come to an end just a few months later as all goods services were withdrawn on 19th July 1965.
1963 - Proposal for Culham Prison
Whilst not directly relating to Culham station there was a proposal which, if it had gone ahead, would have had a marked affect on it and the surrounding area.
The Times newspaper of 2nd May 1963 carried a short article which said that on the previous day the Home Office had informed Oxfordshire County Council that it would like to build a maximum-security prison for 500 men on part of the former Royal Naval Air Station at Culham. This was to occupy 320 acres of the former air station and relace the existing prison in Oxford city centre. Reasons cited for the proposal included the fact that the Oxford prison was not only unsuitable for 'modern methods of penal treatment', but that it occupied a site urgently needed by the council for redevelopment. It also states that efforts to close the existing prison 'had been going on since the end of the last war'.
On 21st September of that same year the Times carried news of the announcement in The London Gazette of a public enquiry which was to be held in Abingdon on October 30th. Various papers are held in the National Records Office at Kew relating to the proposed development. The earliest referenced are 'Bullingdon Rural District, Oxfordshire: proposed prison at Culham Airfield; assessment of application by the Home Office, Inspector's Report and case papers'. Other papers are held as being dated 1970-74 and relate to 'Lockwood (formerly Culham) Prison'.
Plans would appear to have progressed to a fairly advanced stage when South Oxfordshire District Council undertook a project in June 1974 to consider the future of Berinsfield. The report produced identified land which the Home Office had purchased to build 82 homes for Prison Officers who were to be based at the new Lockwood Prison.
The idea of a prison at Culham was not finally abandoned until 1982 as the Guardian newspaper reported in its edition of 4th November in that year - 'PRISON SCHEME THROWN OUT - A scheme for a new prison on green belt land at Culham, Oxfordshire, has been thrown out by the Department of the Environment. The Environment Secretary, Mr Michael Heseltine, said that the Lockwood prison proposals were open to serious planning objections. He said the plan would have a substantial impact on the surrounding landscape, but it might still be possible to find an alternative site within the wider area.' The reference to the development being on green belt land is interesting as it hints that the prison was intended to be placed to the north of the actual airfield site, but still on Ministry land. The UKAEA had taken over the original airfield in 1960.
1965 - End of goods services
Goods services to and from Culham were withdrawn on 19th July 1965.
Before the new bridge, taken in 1964
R.Crickmay, PictureOxon POX0014817
1967 - New road bridge
By now the narrow road bridge must have been a bottleneck to the increasing volume of traffic using the A415 which is a main artery from Abingdon. Planning approval for the 'Culham Railway Bridge Scheme' was obtained in mid 1967. This involved a section of new carriageway either side of the railway and a new bridge a few metres to the South of the existing one. Much of the old road is still visible in satellite views as a farm track and storage area. That which does remain open forms a service road to the properties on either side of the railway with the original bridge still open for use with a weight restriction.
This photograph attributed to Robert Crickmay shows a quiet Abingdon Road just a few years before the new bridge was built. Looking southwards, the lighter gable end of the Railway Hotel can be seen with the roofs of cottages and the few other buildings nearby just appearing in the distance. The road rises slightly before crossing the railway after the road to Platform 1 and the goods shed diverges to the left. The lone car parked on the verge opposite probably belongs to the photographer.
circa 1967 - Demolition
Sometime between 1966 and 1968 the waiting shelter on platform 1 and the signal box were demolished. It is possible that the goods shed was removed at this time too. Apparently British Rail had later planned to demolish the ticket office too but local objections managed to prevent this happening. As it was, a unique group of original Brunel designed broad gauge buildings had been lost forever.
1970 - A near miss!
An application was lodged on 10th June 1970 for the development of a ready mixed concrete plant on the land immediately behind and to the side of Station House. Approval was granted with a provision for the protection or replacement of trees existing on the site. Such a development would have radically changed the semi rural nature of the area with the building of silos, industrial buildings and hard standings, together with the dust and volume of associated lorry movements. Luckily this development did not go ahead and the area remained much as it was.
1975 - Listing
Having been saved from demolition a few years earlier, the ticket office was given Grade II* listing by English Heritage on 20th May 1975.
1977 - Restoration proposal then closure
Possibly as a result of the listing, British Rail submitted an application on 27th January 1977 for the restoration of the ticket office. Approval was given subject to the submission of a schedule of works for approval. This was done in September 1978 and confirmation of approval sent back in the October.
It is not known what was specifically proposed, however there is a drawing held in the Network Rail archives which is dated October 1978 and entitled Culham station improvements. This plan shows quite detailed and extensive alterations including new concrete and tiled floors, the complete removal of the outside toilets (with bricks and stone being retained for re-use), internal toilet facilities and new seating in the waiting room. The valance boards were to be removed, replacement aluminium rain water goods installed and new lighting fitted under the platform canopy. It would seem that quite serious consideration was being given to ensuring the building continued in daily use as a working ticket office. In the event none of this was started and the building was withdrawn from public use. Judging from contemporary photographs work was limited to a general tidying up and a coat of paint perhaps to make it slightly more attractive to any future tenant.
1981 - Book store
January 1981 saw a proposal to use the ticket office for 'the storage, display and sale of old, rare and out of print books'. From the plans submitted it looks as if it was proposed to completely remove the outside gents' toilet and wooden screen and provide a new wooden fence either side of the building with access to the platform 1, which was still in use at the time, and the footbridge via an ungated opening to the left. Internally there were a number of alterations proposed. The old waiting room and ladies' cloakroom were to have a new tiled concrete floor laid. It looks like the old wall dividing the cloakroom was to be removed with a new partition wall installed instead. The partition wall between the waiting room and office was to have several panels removed to open access, presumably to act as access to the retail counter. The original doors from the waiting room to platform 2 and from the parcels office to the forecourt were to be replaced and sealed up. The parcels office was to have a new concrete floor laid and be divided into a lobby and store room by a new partition.
That this seems very similar to the 1978 improvements planned by British Rail detailed above is no coincidence as the self same drawings were used for this planning application.
Despite approval being given in the March these quite substantial alterations did not take place and the building remained intact.
1982 - Architect's office
Quickly following on from the proposed occupation by a booksellers, an application was lodged in March 1982 for the conversion to an architects office. This application specified major alterations, but approval was granted in the May.
The Ladies' cloakroom was to be opened up by the removal of the internal wall and refurbished as an office. The Waiting Room door was to be replaced with two new side hung doors - this is the one thing for which approval was not given, the original door was to be retained and maintained. The door to the platform was to be sealed and the partition between the Waiting room and Office was to have panels removed to open it up. Also missing from the drawings are the two original counters. It seems that these were to be removed to make more floor space, however retaining the panelling which divides the Office from the Waiting Room and the Parcels Office. The Parcels Office was to be divided into a lobby and staff room with the main entrance door sealed shut and the door to the platform retained as an emergency exit. The old Gents' was to be incorperated into the building by opening a doorway in the wall from the staff lobby area and bricking up the old outside entrance. Two toilet cubicles and a shared hand basin were to be installed under a new overall roof. Close examintion of the submitted plans suggest that the wooden flooring was to be taken up and replaced with a tiled solid concrete floor.
This development which would have significantly changed the character of the building did not take place.
1983 - Hobby room
December 1983 saw a proposal from the occupant of Station House to develop the ticket office as a hobby room and for storage. This gained approval in February of 1984 subject to the submission and acceptance of details of a proposed gate. This is one proposal which did come to fruition.
The plan was to remove the derelict wooden screen and defunct gentlemen's toilet, and to install a wrought iron gate across its entrance. Remove 6'6" asbestos board partition in the Station Master's Office. (It is not known when this partition was first erected but it is shown on the 1950's station plan.) The Ladies' Waiting Room appeared to be devoid of any facilities and was to be used for storage.
All the proposed changes were completed and the gate remains in use to date. Whilst the toilet and all water supplies were removed from the Gents', the original urinal stalls remain in situ, although out of commission.
Click or tap to read the Network SouthEast launch newsletter in pdf format
Courtesy of Michael Culham
1986 - Rebranding
Network SouthEast came into existence on 10 June 1986 and this led to a major exercise to rebrand signage and rolling stock with the new colour scheme and logos. Network SouthEast operated services mainly in Kent, and East and West Sussex, but also extended into East Anglia on the Eastern Region and Oxfordshire on the Western Region. You can read a newsletter announcing its launch by clicking or tapping on the thumbnail image. As a result of the extensive railway coverage in the general south east area, the sector was divided up into operating regions with Culham being in the 'Western' region. On 1 April 1994, Network SouthEast was disbanded with its operations transferred to train operating units ready for privatisation.
Even 25 years after the end of Network SouthEast reminders of NSE branding could still be found around the station, as these photographs taken in 2020 show. Whilst repainted in the later blue, the platform seats are of NSE origin, and the peeling paint on the lamp posts reveals the original red. There are two Sugg style lights by the footbridge and it looks like they were never repainted as they are still a very faded red.
The footbridge after removal
Unknown photographer
1990s - Replacement footbridge
Despite the wholesale demolition of most of the original buildings at the station the lattice footbridge had managed to survive for a quite a few more years, albeit without its roof. At some point, believed to be in the late 1980s, the height of the bridge had been increased by the addition of extension pieces on top of the cast iron supporting columns and new approach steps had been installed. It had been hoped that the centre span could be refurbished and kept, but it was eventually declared unsafe and taken down, probably as part of the changes brought about when the new Platform 2 was built. The original cast iron columns were however left in situ and, still with their short extensions, they continue to support the replacement bridge. The old centre span was lifted intact and for some years it could be seen lying on land adjacent to platform 1. Its present whereabouts and indeed whether it survived is unknown, but we have been told that it was eventually sold to a railway preservation group in another part of the country.
1993 - New Platform 2
September saw some changes to the operation of the station as the new Platform 2 was built and the original one closed to the public. The original platform was deemed as being unsafe as the bay window of the ticket office reduced the clearance to the platform edge below minimum standards. In addition, the listed Ticket Office prevented the platform level from being raised to the required height.
2002 - Major refurbishment
In November 2002 agents for Network Rail submitted a proposal for listed building development described as being 'External and internal refurbishment to restore this Grade II* listed building back to its original condition'. This was supported by a detailed specification of work to be carried out dated 21st February 2003 and letter of 4th April. Listed building consent was given on 14th July 2003.
During the work
Image courtesy of Sir William McAlpine © Railway Heritage Trust
Work completed
Image courtesy of Sir William McAlpine © Railway Heritage Trust
During the work
Image courtesy of Sir William McAlpine © Railway Heritage Trust
Work completed
Image courtesy of Sir William McAlpine © Railway Heritage Trust
On the positive side, a lot of work was carried out, such as reslating the roof, which ensured the building would survive for a while longer and make it more attractive to potential tenants. The building was rewired, emergency lighting installed and a hot water boiler, sink and kitchen cupboards installed in the Ladies Cloakroom. No form of heating was provided however and work specified for the fireplace looks not to have been done, but it was left in a useable condition. Externally, most noticeably the stone and brickork were thoroughly cleaned and the platform fencing was replaced.
This project was largely funded by the good offices of the Railway Heritage Trust who awarded a grant of £40,000 in 2002/03 followed by a further grant in 2003/04 of £35,000. The works were completed in September 2003. These images were used in the Railway Heritage Trust's Annual Reports of 2003 and 2004 which noted the start and completion of the project and were kindly made available to us by Sir William McAlpine in 2017.
2004 - Award
The Oxford Preservation Trust presented an award for the refurbishment which started in 2003. A small cast commemorative plaque is attached to the outside wall by the main Waiting Room entrance.
2007 - Ironing service
Whilst tenants may have come and gone since 1983, no record of any changes affecting the ticket office itself can be found until early 2007 when an application was made for change of use to 'B1(c) Light Industrial'. It was intended to use the building without modification as an ironing workshop. Approval was granted in the May.
2012 - Bridges listed
Both the old station overbridge and Thame Lane bridge were given grade II listing status on 17th July. These bridges (together with the one at Appleford also listed grade II on 19th February), whilst of different design, are all as originally built when the railway was opened in 1844.
The listing describes the bridges thus: Thame Lane Bridge is an unusual form, being one of a small number of flying segmental arch road bridges designed under Brunel on early GWR lines. Although common nationally, single arch bridges are less common than the larger triple arch bridges on GWR lines. This is one of a small number that survive on the Didcot-Oxford line and of these Appleford Bridge and Culham Bridge are the standard, semi-elliptical form usually favoured by Brunel.
