Station Name: KIDLINGTON[Source: Darren Kitson]
old3.jpg) Kidlington station looking south from the Down platform after closure of the Woodstock branch in 1954. The running-in board on the Up platform has had 'Change for Blenheim & Woodstock’ removed.
Photo from John Mann collection old5.jpg)
On the left the running-in board has had 'Change for Blenheim & Woodstock' removed and the track at the bay platform is becoming rather weedy, telling us this view dates from after closure of the Woodstock branch. The condition of the station by this time was quite appalling and former stationmaster William Cooke would have been horrified. On the station forecourt stands a British Railways lorry and behind the white fence is a motor car. Nearer the camera on the right is a Standard Vanguard apparently with a missing headlamp. Quite why the car is parked where it is can only be speculated upon and it is unlikely to have been abandoned in the middle of a railway goods yard. A few wagons can be seen on the right, perhaps for the bacon factory.
Photo from John Mann collection old11.jpg)
Kidlington station looking north along the Woodstock bay platform probably in the 1950s after closure of the Woodstock branch. The rails in the bay are now looking a little rusty.
Photo from John Mann collection old10.jpg) On 11 November 1964, just nine days since the official closure date to passengers, a Pressed Steel Co. DMU, later Class 117, passes through on its way to Oxford. Driving Motor Brake Second No. W51364 is leading. The 2A headcode tells us this is stopping service on the main line and the unit will have come either from Banbury or Leamington Spa. These units are known to have worked Leamington to Oxford or Didcot services in this period. On the right we have a good view of the concrete lamp post with hoisting gear and stabilising forks for the Tilley 'Challow' lamps. Just this side of the Banbury Road bridge may be seen the crossover once used by through Woodstock - Oxford trains and in the distance Sparrowgap bridge, the left hand arch of which Woodstock trains passed through. This photograph provides an interesting comparison with the later Geoff Hall photographs taken from roughly the same spot.Copyright photo from Colour Rail
old12.jpg) Kidlington station Up platform building seen from the Down platform shortly after closure to passengers in 1964. A remnant of stationmaster William Cooke's garden is seen in the foreground.Photo from John Mann collection 14.jpg)
Looking south from the Down platform of the closed station in September 1965. The suggestion is that at the end of the final day the station was simply locked up and the staff walked away. Some signage and posters remain while the Gentlemen sign with pointing hand beneath the canopy harked back to an age long gone. Crude fencing has been erected in front of the main building, although there is no obvious sign of any wire, so presumably the building had already been let. Directly ahead of the camera the bracket signal still has the arm for trains branching off onto the Woodstock branch or rather the 40 chain stub which remained after the branch closed and also to access the goods yard from the Down direction.
Photo
by John Cosford from his Flickr photostream
15.jpg)
Another view taken in September 1965, this time looking north. The Banbury Road bridge had been rebuilt in 1925, prior to which it was a brick arch structure similar to the bridge in the background. Concrete was well established by 1925 but even so this bridge looked very modern for its time. Photographs showing Kidlington signal box are rare. It can see seen here through the bridge arch. Beneath the bridge can be seen the points leading onto the former Woodstock branch. The railheads are polished as this end of the branch was still in use at this time as a Down loop. In 1968 this, the Up refuge siding and the signal box would be abolished, the latter being demolished in 1970. Closer to home, as it were, there is evidence of demolition work ongoing. The Down platform, upon which the photographer stood, had been extended up to the bridge when the Woodstock branch was built. This extension has now gone and the track into the bay platform lifted. On the left a PW trolley loaded with recovered materials sits on the siding leading into the goods yard. The track through the goods yard, which extended over the forecourt to form the private siding to the bacon factory, which had closed by this date, may also have been lifted although the private siding agreement was not terminated until the following year. The footbridge, the steps of which are seen here, would soon be dismantled and taken to Didcot North Junction.
Photo by John Cosford from his Flickr photostream  Kidlington station during demolition in October 1965. Having been dismantled the footbridge was taken to Didcot North Junction where it replaced the existing bridge.
Photo by Henry Stubbs 6.197414.jpg)
Kidlington's Down platform building seen from a passing train in June 1974.
Photo by Alan Young 16.jpg)
A wet but reasonable tidy forecourt on an unknown date c1970s, The aerial sign is still present and there is a discarded television aerial to the right of the door but the suggestion given by this view is of some form of vehicle business being in occupation. From left to right is a Ford Thames 400E van, a locally registered Mini, and ex RAF Austin K9 ambulance (it has a civilian registration) and some form of Foden-based wrecker/recovery vehicle.
Photo from John Mann collection 6.jpg)
On what was possibly 4 October 1975, preserved Castle class 4-6-0 No. 7029 'Clun Castle' passes southbound with a railtour. The headboard is unreadable and unrecognised. Returned to steam in 1972, she is seen here wearing GWR livery despite being built in BR days. The Pullman car behind the locomotive looks like one of the ex-Southern Region examples.
Photo by Geoff Hall
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