History

Date Event Source
1836 London & Birmingham Railway proposes line through Oxford and Witney to Cheltenham The Fairford Line p5
1840 June 1st GWR opens to Steventon, Oxon. The Fairford Line p5
1844 June 12th GWR opens Didcot to Oxford branch. The Fairford Line p5
1845 August 4th Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway Bill gains Royal Assent The Fairford Line p5
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Oxford & Rugby Railway gains Royal Assent. The Fairford Line p5
1852 OW&WR proposes line from Yarnton, through Thame, Princes Risborough and Uxbridge to Brentford. The Fairford Line p8
1853 William Payne asked to provide road link between Witney and Handborough The Fairford Line p7
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OW&WR proposes 'London & Mid Western Railway' The Fairford Line p8
1854 April 1st Yarnton - Oxford Road Junction loop line opened The Fairford Line p7
1858 December 23rd 'large and noisy' meeting held in Witney to discuss 'The Witney Railway' The Fairford Line p9
1859 Spring Witney Railway Bill sent to parliament. The Fairford Line p10
1859 April 11th Walter Strickland, William Payne and Sir Charles Fox questioned by Parliamentary Committee. The Fairford Line p10
1859 August 1st Witney Railway Bill receives Royal Assent. The Fairford Line p11
1860 May First sod cut at Eynsham The Fairford Line p13
1860 July 1st OW&WR asorbed the Worcester & Hereford and the Newport, Abergavernny & Hereford Railways to become the West Midland Railway The Fairford Line p13
1861 Meeting at Hatherop Castle marks the beginning of The East Gloucestershire Railway. The Fairford Line p27
1861 March Engineer reports most the 'heavy works' complete. The Fairford Line p13
1861 Spring WMR sends bill to Parliament for the 'London, Buckinghamshire & West Midland Junction Railway'. The Fairford Line p13
1861 November 5th Witney Railway passes its inspection. The Fairford Line p15
1861 November 13th Witney Railway opened to passengers. The Fairford Line p15
1862 EGR bill sent to Parliament with John Fowler as engineer. The Fairford Line p27
1862 March 1st Full goods services opened. The Fairford Line p17
1862 August 7th The East Gloucestershire Railway Bill receives Royal Assent. The Fairford Line p28
1863 Summer Yarnton Junction station opened. The Fairford Line p17
1863 August 1st West Midland Railway taken over by The Great Western Railway The Fairford Line p19
1864 East Gloucestershire Railway Bill sent to Parliament for the fourth time. The Fairford Line p29
1864 July 28th 4th EGR Bill receives Royal Assent. The Fairford Line p30
1865 March 31st First sod of the EGR cut at the proposed Cheltenham end of the line. The Fairford Line p31
1866 Dividends ceased to be paid by The Witney Railway. The Fairford Line p19
1867 GWR found to be not paying The Witney Railway for mails and rents from coal wharves. The Fairford Line p19
1867 July EGR receives extension of time to complete the line The Fairford Line p32
1873 January 10th Inspection of the EGR. The Fairford Line p33
1873 January 14th The East Gloucestershire Railway opens from Witney to Fairford. The Fairford Line p20
1875 Dividends resumed by The Witney Railway The Fairford Line p20
1879 Eynsham station rebuilt. The Fairford Line p22
1890 July 1st Witney and East Gloucestershire Railways sell their shares to the GWR. The Fairford Line p36