The first broad gauge excursion trains to and from Oxford
Laurence Waters reveals the history of the first broad gauge excursions run by the Great Western Railway to and from the city of Oxford.
Delving back more than 180 years into the archives, Laurence Waters reveals the history of the first broad gauge excursions run by the Great Western Railway to and from the city of Oxford, complete with extracts from the local ‘Jackson’s Oxford Journal’. All illustrations appear courtesy of the Great Western Trust Collection.
Railway companies soon realised that excursions were a good way of introducing the general public to rail travel, the excursion becoming a lucrative feature for the companies in increasing revenue. Another aspect of the excursion was the extra trade that the influx of ‘excursionists’ brought to the local economy – it is probably true to say that in many towns and cities the growth of excursion trains triggered the growth of extra attractions, eating houses, and souvenir shops for the many visitors that the railway brought in.
Just one day after the opening of the line between Paddington and Maidenhead, the Great Western Railway had operated ‘two special trains’ between Paddington and Maidenhead for persons visiting the Eton Montem on 5 June 1838. The Montem was a charity march to the nearby Montem Mound by the boys of the college who collected ‘Salt’ money from visitors and passers by. Interestingly, the marches were discontinued in 1844 due to the ‘unwelcome and rowdy crowds brought in by train.’ Other special trains at this time were run in conjunction with the races at Ascot, but these were special trains run at the full fare and not excursions as we know them. The Oxford English Dictionary definition of an excursion is ‘a journey or ramble with the intention of returning to the starting point, a pleasure trip of a number of persons, and if by train at reduced rates.’ It is not known when the first true excursion ran on the Great Western Railway but E T Macdermot’s History of the Great Western Railway mentions an early morning trip from Bristol to London on 29 September 1842 with up to 600 travellers paying just half the regular fare.
The GWR had opened its broad gauge branch to Oxford on 12 June 1844 – the branch ran from a new station at Didcot (Didcot Junction) to a small terminus station at Grandpont, just south of the River Thames at Oxford. Initially the service comprised ten trains a day in each direction, some to Didcot and others through to London. These early broad gauge trains were often formed of just five or six vehicles, carrying perhaps 100-200 passengers. Fares at this time between Oxford and London were not cheap, with first class travel costing 15 shillings, second class 10 shillings, and third class 6 shillings. One would think that the city of Oxford and its historic university was an obvious destination for the excursionist, but it was not until August 1850 that the first Great Western excursions were run into the city.
Earlier in the same year the local newspaper, the Jackson’s Oxford Journal, had commented that ‘although this City has been for many years in connection with the Great Western Railway, it has not up to the present month enjoyed the benefit of a single excursion train,’ and that ‘the success of excursion trains on every other railway in the kingdom has at length opened the eyes of the Great Western Directors to the importance, in a pecuniary point of view, of running excursion trains.’
The Great Western Railway obviously took heed of the criticism and the first ‘experimental excursion from Paddington, Slough, Maidenhead, and Reading to Oxford, comprising 25 carriages, ran on Sunday, 18 August 1850 with upwards of 1,600 ‘excursionists’ visiting the city. The Jacksons’ Oxford Journal was pleased to report that, ‘the weather was very favourable, and the excursionists, viewing the various colleges, public buildings, gardens, and walks, returned at 7 o’clock, highly delighted with what they had seen in this far famed university and city.’ The following day, Monday, 19 August, the Great Western Railway ran another excursion, this time from Bath and Bristol. It was reported that the train arrived at Oxford at 10.30am and departed at 7pm and comprised 17 carriages and about 900 visitors. The Journal reported that ‘many of the College Halls, Chapels and Gardens were thrown open, and thus the
opportunity was afforded of viewing the finest buildings, and promenading in the most beautiful walks in Oxford.’
The second excursion between Paddington and Oxford arrived on Sunday, 25 August but was not so successful. It was reported that on this occasion some 2,400 ‘excursionists’ arrived at Oxford, some 1,800 from London and 600 from other places en route (Slough and Reading). The train comprised 36 carriages and arrived shortly before one o’clock, some three hours late due apparently to multiple breakages of the coupling chains en route. The Journal goes on to report that as a result of arriving late ‘scarcely anything can be seen here on a Sunday,’ and that ‘the majority went home anything but satisfied either with Oxford or with the Great Western Railway.’ I suppose a number would have found some solace, as in 1850 there were well over 100 inns and beer houses in the city. The late running of this train obviously had an effect on the third excursion from Paddington to Oxford, which ran on the following Sunday. Arriving on time, instead of 2,400 ‘excursionists’ there were less than 400. A bit of a disaster on both counts, this did not go down well with the local dignitaries who of course were anticipating the extra revenue that excursions would bring to the city. It was soon suggested to the Great Western Railway that it would be more satisfactory to the visitors ‘if similar excursions should be run on any other day than a Sunday, as insomuch as they would be enabled to visit many objects of interest which are closed to the public on Sunday.’
However, with the relative success of these excursions, the Great Western Railway decided to run an excursion from Oxford to Bath and Bristol. The following announcement appeared in the Jackson’s Oxford Journal on 20 August 1850 under the heading ‘Cheap Excursion From Oxford, Abingdon, and Didcot to Bath and Bristol and back’, as follows:
‘An excursion train will leave the Oxford Station for Bath and Bristol on Monday next, August 26, at Quarter-past Seven in the Morning, calling at Abingdon Road at Half-Past Seven and at Didcot at a Quarter to Eight. The train will arrive at Bristol about ten o’clock. It will return the same evening leaving Bristol at a Quarter before Eight and Bath at Half-Past Eight and will reach Oxford at about Quarter-past Ten. Tickets may be procured at the Oxford, Abingdon Road, or
Didcot Stations, on or after 23 August, but they will not be available for any other purpose than an Excursion for the whole journey by this train to Bath or Bristol and back.
Fares
Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot to Bristol and back First Class 9s, Second Class 5s.
Oxford, Abingdon and Didcot to Bath and back First Class 8s, Second Class 4s 6d.’
This was the very first ‘experimental’ excursion to be run by the Great Western Railway from Oxford, to Bath and Bristol on Monday, 26 August 1850, calling at Abingdon Road and Didcot en route. Interestingly, the Great Western stipulated that the excursion would only run if 150 persons agreed to go.
Another interesting aspect of the excursion was that two children under 12 years of age could travel for the price of one. The minimum number of 150 required to run the excursion was somewhat exceeded as it was reported that the train departed from Oxford at about quarter-past seven with 848 excursionists on board. Stopping en route at Abingdon Road and Didcot, it picked up a further 67 passengers, making a grand total of 915.
The train reached Bath at about 9.15am, where some 200 passengers alighted, and Bristol was reached at 10.15am. The mayors at Bath and Bristol considered the importance of this and future excursions by greeting the visitors personally, and ensuring that as many establishments as possible were open for the ‘excursionists’ to visit. At Bath, the pump rooms and baths were opened with free entrance, as were the Royal Sydney Gardens. For those who chose to visit Bristol, the Journal reported that ‘the scenery at Clifton naturally attracted hosts of visitors who were highly gratified by this enchanting spot.’ The train returned from Bristol at about a quarter to eight in the evening, and from Bath half an hour later. It reached Oxford at about 11pm, the ‘excursionists’ arriving ‘in perfect safety and in the best possible humour with the entire arrangements.’ It was also reported that ‘the weather was exceedingly fine, and we doubt if 900 people, young and old, rich and poor, ever enjoyed a day of unmixed pleasure and delight.’
It is worth mentioning that this excursion must have reversed at Didcot in each direction – the West curve at Didcot was not opened until 15 February 1886, and I assume that a locomotive change would have taken place here. The success of this excursion prompted the Great Western to run another excursion from Oxford, this time to London.
The first broad gauge excursion from Oxford to London
The following announcement appeared in the Jackson’s Oxford Journal on Saturday, 31 August 1850 under the heading ‘Cheap Excursion to London’:
‘An excursion train from this city to London will start on Monday next at a quarter-past seven in the morning, calling at Abingdon Road and Didcot, and reaching Paddington about half-past nine and returning the same evening at eight o’clock. Sufficient time will thus be allowed for parties to visit the various exhibitions, public buildings, &c, in London, or see Hampton Court, Richmond, Greenwich, Woolwich, Gravesend, &c. At the latter place there will be a leave taking dinner to the Canterbury colonists of the working classes, and trains will leave London for Gravesend every hour. The experiment of a trip to Bath and Bristol was so successful in every respect that there is little doubt that this will be equally so, and thus testify to the Great Western Railway Company that the inhabitants of Oxford can appreciate facilities afforded to them, and are willing to support any project conceived in a liberal spirit. The demand for tickets to London is very great and to prevent disappointment and confusion, parties will do well to provide themselves this day with tickets, which may be procured at Mr Thompson’s, Mr Plowman’s, or at the station.’
The Journal gives a fascinating and rather amusing report of this first Great Western excursion from Oxford to Paddington that ran on Monday, 2 September 1850. As already noted, the normal fares to London were expensive, therefore the chance for the ordinary citizen to travel to the capital and back for just 5s 6d first class and 3s 6d second class was an exciting prospect. As mentioned in the advert, the train was timed to depart from Oxford at 7.15am and arrive at Paddington at about 9.30am, returning from Paddington the same evening at 8pm.
The following report is taken from the Jackson’s Oxford Journal, Saturday, 7 September 1850.
‘The excursion which was considered by many, though not by the Great Western Company, as designed to surpass all others and to prove a striking feature in railway transit, was on Monday last from this city to London and back. No sooner was this project announced than large numbers of persons of both sexes eagerly sought for tickets; during the whole of Saturday there was an eager demand for tickets at the station and Mr Thompson’s in the High Street, but more especially at Mr Plowman’s office in St Aldates, which, being so centrally situated, was beset the whole of the day. The confusion and excitement, however, increased to a tenfold degree in the evening, especially when it was intimated about nine o’clock that the supply was not equal to the demand, and that no more tickets would be issued until the following morning at seven o’clock at the station. This announcement was anything but satisfactory to the hundreds that were waiting at Carfax for the fresh supply of tickets which they anticipated had been coming. Accordingly, the next morning they went in shoals to the station, and were so clamorous, besides upsetting the usual course of things, that after supplying a large number with tickets, it was found necessary to suspend the issuing of more until eight o’clock in the evening. Long before that hour the station was again beset by an immense number of persons who kept clerks employed to a late hour. Up to Sunday evening about 2,000 tickets had been disposed of, and it was anticipated that on the following morning some hundreds more would be required.
In this anticipation there was no disappointment, for by daybreak, coaches, gigs, carts, and vehicles of every description were seen pouring into Oxford from all adjacent parts, laden to excess with young and old. From five o’clock there was one continuous stream of people to the station, which presented a scene of indescribable confusion, the first and second class passengers being all huddled together, affording a striking illustration that, in spite of a difference in charge, all who are bent on a cheap excursion must be on equality, and submit to an equal share of crushing and inconvenience.
The worst part of all, however, was that the carriages sent for had not arrived from Paddington, owing to the coupling chains having broken three times on the way, and thus an hour and a quarter were lost, and everyone out of humour in consequence. They did, however, at length arrive, and some parties who could not wait to have the doors opened made their entrance at the windows,
and by adopting this, and the more legitimate course, every carriage (53 in number) was soon filled to overflowing. As proof, too, of the limited desire of those who were bent on the excursion, a large number took possession of open cattle trucks, and were willing to submit to all of the consequential inconvenience than be deprived of their day’s enjoyment.
About half-past eight, instead of a quarter-past seven, this monster train, with two engines, started from the station amidst cheers of hundreds of spectators who lined the rail on each side, and wondered at the sight. The number that left Oxford station was 2,530 second class passengers and 134 first class; total 2,664! The train stopped at Abingdon Road and three more carriages were added, containing fifteen first class and 323 second class passengers. At Didcot, the train again stopped, and had an addition of two carriages containing seven first class, and 123 second class passengers, thus making a total of 3,132 passengers and 58 carriages. The appearance of this train on the curve at Didcot, had a striking and interesting effect, for the whole extent of it, which was not far short of half a mile, was seen in one view in the form of a crescent. The beautiful manner in which the curve was passed with a train so extraordinary in extent was proof to the high engineering skill of those who were entrusted with this department.
In consequence of the delay in starting from Oxford, another half an hour was lost at Reading, because it was necessary to stop there until the up express had passed, but an immense number of passengers employed the time, if not profitably to themselves, at least so to the innkeepers and publicans near to the station, and if the excursionists had reason to complain that the Reading publicans made their charges stronger than their drink. At length, the railway bell rang, shortly after the monster train was on its way to Slough, where it again stopped, ‘to give the horses water’ for the puffing engines needed a good supply. After this stoppage, engines went on at a merry pace to Paddington, which they reached at half-past twelve, having excited the astonishment of young and old at every step of the distance’. [The Journal goes on the say that] ‘in spite of all the disappointment and stoppages on the way the ‘excursionists’ were very orderly and in the best possible humour.
The monster train did not return to Oxford, the service being split into three portions. Nine extra carriages were attached to the 7pm ordinary train from Paddington that arrived at Oxford at 10pm. The 8.15pm train left with thirty carriages and arrived at Oxford at about 10.30pm, and those that were still left used the 9pm service; this service was however delayed at Reading to allow the up mail to pass, and did not arrive at Oxford until midnight.’
[The report concludes] ‘It is satisfactory to be able to add that no accident of any kind occurred, and that, but for the delays and confusion at the stations, everything would have gone off well. We have, however, no doubt that as the company gain experience on excursion trips, these annoyances will cease to exist.’
From these early days the excursion formed an important part of railway operations. The privatisation of the railways saw excursions organised by the main train operators disappear. However, excursions are today run by a number of private operators, often using steam traction, and with Oxford still being a popular destination.
Some points on the reports
The Jackson’s Oxford Journal was published weekly on a Saturday from 1753 until 1928. It is an important source of early railway history in both Oxford and the county.
The excursions mentioned ran to and from the original Oxford station at Grandpont, which was located just to the south of the city and the River Thames, and adjacent to the old Abingdon Turnpike Road. The station comprised two platforms and a large goods shed, all constructed of wood with slate roofs. Each platform was long enough to hold at most about six coaches, and a single track continued for approximately 400 yards further north to terminate at a small jetty adjacent to the River Thames. The short platforms resulted in the longer excursion trains overshooting the platforms by a good distance, both to the north and south of the station, and as the report mentions, many of the passengers had to climb on or off the numerous coaches and wagons from ground level – no health & safety in those days!
The Grandpont station was closed to passengers on 1 October 1852 when a new through station was opened approximately one mile northwards on the newly-extended line to Birmingham. The old station remained open for goods traffic until the removal of the broad gauge on 22 November 1872. Grandpont was the name of the first stone bridge over the River Thames at Oxford, which was built in the 11th century by Robert d’Oilly. It stood on the site of the present-day Folly Bridge. The present bridge was designed by architect Ebenezer Perry and was constructed between 1825 and 1827.
In 1850 Oxford had a municipal borough population of around 25,000, which meant that some 10% of the population travelled on the first excursion, to London. Tickets are mentioned as being sold by Thompson’s, High Street and Plowman’s, St Aldates. Messrs Thompson and Plowman appear to have been the principal instigators, together with the Great Western Railway in the running of these first excursions from Oxford. William Thompson operated from 59 High Street and was a carver, gilder, picture framer, and print seller, and obviously also a railway ticket agent. Joseph Plowman was a well-known Oxford businessman and inventor. He traded from premises at No 1 St Aldates, selling cigars and tobacco. He was an agent for the Railway Passenger Assurance Company and a railway ticket agent. He also ran the City Reading Room and Library. Abingdon Road station was renamed Culham with the opening of the Abingdon branch on 2 June 1856.
The report also states that the train had to wait at Reading for the up express to pass. Opened on Monday, 30 March 1840, Reading was a one-sided station, the up and down platforms in effect being two separate stations built end to end but a short distance apart. Up and down trains entered and departed from the station by way of a central crossover – this layout often caused severe delays, and a similar one-sided station was also built at Slough.