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Twyford railway station

Coordinates: 51°28′34″N 0°51′47″W / 51.476°N 0.863°W / 51.476; -0.863
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Twyford
National Rail Elizabeth Line
The station looking east after electrification work; the Henley Branch Line curves off to the left.
General information
LocationBorough of Wokingham
England
Coordinates51°28′34″N 0°51′47″W / 51.476°N 0.863°W / 51.476; -0.863
Grid referenceSU790757
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byGreat Western Railway
Platforms5
Other information
Station codeTWY
ClassificationDfT category D
History
Original companyGreat Western Railway
Key dates
1 July 1839Opened
Passengers
2018/19Increase 1.508 million
 Interchange Increase 0.791 million
2019/20Increase 1.528 million
 Interchange Decrease 0.757 million
2020/21Decrease 0.266 million
 Interchange Decrease 0.133 million
2021/22Increase 0.801 million
 Interchange Increase 0.382 million
2022/23Increase 1.082 million
 Interchange Increase 0.555 million
Location
Map
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Twyford railway station serves the large village of Twyford in Berkshire, England. The station is on the Great Western Main Line, 31 mileschain (31.01 mi; 49.9 km) west of London Paddington.[1] It is the junction station for the Henley-on-Thames branch and is served by local services operated by Great Western Railway and Elizabeth line.

History

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The station seen in 1978

The first Twyford station opened on 1 July 1839 and was the terminus of the GWR until 30 March 1840, pending the completion of Sonning Cutting. It was a timber building to the north of the line at right angles to the track. The actual platform was on a loop off the running line and served trains running in either direction, of which there were nine per weekday. Just to the west was a temporary engine shed, moved here from Maidenhead, the first terminus. After the opening to Reading the shed was removed and a platform was provided on the south side offset to the west. The line was crossed by a footpath between the platform ends.

In 1846 the buildings were replaced in brick and stone to a standard design with an all-round canopy. This was similar to a building which survives at Culham. The platforms were altered to serve the running lines directly. The construction of the Henley Branch Line in 1857 led to the extension of the up platform in a curve to match the new branch and the creation of a north face for branch trains. The repositioning of the goods shed was also necessary, as the new line cut through the old goods yard. As the extended platform blocked the footpath across the main line a footbridge was provided.

The demise of broad gauge in 1892 gave the Great Western the opportunity to quadruple the main line as far as Didcot. At Twyford the new lines meant building a second arch onto the Waltham Road bridge and moving Hurst Road further south. The station was completely reconstructed into the form largely visible today, with new platforms (1 and 2) to serve the fast lines and a new footbridge. A cattle dock and coal yard were built opposite the Henley bay (platform 5) and a weighbridge provided which can still be seen (outside what is now the office of a taxi company). The goods yard was extended and a new goods shed built. The new track layout was much more complex and required the construction of two signal boxes, East and West, to replace the original one which stood on the up platform by the footbridge steps.

The Station Master's house was built in 1900, after which there were no significant changes until the 1960s. The GWR was nationalised on 1 January 1948, becoming part of the Western Region of British Railways, but apart from new signs this had little effect at Twyford until the 1960s. In 1961 the trackwork was simplified and the two signal boxes were decommissioned and replaced by a single one in the vee between the up relief and branch lines. This lasted only until 1972, when all signalling control was transferred to Reading. The goods yard and cattle dock closed in 1965 and were cleared to provide the present car parks. In 1975 the road bridge was reconstructed and platforms 1 and 2 altered to reduce the curve through the station and make the main lines suitable for 125 miles per hour (201 km/h) High Speed Trains.

In 1989 the main buildings on platform 4 were gutted and rebuilt internally to provide a new booking office and waiting room. The building lost its chimneys in the process, but the chimneys on the island platform building remain. The GWR pagoda cycle shed was removed from platform 4 at this time and moved to the garden of the former Station Master's house, where it can still be seen.[citation needed]

In 2005 Norman Topson, the station master for 16 years and local rail worker for 43 years, was awarded an MBE for services to the railway industry and community.[2]

In the summer of 2009 the station footbridge was replaced with a new one incorporating three lifts. The new bridge is on the site of the old one, but with only one staircase to platforms 4 and 5 and built a few feet higher to accommodate future electrification.[3]

Platform layout

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The station looking west, showing platforms 1 to 4 from left to right. Platform 5 is hidden behind the station buildings on right.

The station has 5 platforms. Platforms 1 and 2 are on the "main"[4] Reading – London lines, with Platform 1 being the "down" line (from London). Platforms 3 and 4 are the "relief line" platforms, with platform 3 being the "down" line. Platform 5 is a west-facing bay platform with access only to the Henley Branch Line. Platform 4 also allows access to the Henley Branch via two crossovers: one just east of Platform 4 and one just west of it between it and Platform 5. Throughout the day trains mainly call at platforms 3, 4 and 5. However, during peak times fast services to and from London Paddington use platforms 1 and 2. The platforms are of differing lengths. Platform 1 is long enough to accommodate an eight coach train; platforms 2 and 4 can each hold a nine coach train; platform 3 is long enough for twelve coaches; whilst platform 5 can hold just five.[5]

Accidents and incidents

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A number of accidents have occurred at Twyford over the years.[6] Most recently:

On 19 December 1981, a service from Henley, formed of a Class 117 DMU, failed to stop and over road the buffers at the end of platform 5 ending up in the carpark.[7]

On 7 April 2016, an occupied wheelchair was caught in the slipstream of a London bound freight train which resulted in the chair contacting the train and causing a minor injury to the occupant.[8]

Services

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Services at Twyford are operated by the Elizabeth line and Great Western Railway.

The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:[9][10]

Elizabeth Line

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Great Western Railway

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Additional Elizabeth line services, as well as a small number of express services to and from Newbury and Bedwyn call at the station during the peak hours.

On Sundays, the semi-fast services between London Paddington and Didcot Parkway are reduced to hourly.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Great Western Railway
TerminusGreat Western Railway
Elizabeth line
Reading
Terminus
  Elizabeth line   Maidenhead
towards Abbey Wood

References

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  1. ^ Padgett, David (June 2018) [1989]. Munsey, Myles (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western & Wales (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. map 4A. ISBN 978-1-9996271-0-2.
  2. ^ "I nearly binned my MBE letter". GetReading. 23 June 2005. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  3. ^ "New lifts at Twyford Station provide access to all". Network Rail. 17 November 2009. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Western Route Sectional Appendix Module WR1" (PDF). Network Rail. p. 55-229. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2023.
  5. ^ Yonge, John; Padgett, David (August 2010) [1989]. Bridge, Mike (ed.). Railway Track Diagrams 3: Western (5th ed.). Bradford on Avon: Trackmaps. map 3A. ISBN 978-0-9549866-6-7.
  6. ^ "Accident Archive :: The Railways Archive".
  7. ^ "Rw 35352".
  8. ^ "Rail Accident Report - Occupied wheelchair contacting a passing train at Twyford station" (PDF). 7 April 2016.
  9. ^ Table 116, 117, 121 National Rail timetable, May 2023
  10. ^ "Elizabeth Line Timetable: May 2023" (PDF). Transport for London. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  • Pearse, Marion; Pearse, John (1985). Twyford's Railway Heritage. Twyford: Twyford and Ruscombe Local History Society. ISBN 0-948245-00-X.
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