Impermanent Ways Vol. 11

The change from a red circle to a white circle on an old OS map is indicative of a station closed to passengers but very often open for freight. This was generally a temporary state of affairs being a prelude to ultimate closure of the line. In this, the eleventh in the series, we examine the railways of the pre-1974 county of Berkshire, travelling west to east with a few necessary detours north and south where relevant lines (used to) exist. The date 1974 is particularly important for this volume, as the Local Government Act 1974 which came into force on 1 April 1974 (we will not comment on the choice of this specific day), meant many closed stations and lines were ‘moved’ overnight. Branch line changes to Windsor & Henley are considered together with an insight into Berkshires industrial lines. Newbury is spotlighted and, amongst others, Radley – Abingdon is dicussed providing a local insight into a bygone age.