Newbury Racecourse railway station
Encyclopedia
Newbury Racecourse railway station is a railway station serving the East Fields area of the town of Newbury, Berkshire
, England
. It was opened on 21 September 1905. The station is next to Newbury Racecourse
and handles heavy traffic and additional trains on race days. Otherwise the station is served by local services operated by First Great Western
from to and .
from Reading to Newbury. On the current weekly timetable only two or three local services that call at the station will continue onto Bedwyn.
These services are summarised as follows.
During race meets or large events at Newbury Racecourse
additional trains serve the station. These include a shuttle service to Reading and an extra stop for services that do not normally call at the station, sometimes including InterCity 125
trains. During some race events a special charter calls at the station. These special trains and the shuttle service usually use the third platform on the south side of the station.
opened the station on 26 September 1905, several decades after the rest of the stations on this part of the line. It was used for race specials only. It did not even appear on timetables until 1912 but then was still only used for race traffic.
In 1990 after the building of new facilities at the racecourse and the building of a new industrial estate on Hambridge Road a regular stopping service was introduced for the station.
The station originally had four platforms. The additional platform wa on the south-facing side of what is now platform two. The platform on the south side also included station buildings and a roof through which passengers passed to access the racecourse. There was also a turntable
at the station used mainly for turning steam locomotive
s that had brought specials at the start of the race day so that they could make the return journey.
. After the sectorisation of British Rail
in 1982 the station became part of Network South East. Thames Trains
provided services from 1996 until its franchise merged with thast of First Great Western
.
The two main platforms that are currently served by stopping services have shortened by fencing off the unused parts of the platform. Only short DMU
s use so these platforms maintaining their full length is unnecessary. Longer trains can use the third platform.
A footrbidge links all the existing platforms. There is a car park on the north side of the station with access to Hambridge Road. The car park on the south side of the station is on the property of Newbury Racecourse.
Freight trains use the existing loop to allow passenger trains to pass them on the main line. Steam locomotives on special charters that are not stopping in the station also use the loop as a water stop
because nearby road access can allow a water tender
to reach the line. It also prevents such trains from blocking the main line or a platform at Newbury. All continuing trains using the loop at the racecourse must also travel through the loop on the down platform at Newbury to rejoin the main line.
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was opened on 21 September 1905. The station is next to Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...
and handles heavy traffic and additional trains on race days. Otherwise the station is served by local services operated by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
from to and .
Services
Newbury Racecourse station is served by local services operated by First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
from Reading to Newbury. On the current weekly timetable only two or three local services that call at the station will continue onto Bedwyn.
These services are summarised as follows.
During race meets or large events at Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...
additional trains serve the station. These include a shuttle service to Reading and an extra stop for services that do not normally call at the station, sometimes including InterCity 125
InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
trains. During some race events a special charter calls at the station. These special trains and the shuttle service usually use the third platform on the south side of the station.
History
The Great Western RailwayGreat Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
opened the station on 26 September 1905, several decades after the rest of the stations on this part of the line. It was used for race specials only. It did not even appear on timetables until 1912 but then was still only used for race traffic.
In 1990 after the building of new facilities at the racecourse and the building of a new industrial estate on Hambridge Road a regular stopping service was introduced for the station.
The station originally had four platforms. The additional platform wa on the south-facing side of what is now platform two. The platform on the south side also included station buildings and a roof through which passengers passed to access the racecourse. There was also a turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
at the station used mainly for turning steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
s that had brought specials at the start of the race day so that they could make the return journey.
Service History
The station was part of the GWR until railway nationalisation in 1948Transport Act 1947
The Transport Act 1947 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Under it the railways, long-distance road haulage and various other types of transport were acquired by the state and handed over to a new British Transport Commission for operation...
. After the sectorisation of British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
in 1982 the station became part of Network South East. Thames Trains
Thames Trains
Thames Trains was a British railway company, owned by the Go-Ahead Group, franchised to run regional and suburban trains from London Paddington station to destinations in the home counties west of London like Slough, to Worcester, Hereford and Stratford-upon-Avon, and the Reading to Gatwick Airport...
provided services from 1996 until its franchise merged with thast of First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
.
Current Layout
The station now has three platforms, two of which are next to the main line. The third platform is on the southern side of the station on a loop. The loop that previously served the fourth platform has now been lifted.The two main platforms that are currently served by stopping services have shortened by fencing off the unused parts of the platform. Only short DMU
British Rail Class 166
The British Rail Class 166 Turbo Express is a fleet of diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by ABB at York Works between 1992 and 1993...
s use so these platforms maintaining their full length is unnecessary. Longer trains can use the third platform.
A footrbidge links all the existing platforms. There is a car park on the north side of the station with access to Hambridge Road. The car park on the south side of the station is on the property of Newbury Racecourse.
Freight trains use the existing loop to allow passenger trains to pass them on the main line. Steam locomotives on special charters that are not stopping in the station also use the loop as a water stop
Water stop
A water stop or water station on a railroad is a place where trains stop to replenish water. The stopping of the train itself is also referred to as "water stop". The term originates from the times of steam engines, when large amounts of water were essential...
because nearby road access can allow a water tender
Water tender
A water tender, also known as a tanker in some regions, is a specialized firefighting apparatus designed for transporting water from a water source to a fire scene...
to reach the line. It also prevents such trains from blocking the main line or a platform at Newbury. All continuing trains using the loop at the racecourse must also travel through the loop on the down platform at Newbury to rejoin the main line.