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30-498: The Oxford, Witney and Fairford Railway was a single track railway branch line, 22 miles (35 km) long, in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire . It was opened in succession by two companies, the first in 1861 to connect the important woollen town of Witney to the main line network, and the second in 1873 as the rump of an ambitious scheme to connect to Cheltenham , but which ran only between Witney and Fairford . The junction with

60-459: A "reserve" track that can allow a reduced capacity service to continue if one track is closed. If a single-track line is designed to be used by more than one train at a time, it must have passing loops (also called passing sidings or crossing loops ) at intervals along the line to allow trains running in different directions to pass each other. These consist of short stretches of double track, usually long enough to hold one train. The capacity of

90-520: A bike trail can restrict a train corridor to a single track. Also reclaiming a railway corridor to use trains again limits the use of double tracks. The bike path is usually where the second track would be, and there may be fierce opposition by bikers and hikers. An example of a bike, single-track corridor is the E&;N Railway in Victoria, Canada. 25 %26 26 Vict. This is a complete list of acts of

120-526: A formal inspection. He approved the line for opening, noting that the Witney station was temporary only, "pending construction of a permanent station, the probable site of which is as yet uncertain". There was no turntable at Witney, so only tank engines might be used, and a turntable was to be provided within twelve months. Sidings seem not to have been provided at first. The line was single, and eight miles long, with earthworks and overbridges made for double track. It

150-525: A possible branch from the London and Birmingham Railway at Tring. The Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway (OW&WR) opened on 4 June 1853 from Wolvercot Junction, on the Great Western Railway (GWR) a little north of Oxford to Evesham , and Witney had at least a nearby station at Handborough . Nonetheless a railway to Witney itself was desirable, and after some false starts a public meeting

180-578: A separate bay platform and run-round for the Witney trains. The company was profitable, earning annually between £4,000 and £4,600 throughout its first decade. The East Gloucestershire Railway was originally conceived as a through line from Faringdon to Cheltenham, with a branch to Witney. It obtained an authorising act of Parliament, the East Gloucestershire Railway Act 1862 ( 25 & 26 Vict. c. ccvi), with share capital of £600,000, but Great Western Railway (GWR) opposition frustrated

210-606: A single-track line is determined by the number of passing loops. Passing loops may also be used to allow trains heading in the same direction at different speeds to overtake. In some circumstances on some isolated branch lines with a simple shuttle service (such as the Abbey Line in Great Britain or L202 railway in Croatia) a single-track line may work under the "one train working" principle without passing loops, where only one train

240-541: A single-track railway to double track is called duplication or doubling; converting double track to single track is known as singling. A double-track railway operating only a single track is known as single-line working . Kirkby railway station (until 1977) and Ormskirk railway station (until 1970) were double-track railway , when they were converted into single-track railway with cross-platform interchange . Building bike trails on rail corridors has occurred in limited examples; however, developing rail rights of way for

270-647: Is a strong case for reopening the line, with severe traffic congestion on the roads to and from Oxford. In June 2009 the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), since 2017 the Rail Delivery Group, published "Connecting Communities: Expanding Access to the Rail Network." Restoring a rail connection for Witney was one of 20 schemes recommended for 'review in the light of the consultation responses to

300-421: Is allowed on the line at a time. On single-track lines with passing loops, measures must be taken to ensure that only one train in one direction can use a stretch of single track at a time, as head-on collisions are a particular risk. Some form of signalling system is required. In traditional British practice (and countries using British practice), single-track lines were operated using a token system where

330-464: Is its chapter number. Acts passed before 1963 are cited using this number, preceded by the year(s) of the reign during which the relevant parliamentary session was held; thus the Union with Ireland Act 1800 is cited as "39 & 40 Geo. 3 c. 67", meaning the 67th act passed during the session that started in the 39th year of the reign of George III and which finished in the 40th year of that reign. Note that

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360-401: Is significantly cheaper to build and maintain, but has operational and safety disadvantages. For example, a single-track line that takes 15 minutes to travel through would have capacity for only two trains per hour in each direction safely. By contrast, a double track with signal boxes four minutes apart can allow up to 15 trains per hour in each direction safely, provided all the trains travel at

390-696: The list of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain . See also the list of acts of the Parliament of Ireland . For acts of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in the United Kingdom, see the list of acts of the Scottish Parliament , the list of acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly , and the list of acts and measures of Senedd Cymru ; see also the list of acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland . The number shown after each act's title

420-674: The GWR, the question of its absorption by the larger company arose. The East Gloucestershire Company was absorbed by share purchase on 1 July 1890; the Witney Railway Company sold out on the same date. The line was now in effect the Fairford branch of the GWR. The stations on the line were: British Railways (BR) closed the line to passenger traffic on 18 June 1962. The section between Yarnton and Witney only remained open to goods traffic until 2 November 1970, when BR closed it completely. There

450-402: The Parliament of the United Kingdom for the year 1862 . Note that the first parliament of the United Kingdom was held in 1801; parliaments between 1707 and 1800 were either parliaments of Great Britain or of Ireland ). For acts passed up until 1707, see the list of acts of the Parliament of England and the list of acts of the Parliament of Scotland . For acts passed from 1707 to 1800, see

480-480: The connections to the goods facilities were not yet in place, the operation of a goods service was delayed until 1 March 1862, a local contractor Malachi Bartlett being brought in to complete work apparently left unfinished by Pickering. It appears that goods working was performed by mixed (passenger and goods) trains. There were four or five daily return trips to Oxford in the early years of the line's operation. Intermediate stations were at South Leigh and Eynsham. At

510-478: The early days of railways in North America it was common to rely upon simple timetable operation where operators knew where a train was scheduled to be at a particular time, and so would not enter a single-track stretch when they were not scheduled to. This generally worked but was inflexible and inefficient. It was improved with the invention of the telegraph and the ability to issue train orders . Converting

540-448: The line was opened with the usual ceremony on 14 January 1873, with ordinary passenger operation starting the next day. In effect the line was simply an extension of the Witney line. The junction at Witney was on the Oxford side of the original Witney station, so that the new Witney station was on the new line; the former Witney station was reduced to the status of a goods station. Stations on

570-510: The main line was at Yarnton , north of Oxford. The Great Western Railway worked the two companies' lines as a single branch line from 1873, and later absorbed them. British Railways withdrew passenger services in 1962; a residual goods service to Witney remained until 1970. Witney had been an important town with a significant woollen industry, but found itself at a competitive disadvantage as northern manufacturing towns gained railway connections. A number of schemes were put forward, including

600-432: The modern convention is to use Arabic numerals in citations (thus "41 Geo. 3" rather than "41 Geo. III"). Acts of the last session of the Parliament of Great Britain and the first session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom are both cited as "41 Geo. 3". Some of these acts have a short title . Some of these acts have never had a short title. Some of these acts have a short title given to them by later acts, such as by

630-584: The new line were therefore Fairford, Lechlade, Alvescot, Bampton and Witney. The GWR operated the line (as a continuous branch incorporating the Witney line and the new extension) and also maintained the line. Whereas the Witney Railway had achieved its objective, of connecting the town to the railway network, the East Gloucestershire Railway failed in its long-distance objective. Limited to a local service only, and being worked by and dependent on

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660-540: The promoters' intentions, and a second act of Parliament, the East Gloucestershire Railway Act 1864 ( 27 & 28 Vict. c. cclxxxv), was obtained on 29 July 1864, for a 50 miles (80 km) line to be worked by the Midland Railway . The GWR appealed against the arrangement, and the powers were reduced to building a 14 miles (23 km) line from Witney to Fairford, with share capital of £300,000. The usual Board of Trade inspection took place on 10 January 1873 and

690-416: The roadway will I conceive be a safe one for the light traffic There is one disadvantage attending it, that it is not available for the application of points and crossings, and where these are employed, other forms of rails have to be intermingled with it. The line was ceremonially opened amid considerable festivity on 13 November 1861, and the public passenger service started the next day, 14 November 1861. As

720-403: The same speed. This hindrance on the capacity of a single track may be partly overcome by making the track one-way on alternate days. Long freight trains are a problem if the passing stretches are not long enough. Other disadvantages include the propagation of delays, since one delayed train on a single track will also delay any train waiting for it to pass. Also, a single track does not have

750-488: The study, with the costs and benefits refined/updated using NATA, and in the light of increasing population and employment figures.' In January 2019, the Campaign for Better Transport released a report identifying this line was listed as Priority 2 for reopening. Priority 2 is for those lines which require further development or a change in circumstances (such as housing developments). Single track (rail) Single track

780-551: The time of planning the new line, the OW&;WR was running through trains to London over the London and North Western Railway (LNWR) and Yarnton would have been an important interchange. By the time of opening, the OW&WR had changed its allegiance to the GWR, and Yarnton lost its significance. Building the new station there was the responsibility of the West Midland Railway, and they delayed opening it until summer 1863. It had

810-584: The train driver had to be in possession of a token in order to enter a stretch of single track. Because there was only one unique token issued at any one time for each stretch of single track, it was impossible for more than one train to be on it at a time. This method is still used on some minor lines but in the longest single-track lines in Britain (e.g. the Highlands of Scotland) this has been superseded by radio communication, known as Radio Electronic Token Block . In

840-465: Was held on 23 December 1858 to propose a branch line from the OW&WR at Yarnton, where there was to be a new junction station. Sir Charles Fox was appointed Engineer and in the 1859 session a bill was presented to Parliament to authorise the railway. Despite GWR opposition, the Witney Railway was authorised by the Witney Railway Act 1859 ( 22 & 23 Vict. c. xlvi) of 1 August 1859. Capital

870-399: Was to be worked on the one engine in steam principle. The permanent way employed Seaton rails, in which the material below the head was formed in an inverted V in section; the rail was supported on a triangular longitudinal timber itself bedded on longitudinal timbers. Tyler commented that This form of rail is not well adapted for obtaining a maximum of strength from the iron employed, but

900-565: Was to be £50,000 in shares and £16,000 in borrowings. Joseph Pickering was appointed contractor to build the line, and an arrangement was made with the OW&WR company for it to work the line for 10 years for 50% of gross receipts. By the time of opening, the OW&WR had merged with another company and formed the West Midland Railway . On 5 November 1861 Captain Tyler of the Board of Trade made

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