The Cholsey & Wallingford  Railway

  The Bunk Line - Home of the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Preservation Society 

History

We are currently updating the history of the line.  If you have any stories, photographs or more details on the history then we would love to hear from you.  Use the 'Contact us' form to tell us more and we will be in contact. 

Key Dates

  • 1824 Plans for London to Bristol pass through Wallingford
  • 1840 Line opens but passes south of Wallingford
  • 1861 Proposal to build a branch line (Moulsford to Wallingford)
  • 1863 Initial plans go only as far as Wallingford
  • 1863 Plans resubmitted for the line to continue to Benson and Watlington
  • 1864 Public meeting at the Corn Exchange, Wallingford to announce share issue
  • 1864 Work starts on the Cholsey to Wallingford branch 1866 Branch opens (7 th July)
  • 1868 Watlington residents prefer to link to the Princes Risborough branch
  • 1870 GWR approached to buy the line as finances were in a dire state
  • 1871 Further negotiations with GWR
  • 1872 GWR purchase the line, Wallingford and Watlington Railway Company  pay creditors
  • 1892 Line shortened with Cholsey Station opening
  • 1959 Passenger service suspended (15 th June)
  • 1965 Goods service to Wallingford suspended
  • 1969 Station and associated land sold off, line now terminating at the Maltings
  • 1981 ‘Wallingford Wake’ is the last passenger service on the line
  • 1981 The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway Preservation Society formed 
  • 1985 First heritage train departs a temporary Wallingford platform 
  • 1988 – First steam train leaves the new Wallingford station
  • 1994 – First preserved train enters the Cholsey Bay platform