South Cerney Old and New
Public Service and Transport
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South Cerney Railway Station

The Swindon and Cheltenham Extension Railway was authorised by Act of Parliament 44 and 45 Vic. Cap, cxlvi, 18^th July 1881, from a junction with the Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway at Rushley Platt, near Swindon, to a junction with the Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway at Andoversford.

On 23^rd June 1884, the Swindon and Cheltenham Extension and Swindon, Marlborough and Andover Railway Companies were amalgamated under the title ‘Midland and South Western Junction Railway Company’ by Act 47 & 48 Vic. Cap. lxix of the same date.

The line between Rushey Platt and Cirencester, including the station at South Cerney, was opened for public traffic on Tuesday, 18^th December, 1883.  It was extended from Cirencester to Andoversford on 16^th March 1891, for goods traffic and on 1^st August 1891 for passenger.

Under the Railways Act 1921 (11 & 12 Geo. V, Ch. 55, 19^th August 1921) the Midland and South Western Junction was absorbed by the Great Western Railway as from 1^st July 1923; actual control by the GWR started on 29^th October 1923.  For administrative purposes, the section north of Rushey Platt, on which South Cerney station stands, was taken over by the GWR Divisional Superintendent at Gloucester and this arrangement has been continued by his successors.  The Transport Act, 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. VI Ch. 49, 6^th August 1947) brought nearly all the railways in Great Britain under control of the British Transport Commission as from 1^st January 1948.  The northern part of the former M & S W Jc. Rly. was allocated to the Western Region.

When opened on 18^th December 1883, the station was named ‘Cerney and Ashton Keynes’.  The name has since been changed as follows:-

The station stands almost mid-way between Cirencester (Watermoor) and Cricklade stations, 3 miles 12 chains from the former and 3 miles 36 chains from the latter (all measured from the centres of the platforms),   on a gradient of 1 in 880 falling towards Cricklade.  When opened, the station had only one platform; a second platform, passing-loop and signal-box were added in 1891, but I do not appear to have the precise date.

When taken over by the GWR in 1923, the signal-box was 14ft x 12ft and had 14 levers.  The passing-loop was 1,490 ft long and the platforms each 258 ft long.  In the yard there were 320 feet of sidings, plus a horse-loading dock 67 ft long.  Lighting was by oil lamps and water was hand-pumped from a well.

The staff at the time consisted of a grade 5 stationmaster (salary £210 per year) and two signalmen.  The total revenue in the last three years of the M & SW Co’s existence was:-
1921    -           £5,448 (Passengers £481, Parcels £273, Goods £4,694)
1922    -           £2,544
1923    -           £2,452

Traffic consisted of a small quantity of milk (in June 1923 it averaged 9 churns a day – 7 to Vauxhall and 2 to Clapham Junction, as compared with 195 sent from Cricklade each day), general agricultural produce and round timber.

A leaflet of 1923 of the M & SWJR offers a return fare of 6d third class from Cerney station to the Mop Fairs at Cirencester on 8^th and 15^th October.  On Monday 8yh October, a special late train would leave Cirencester at 10.15pm for Cerney, Cricklade and Swindon, but on Monday 15^th the last train to Cerney was the 7.39pm.

Miss W Smith remembers the train times both to Cirencester and Swindon as being inconvenient for shopping – trains in about 10am and none back until about 4pm.

(Mr E C R Hadfield)

Mr Herbert Gassor walked into Cirencester to take the first tain, and be the first passenger to alight at Cerney Station.

(Mrs Jack Painter)

People killed on railway

From the burial registers of South Cerney, 1813-1899.

John R Wheeler, 1882. SC (19) Killed by fall of earth while working on the new railway in this parish.

Staff

The first station master was named Baker.  Later, Mr Joseph Dix who died about 1897.

Mr Bowden was station master in the early years of this century, until January 1^st, 1925.  His two daughters still live in their house looking onto the Piece, in Station Road, in 1970.

Porter under him was Mr Frank Barnfield, and signalman Mr Ernest Cook.  Mr Dennis Wheeler was a porter after first World War.

Mr Ernest Cook:
April 2^nd 1900               joined the MSWJR at Fosse Cross;
May 29^th 1900              to Ludgershill;
Oct 30th 1900               Fosse Cross signal-box;
Nov 25^th 1901              South Cerney signal-box;
June 30^th 1945              retired, 30 years service medal.

During his service:  General Strike May 3^rd-12^th, 1926; derailment of two milk tanks and one van between South Cerney and Cricklade, July 1^st 1935.

(Mrs R Webb, his daughter)

In 1893 there was only one platform.   Station Master Dix got in a truck of coal and sold it to the villagers.  Mr Bobby Russell and Mr John Short took the coal cart round.  A second platform was built for the big milk traffic.

(Mr R Stait)