Changes at Culham station
Changes from 2023 to the present day
Image courtesy of Network Rail
Image courtesy of Network Rail
Image courtesy of Network Rail
Image courtesy of Network Rail
March and April till June 2023 - Nuneham bridge works
Stabilisation works were found to be necessary on the Nuneham viaduct where the line crosses the Thames between Culham and Radley stations. For a number of weeks a temporary 20 m.p.h. line speed limit had been imposed along that stretch of the line and engineering works were started.
Following very heavy rain and higher than normal river levels in early April, it was found that the southern abutment had moved and the bridge structure had shifted. At 10:30 in the morning of 3rd April the bridge was declared unsafe and immediately closed to all traffic until emergency repairs could be carried out, trains already en-route had to return to either Oxford or Didcot. Network Rail were later reported as saying that it was planned to reopen the line on 10th June. Part of the remedial work was to involve sinking a series of 25-metre steel piles into the river bed to anchor new bridge supports on both banks, and that overall the work would cost between £7 million and £10 million. A special quay and pontoons were erected to provide a working platform and a 150 ton crane was brought in for the heavy lifting.
Early May 2023 - Temporary train service
We wondered why this temporary barrier had been erected across the line just beyond the end of platform 2. The reason became clear as, during the first week in May, a trial shuttle service was introduced between Culham and Didcot. A two car class 165 unit provided three round trips in the morning, and three around tea time. It had to travel 'wrong line' from Didcot and a hastily drawn stopping point was painted about half way along platform 2. The final train in the evening actually returned to Reading so in theory one could catch a through train between Culham and Reading, something which had not been possible for a number of years. A similar service was also being trialled between Oxford and Radley.
29th July 2023 - Line closure
The Buses replace trains banner was updated to warn that between July 29th and 6th August all rail lines through Oxford would be closed whilst Network Rail install three new high-speed crossovers to the north of the station and carry out signalling work. In addition to the work on the track, work was also carried out on Osney Lane footbridge to make additional space for the track that will eventually link into the new platform 5. Replacement buses operated from Oxford to Hanborough, Banbury, Oxford Parkway and Didcot Parkway stations.
June 2024 - Replacement rails
The line through Culham must take a fair battering as it is typically used by upwards of 100 passenger and freight trains in each direction every weekday. Some of the freight trains can be very heavy. This means that, as well as the track structure taking a pounding, the rails themselves get worn and need to be replaced on a regular basis. This photograph shows lengths of new rail ready for installation stretching as far as the eye can see. They will be cut and welded together to form a continuous length before being installed.
27th and 28th July 2024 - Rebuilding the track
The line between Oxford and Didcot was closed from the early hours of Saturday 27th July until about midnight on the Sunday so that the track through Culham Station could be completely replaced. Overnight working meant that by lunchtime on Saturday the Up line had been completely removed, rails, sleepers and ballast down to earth level. Here we see the excavations have been completed alongside the Old Ticket Office and Platform 2. At one point there were three ballast trains on the Down line. We were told that the black rolls are a special membrane which will be put down first before new ballast is laid on top. New sleepers and continuous welded rail will then be installed. The long stretches of welded rail do not have expansion joints and so the final task will be to tension the rails to allow for heat expansion. It is amazing to think that it will all be finished and the line opened again ready for Monday's traffic. Whilst the work involved replacing around 350 metres of track, 550 sleepers and 1,620 tonnes of ballast, the team told us that they had just completed relaying the track through the Severn Tunnel and so considered this job to be tiny.
1st/2nd December 2024 - Lorry strike
This is one change we did not want to see! On arriving for work on Monday morning we noticed this damage to the valance. It must have taken place sometime on Sunday or before 8a.m. on Monday. Whoever was responsible obviously knew about it as the bits of broken wood had been collected together, but they did not leave an apology or any contact details. The incident has been reported to both Thames Valley Police and British Transport Police, and to Network Rail who, as owners of the building, are responsible for the outside and so will handle the repairs.
2nd January 2025 - New seating
On our return from the Christmas holiday we noticed that the platform seating adjacent to the waiting shelter on platform 1 had been replaced with nice new modern ones. This must have taken place in the few days between Christmas and New Year, but we are not sure exactly when. The other seating at the station remains untouched, so we are interested to see if any other work takes place during the next couple of months.
