PM's station (From Herald Series)

PM's station

9:00am Wednesday 17th June 2009

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Sir, I hate to spoil a good story (Herald, June 10), but Herbert Asquith could not possibly have caught a train from Appleford.

The first station, near the level crossing, was closed in 1849 before he was born and the present station, Appleford Halt, was not opened until 1933, five years after he died.

This station was built, as were many similar wayside stations during the 1920s and 30s, in an attempt by the Great Western Railway to compete with increasing road transport. The private car now seems to have won that battle, at least during the day. As they say, ‘Use it, or lose it’.

However, the station is unlikely to close completely because Appleford has been protected for many years under the umbrella of successive governments’ transport policy for the South-east and could remain so. Nevertheless, off-peak services, if reintroduced, won’t survive if local people don't use them.

Richard Watts Pound Lane Cholsey

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