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Private company

Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway

Railway company in England

The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway was a railway company intended to link Cheltenham, Gloucester and Swindon, in England. It was authorised in 1836 but it found it very hard to raise money for the construction, and it opened only a part of its line, between Swindon and Cirencester, in 1841. It sold its business to the Great Western Railway, which quickly built the line through to Gloucester in 1845 and Cheltenham in 1847; part of that route was shared with other companies.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1836Founded1

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The Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway was a railway company intended to link Cheltenham, Gloucester and Swindon, in England. It was authorised in 1836 but it found it very hard to raise money for the construction, and it opened only a part of its line, between Swindon and Cirencester, in 1841. It sold its business to the Great Western Railway, which quickly built the line through to Gloucester in 1845 and Cheltenham in 1847; part of that route was shared with other companies.2

Products and brands

Swindon; station on Bristol main line;

Purton; opened 31 May 1841; closed 2 November 1964;

Minety; opened 31 May 1841; renamed Minety and Ashton Keynes 1905; closed 2 November 1964;

Oaksey Halt; opened 18 February 1929; closed 2 November 1964;

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Kemble; opened for exchange purposes 12 May 1845; open to public 1 May 1872; still open;

Tetbury Road; opened 12 May 1845; goods only from 1 May 1882; renamed Coates goods 1 May 1908; closed 1 July 1963;

Sapperton Short Tunnel, 352 yards;

Sapperton Long Tunnel; 1,864 yards;

Chalford; opened 2 August 1897; closed 2 November 1964;

St Mary's Crossing Halt; opened 12 October 1903; closed 2 November 1964;

Brimscombe; opened 1 June 1845; closed 2 November 1964; earliest spelling was Brimscomb;

Brimscombe Bridge Halt; opened 1 February 1904; closed 2 November 1964;

Ham Mill Crossing; opened 12 October 1903; renamed Ham Mill Halt 1957; closed 2 November 1964;

Bowbridge Crossing Halt; opened 1 May 1905; closed 2 November 1964;

Stroud; opened 12 May 1845; still open;

Downfield Crossing Halt; opened 12 October 1903; closed 2 November 1964;

Cashes Green Halt; opened 22 January 1930; closed 2 November 1964;

Ebley Crossing Halt; opened 12 October 1903; closed 2 November 1964;

Stonehouse; opened 1 June 1845; renamed Stonehouse Burdett Road 1951; renamed Stonehouse 1968; still open;

Standish Junction;

Millstream Junction, later Gloucester South Junction;

Tramway Junction;

Gloucester; Bristol and Gloucester Railway use from 8 July 1844; GWR started use from 12 May 1845; GWR station opened 9 September 1851; renamed Gloucester Central 1951; combined with Eastgate station 26 May 1968 and renamed Gloucester; still open.

Gloucester South Junction; above;

T station; opened 23 October 1847; closed 19 September 1851;

Engine Shed Junction; later Barnwood Junction;

Churchdown; opened 2 February 1874; closed 2 November 1964;

Hatherley Junction; divergence of line to Banbury;

Lansdown Junction; convergence of line from Banbury; divergence of Midland Railway towards Ashchurch;

Cheltenham Malvern Road; opened 30 March 1908; closed 1 January 1917; reopened 7 July 1919; renamed Cheltenham Spa Malvern Road 1925; closed 3 January 1966;

Malvern Road East Junction; divergence of line towards Honeybourne;

Cheltenham; opened 23 October 1847; relocated to east 9 September 1884; renamed Cheltenham St James 1908; renamed Cheltenham Spa St James 1925; closed 3 January 1966.

Cirencester branch:

Kemble; as above;

Park Leaze Halt; opened 4 January 1960; closed 2 November 1964;

Chesterton Lane Halt; opened 2 February 1959; closed 6 April 1964;

Cirencester; opened 31 May 1841; renamed Cirencester Town 1924; closed 6 April 1964.

From Wikipedia’s article on Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1836Founded Founded1

Sources

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