Datchet railway station
This is the railway station serving the village of Datchet in Berkshire, The station is located on the line between Windsor and Eton Riverside and London Waterloo, which lies 24 miles (39 km) to the east.
The station has two side platforms linked by a pedestrian footbridge, and the principal station buildings are to be found on the London bound platform. The station has a central location within Datchet village, and two level crossings cross the line immediately to the west of the station. The presence of these crossings, which carry both road routes from the village to the nearby town of Windsor, can cause traffic delays in the village.
The station is served by the stopping service between Windsor & Eton Riverside and London Waterloo, operated by South West Trains. There are generally two trains per hour.
History of station and line
The Windsor, Staines & South Western railway was authorised to build a railway line to Windsor in 1847, however Datchet was the temporary terminus after the line was opened from Richmond on 22 August 1848. The finally completed route over the River Thames was opened on 1 December 1849.
The original station had goods facilities on both up and down sides but these were eventually closed by 17 January 1965. This area is now a car park on the down side and industrial units on the up side. The large goods shed next to the station master's house was also demolished in the early 1990s. The up side station building was burnt down in a fire in September 1986 but was rebuilt in a more basic style coupled with flats above it. The station masters house survived and is the only surviving structure left.
The down side wooden building has also been lost as well. Datchet had a manual signal box which also worked the manual level crossing gates, this and Mays crossing box closed in December 1974 when control has taken over by Feltham power box, this led to the replacement of the manual barriers with the lifting ones we have today.
In recent years the platforms have been raised and more modern lighting erected. The most recent development has been the relaying of both down & up lines through the station replacing some very worn permanent way.
