page_title: Wallingford railway branch line
section_title: Sale to the Great Western Railway
hierarchical_section_title: Wallingford railway branch line / Sale to the Great Western Railway
caption_attribution_description: English: Wallingford branch auto-train at Cholsey &amp; Moulsford Station. Photograph taken on the same day as SU6089&#160;: Wallingford Station, with auto-train and (detached) 0-4-2T, the view is NW, with the auto-train from Wallingford in the bay platform on the Up side of the station on the main ex-GWR London - Reading - Swindon etc. line.
context_page_description: The Wallingford railway branch line was a short branch line in Oxfordshire, connecting the market town of Wallingford with the nearby Great Western Railway main line.
  It was planned as part of a line continuing to Watlington, but money ran out and the continuation was never made. The branch line opened in 1866. It had a frequent passenger shuttle service, connecting with main line trains.
  It closed to passengers in 1959, although goods use kept the line in use until 1981.
  A heritage railway, the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway has taken over most of the line and operates vintage train services.
context_section_description: On 10 August 1870 the Wallingford board met with the GWR directors to attempt to sell their line to the larger company, but the GWR blandly declined for the time being.
  In June 1871 the matter was raised again and an offer to purchase was made: £3,515 of GWR 5% preference stock would be transferred to the W&WR shareholders, as well as £16,750 cash. The transfer was made and on 2 December 1871 the line was vested in the GWR. (The Act of Parliament ratifying the transfer was made on 18 July 1872.)
caption: A Wallingford branch train at Cholsey & Moulsford station
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