Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The railway crosses at a point where nine carriages fell on to the frozen canal on Christmas
Eve 1874 in the Great Western Railway (GWR)'s worst accident, killing 34 passengers and
injuring 65 more. The 15-coach train was carrying 500 passengers behind a pair of single
driving wheel engines when a wheel on the leading coach broke, with disastrous conse-
quences. Amazingly, the Oxford stationmaster had a rescue train underway just half an hour
after receiving a telegram about the accident.
At Thrupp Wide the canal again uses the course of the river but this time the river has
been moved to a new channel on the east side. Thrupp has been described as the perfect canal
village; cottages stand back from the grassed canal embankment. The Boat Inn provides re-
freshment, as does the Jolly Boatman.
