 William Bliss, owner of the biggest mill in the town repeatedly requested the OW&WR to provide a station near the town, but without success.Bliss met with Sir Morton Peto, a director of the OW&WR and the two men agreed to finance a branch line themselves, with some contribution by other local businesspeople.The line from Chipping Norton Junction, later named Kingham, opened on 10 August 1855.