The Thame Gazette article of 29th July 1856 titled ‘We Must Have A Railroad’ generated many enthusiastic letters. In 1857, Parliament authorised an extension of the line from Wycombe via Princes Risborough to Thame and the first turf was cut at Towersey in 1859.

500-600 people gathered at Thame station to watch the engine ‘Sunbeam’, bringing a party of directors and shareholders in July 1862.

Four or five trains ran each way daily via High Wycombe and Maidenhead. An extension to Oxford was completed in 1864, but there were complaints of a lack of facilities, high fares, infrequent trains, slow journeys and inconvenient times.

A later market start time reflected the greater distances that people could travel in a day.