OXFORD’S railway station was brought to an emotional standstill yesterday as staff, family and passengers remembered a “top bloke”.

Father-of-two Steve Cross, 38, left, from Cowley, who worked on ticket barriers at the station for eight years, died of a suspected heart attack at his home on Saturday.

Rail staff, British Transport Police officers and passengers observed a minute’s silence as the station came to a standstill at 11am yesterday.

Mr Cross’s family including his two daughters, Sophie 11, and Amy, 8 and his mother Deborah Kingsman, crowded around tributes by the barriers left in his memory.

Oxford Mail:

  • Colleagues congregate at Oxford railway station yesterday 
  • to remember Steve Cross 

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Duty station manager Kevin Knight said: “He was a top, top bloke. We will miss him so much. It won’t be the same at this station.

“He was a real joker and a genuine good friend. He loved his football and his takeaways but his two girls were all he ever mentioned.

“We were out with him on Friday night for a colleague’s leaving do and to wake up seven or eight hours later to that call was absolutely devastating.

“The small consolation is that he spent his last few hours with his closest mates.”

Mark Cooper, 38, from Cowley, was Steve’s best friend of 26 years.

He said: “He was loved in every circle he was in. We did everything together, he always said me and my brothers were the brothers he never had.

“I was at his house two days before. It’s horrible.”

Oxford Mail:

  • Tributes left at the station

Candles and flowers were laid out on the floor and his coat was hung up with hundreds of tributes messages pinned to it.

The 38-year-old joined the staff at Oxford station in 2006 and had just started his ninth year as part of the team.

Simon Holden, First Great Western service delivery manager and a close friend, said: “It’s left a huge gap in this station, it’s left a hole we will never be able to fill.

“Passengers loved him as well as the staff and I’ve even had emails from directors of other rail companies expressing their sadness. This station is like a family and I’m overwhelmed by the kindness of the people here today.”

Kate Olma, was trained by Steve on the gate before moving on to Didcot Parkway six months ago. She said: “I feel very sad for his girls, Steve was an awesome person. He was the first person who trained me and he gave me his experience. I’m happy I worked with him, he was really generous and kind and always open and honest.

“The whole station and everyone who worked with him is heartbroken.”

Oxford Mail:

  • Oxford railway station comes to a standstill yesterday as staff, family and passengers remembered Steve Cross, who worked on the ticket barriers at the station but died of a suspected heart attack on Saturday

The service information screen at the station, which sees six million people through its gates every year, was filled with a picture of Steve and a statement on behalf of the team.

It read: “Steve was a founding member of the gate line team and has been a tower of strength to all colleagues for the past eight years. His ready smile and banter proved to be a morale booster on numerous occasions. When the going got tough Steve was there.”

Mr Cross’s family thanked First Great Western and those who turned out to pay their respects for the marvellous support.


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