Bledlow railway station
Encyclopedia
Bledlow railway station was an intermediate station on the Wycombe Railway
which served the Buckinghamshire
village of Bledlow
from 1862 to 1963. It was one of two stations to serve the village, the other being on the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway
, which was 0.75 miles (1.2 km) to the south and closer to the village. The possibility of reopening the line through Bledlow, which is now part of a long-distance footpath, has been explored by Chiltern Railways
, the franchise holder for the Chiltern Main Line
which runs through .
's single track
line beyond to was given on 28 June 1861. was reached by 31 July 1862 and a regular service from via began the next day. Four daily trains each way (one on Sundays) called at Thame, Bledlow, Princes Risborough, , and Maidenhead. Bledlow station was west of a level crossing
on Sandpit Lane, 1 miles (1.6 km) from the village from which it took its name. A two-storey brick station building was built at Bledlow at a cost of £1,003-13s-6d. It included a booking office and accommodation for the station master
.
A 15 feet (4.6 m) by 12 feet (3.7 m) signal box
with a 16-lever frame controlled traffic over the level crossing was next to the main station building. Electric train staff
instruments were installed on the line to Thame in the 1890s. Consequently Bledlow box ceased to signal trains in 1902, but it remained in use to operate the crossing gates.
A single siding
equipped with a 2 ton yard crane handled goods traffic which consisted of watercress
and English elm boles
for trawling nets
made locally in Longwick
. Figures from 1933 show that 2853 long tons (2,898.8 MT) of goods were sent from the station, whilst 402 long tons (408.5 MT) tons of goods were received. In the same period 5,338 passenger tickets were issued and 6,529 parcels forwarded.
By 1957 freight had declined to only 139 long tons (141.2 MT) were forwarded and 57 long tons (57.9 MT) received. By November 1961 the line itself was carrying an average of 524 passengers per week. On the basis of an estimated saving of £34,372, British Rail
ways withdrew passenger services between Oxford and Princes Risborough from January 1963.
The line remained in use for freight traffic, carrying new cars from the BMC
factory and oil traffic to . In September 1965 Bledlow level crossing was converted to automatic half-barriers enabling the signal box to be closed. Freight traffic was withdrawn and British Rail closed the line between Morris Cowley and Princes Risborough in October 1991.
run by the granddaughter of Percy Smith, Bledlow's third station master who worked at the station between 1918 and 1950. The signal box has been demolished and the trackbed is now part of the Phoenix Trail
, a long-distance footpath and cycleway.
As part of its preparations for its bid to run the Chiltern Railways franchise, Chiltern Railways
announced in 2000 that it was considering the possibility of reinstating passenger services on the line between Oxford and Risborough, the cost of which it estimated at £250 million. Chiltern Railways decided instead to build a 0.75 miles (1.2 km) link between the Oxford to Bicester Line
and the Chiltern Main Line
to run direct services between Oxford and London via .
Wycombe Railway
The Wycombe Railway was a British railway between and that connected with the Great Western Railway at both ends; there was one branch, to .-History:The Wycombe Railway Company was incorporated by an act of Parliament passed in 1846...
which served the Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
village of Bledlow
Bledlow
Bledlow is a village in the civil parish of Bledlow-cum-Saunderton in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated about a mile and a half WSW of Princes Risborough, and on the border with Oxfordshire....
from 1862 to 1963. It was one of two stations to serve the village, the other being on the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway
Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway
The Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway was a railway branch line between Watlington and Princes Risborough which remained operational for over 88 years between 1872 and 1961....
, which was 0.75 miles (1.2 km) to the south and closer to the village. The possibility of reopening the line through Bledlow, which is now part of a long-distance footpath, has been explored by Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
, the franchise holder for the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
which runs through .
History
Parliamentary authority to extend the Wycombe RailwayWycombe Railway
The Wycombe Railway was a British railway between and that connected with the Great Western Railway at both ends; there was one branch, to .-History:The Wycombe Railway Company was incorporated by an act of Parliament passed in 1846...
's single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
line beyond to was given on 28 June 1861. was reached by 31 July 1862 and a regular service from via began the next day. Four daily trains each way (one on Sundays) called at Thame, Bledlow, Princes Risborough, , and Maidenhead. Bledlow station was west of a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
on Sandpit Lane, 1 miles (1.6 km) from the village from which it took its name. A two-storey brick station building was built at Bledlow at a cost of £1,003-13s-6d. It included a booking office and accommodation for the station master
Station master
The station master was the person in charge of railway stations, in the United Kingdom and some other countries, before the modern age. He would manage the other station employees and would have responsibility for safety and the efficient running of the station...
.
A 15 feet (4.6 m) by 12 feet (3.7 m) signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
with a 16-lever frame controlled traffic over the level crossing was next to the main station building. Electric train staff
Token (railway signalling)
In railway signalling, a token is a physical object which a locomotive driver is required to have or see before entering onto a particular section of single track. The token is clearly endorsed with the name of the section it belongs to...
instruments were installed on the line to Thame in the 1890s. Consequently Bledlow box ceased to signal trains in 1902, but it remained in use to operate the crossing gates.
A single siding
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
equipped with a 2 ton yard crane handled goods traffic which consisted of watercress
Watercress
Watercresses are fast-growing, aquatic or semi-aquatic, perennial plants native from Europe to central Asia, and one of the oldest known leaf vegetables consumed by human beings...
and English elm boles
Trunk (botany)
In botany, trunk refers to the main wooden axis of a tree that supports the branches and is supported by and directly attached to the roots. The trunk is covered by the bark, which is an important diagnostic feature in tree identification, and which often differs markedly from the bottom of the...
for trawling nets
Fishing net
A fishing net or fishnet is a net that is used for fishing. Fishing nets are meshes usually formed by knotting a relatively thin thread. Modern nets are usually made of artificial polyamides like nylon, although nets of organic polyamides such as wool or silk thread were common until recently and...
made locally in Longwick
Longwick
Longwick is a hamlet in Wycombe district about northwest of Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire on the A4129 road.The toponym is from the Old English for "long farm"....
. Figures from 1933 show that 2853 long tons (2,898.8 MT) of goods were sent from the station, whilst 402 long tons (408.5 MT) tons of goods were received. In the same period 5,338 passenger tickets were issued and 6,529 parcels forwarded.
By 1957 freight had declined to only 139 long tons (141.2 MT) were forwarded and 57 long tons (57.9 MT) received. By November 1961 the line itself was carrying an average of 524 passengers per week. On the basis of an estimated saving of £34,372, British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways withdrew passenger services between Oxford and Princes Risborough from January 1963.
The line remained in use for freight traffic, carrying new cars from the BMC
British Motor Corporation
The British Motor Corporation, or commonly known as BMC was a vehicle manufacturer from United Kingdom, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation in 1952...
factory and oil traffic to . In September 1965 Bledlow level crossing was converted to automatic half-barriers enabling the signal box to be closed. Freight traffic was withdrawn and British Rail closed the line between Morris Cowley and Princes Risborough in October 1991.
Routes
Present day
The station building survives and has been extended as a bed and breakfastBed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
run by the granddaughter of Percy Smith, Bledlow's third station master who worked at the station between 1918 and 1950. The signal box has been demolished and the trackbed is now part of the Phoenix Trail
Phoenix Trail
The Phoenix Trail is a footpath and cycleway which runs between the market towns of Thame in South Oxfordshire and Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire, passing through the villages of Towersey and Bledlow.- History :...
, a long-distance footpath and cycleway.
As part of its preparations for its bid to run the Chiltern Railways franchise, Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
announced in 2000 that it was considering the possibility of reinstating passenger services on the line between Oxford and Risborough, the cost of which it estimated at £250 million. Chiltern Railways decided instead to build a 0.75 miles (1.2 km) link between the Oxford to Bicester Line
Oxford to Bicester Line
The Oxford to Bicester Line is a branch line linking Oxford and Bicester in Oxfordshire, England.-History:The line was opened in 1850 as part of the Buckinghamshire Railway, which in 1879 became part of the London and North Western Railway...
and the Chiltern Main Line
Chiltern Main Line
The Chiltern Main Line is an inter-urban, regional and commuter railway, part of the British railway system. It links London and Birmingham on a 112-mile route via the towns of High Wycombe, Banbury, and Leamington Spa...
to run direct services between Oxford and London via .