Verney Junction railway station
Encyclopedia
Verney Junction was a railway station at a junction serving four directions between 1868 and 1968 and from where excursions as far as Ramsgate
could be booked. Situated 50 miles from Baker Street
, the station is one of London
's disused Underground stations
and, although it never carried heavy traffic, it was important in the expansion of the Metropolitan Railway
into what became Metro-land
.
's (A&BR) single track from Aylesbury
. The station was at a junction with the London and North Western Railway
's (LNWR) Bletchley to Oxford line
, 1.75 miles (2.8 km) east of Steeple Claydon
, and constructed to a rudimentary design at the cost of the A&BR, whose progress it viewed with disfavour.
Plans to extend the railway north to Buckingham
never materialised and Verney Junction remained remote with a few cottages for tenants of Claydon House
estate. Claydon's occupant, Sir Harry Verney
, was on the board of the A&BR which was chaired by the Duke of Buckingham
, and he invested heavily in the scheme. There being no settlement from which the station could take its name, it was named in honour of Sir Harry, who was later to have another nearby station – Calvert
– named after him; he had been born Harry Calvert, and took the surname Verney in order to inherit his late cousin's estates in 1827.
, Oxford
and Bletchley
but the LNWR attempted to isolate the A&BR by encouraging passengers to take its longer route to Aylesbury via Bletchley and Cheddington
. The A&BR turned to the Great Western Railway
(GWR), with whom it managed Aylesbury,) to agree to services over the GWR's Wycombe Railway
; the Wycombe line was converted to standard gauge
on 23 October 1868 and A&BR services were reinstated.
The GWR worked the A&BR for more than 20 years, turning down the chance to acquire it in 1874, although for the first six years the route was operated by the A&BR's own staff, except for footplate crews who were GWR employees. Traffic was initially "almost non-existent" due to Verney Junction's rural locality, but the Metropolitan Railway
under the influence of Sir Edward Watkin nevertheless saw an opportunity for growth and absorbed the A&BR on 1 July 1891. The A&BR would be the line that the London Extension of Watkin's Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
(MS&LR) would meet at Quainton Road
. In anticipation of the connection, the A&BR was doubled by 1897 and the Metropolitan extended its line from Chalfont Road
to Aylesbury in 1892.
Not long after the Metropolitan reached its northern outpost, Verney Junction was elevated to main line status with the opening of the MS&LR's London Extension (later to be known as the Great Central Railway
). Around the same time, the Metropolitan inaugurated a service of through trains between Baker Street and Verney Junction, although this could hardly be said to be merited on the basis of traffic. From 2 April 1906, all Metropolitan services north of Harrow South Junction to Verney Junction came under the control of the Metropolitan & Great Central Joint Committee which had been set up by an Act of Parliament to manage the companies' joint lines.
The Metropolitan opened another intermediate station on the A&BR at Waddesdon
in 1897, adding to the three existing stations at Grandborough Road
, Quainton Road and Winslow Road
which had opened in 1868. A new Pullman
service was introduced in 1910 as part of a drive to attract first-class paying passengers from the Great Central; two Pullman coaches named "Mayflower" and "Galatea" were used on alternate weeks between Verney Junction, Chesham
and London.
The Metropolitan was vested in the London Passenger Transport Board
(LPTB) on 1 July 1933 and freight and passenger workings to Verney Junction continued in trains repainted with the London Transport lettering. However, little over three years later, the LPTB decided to discontinue suburban services beyond Aylesbury and in consequence two Metropolitan outposts were closed — the Brill Tramway
ended on 30 November 1935 and passenger services ceased between Quainton Road and Verney Junction on 6 July 1936 when the line was singled. London Transport did, however, reinstate a limited service between 3 May 1943 and 29 May 1948 for war workers, but there were only one or two daily services and these were not widely advertised.
without having to pass over the Verney Junction-Quainton Road section.
By the end of 1940, Verney Junction was effectively left "severed from its purpose", having little usefulness other than as a rural interchange for local services. It played a useful part in the transfer of goods between the interconnecting lines, but passenger traffic declined in the face of the availability of more direct routes to and from Banbury and Oxford. Goods services were withdrawn in 1964, with passenger services following in 1968.
After closure, the track on the northern section of the A&BR between Verney Junction and Winslow Road was retained until the early 1960s, including the former Metropolitan sidings which were subsequently used for storing veteran railway vehicles.
from Quainton Road
to its connection with the Varsity Line has been closed and lifted. A single-track freight line from Bletchley to Bicester was retained and then abandoned in place in 1993; the track remains rusted beyond use and in overgrown state, although modern signage still warns travellers to watch for approaching trains. Of the station itself, the stationmaster's house remains as a private residence and the station ticket office has become a private garage. The platform edges have also survived in a dilapidated state. The stationmaster's house's garden occupies the former Metropolitan trackbed.
There is a current proposal to re-open the Varsity Line
, but it is unlikely that the reopening would include Verney Junction station as it would serve no significant settlement.
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
could be booked. Situated 50 miles from Baker Street
Baker Street tube station
Baker Street tube station is a station on the London Underground at the junction of Baker Street and the Marylebone Road. The station lies in Travelcard Zone 1 and is served by five different lines...
, the station is one of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's disused Underground stations
Closed London Underground stations
The London Underground is a metro system in the United Kingdom that serves Greater London and adjacent counties of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. The system has many former stations, while others were planned but not opened...
and, although it never carried heavy traffic, it was important in the expansion of the Metropolitan Railway
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
into what became Metro-land
Metro-land
Metro-land is a name given to the suburban areas that were built to the north west of London in the counties of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex in the early part of the 20th century, and were served by the Metropolitan Railway, an independent company until absorbed by the London...
.
Opening
Verney Junction opened in 1868 as northern terminus of the Aylesbury and Buckingham RailwayAylesbury and Buckingham Railway
The Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway was an English railway located in Buckinghamshire, England operating between Aylesbury and Verney Junction.-History:...
's (A&BR) single track from Aylesbury
Aylesbury railway station
Aylesbury railway station is a railway station in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England and is a major stop on the London to Aylesbury Line from Marylebone station via Amersham. It is 37.75 miles from Aylesbury Station to Marylebone Station...
. The station was at a junction with the London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
's (LNWR) Bletchley to Oxford line
Varsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
, 1.75 miles (2.8 km) east of Steeple Claydon
Steeple Claydon
Steeple Claydon is a village and also a civil parish within the district of Aylesbury Vale in Buckinghamshire, England. It has an unusually high number of gingers, it is speculated that this is due to most people's mums also being their aunts. Steeple Claydon is located about four miles south of...
, and constructed to a rudimentary design at the cost of the A&BR, whose progress it viewed with disfavour.
Plans to extend the railway north to Buckingham
Buckingham railway station
Buckingham was a railway station which served Buckingham, the former county town of Buckinghamshire, England, between 1850 and 1966.- Opening :...
never materialised and Verney Junction remained remote with a few cottages for tenants of Claydon House
Claydon House
Claydon House is a country house in the Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire, England, close to the village of Middle Claydon. It was built between 1757 and 1771 and is now owned by the National Trust....
estate. Claydon's occupant, Sir Harry Verney
Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet
Sir Harry Verney, 2nd Baronet PC, DL, JP was an English soldier and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1832 and 1885.-Background and education:...
, was on the board of the A&BR which was chaired by the Duke of Buckingham
Richard Temple-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
Richard Plantagenet Campbell Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos GCSI, PC , styled Earl Temple until 1839 and Marquess of Chandos from 1839 to 1861, was a British soldier, politician and administrator of the 19th century...
, and he invested heavily in the scheme. There being no settlement from which the station could take its name, it was named in honour of Sir Harry, who was later to have another nearby station – Calvert
Calvert railway station
Calvert was a railway station at Calvert, Buckinghamshire on the former Great Central Main Line between Manchester Piccadilly and London Marylebone. The station was opened in 1899 and closed in 1964...
– named after him; he had been born Harry Calvert, and took the surname Verney in order to inherit his late cousin's estates in 1827.
Early years
The A&BR initially began advertising services to and from BanburyBanbury railway station
Banbury railway station serves the town of Banbury in Oxfordshire, England. The station is currently operated by Chiltern Railways, on the Chiltern Main Line, and has four platforms in use.-History:...
, Oxford
Oxford railway station
Oxford railway station is a mainline railway station serving the city of Oxford, England. It is about west of the city centre, northwest of Frideswide Square and the eastern end of Botley Road, and on the line linking with . It is also on the line for trains between and Hereford via...
and Bletchley
Bletchley railway station
Bletchley is a railway station that serves the southern districts of Milton Keynes , and the north-eastern parts of the Buckinghamshire district of Aylesbury Vale....
but the LNWR attempted to isolate the A&BR by encouraging passengers to take its longer route to Aylesbury via Bletchley and Cheddington
Cheddington railway station
Cheddington railway station serves the village of Cheddington, near Mentmore in Buckinghamshire, England. It also serves a number of surrounding villages, most notably Ivinghoe. The station is 58 km/36 miles north west of London Euston on the West Coast Main Line. It is operated by London Midland,...
. The A&BR turned to the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
(GWR), with whom it managed Aylesbury,) to agree to services over the GWR's Wycombe Railway
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...
; the Wycombe line was converted to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
on 23 October 1868 and A&BR services were reinstated.
The GWR worked the A&BR for more than 20 years, turning down the chance to acquire it in 1874, although for the first six years the route was operated by the A&BR's own staff, except for footplate crews who were GWR employees. Traffic was initially "almost non-existent" due to Verney Junction's rural locality, but the Metropolitan Railway
Metropolitan railway
Metropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
under the influence of Sir Edward Watkin nevertheless saw an opportunity for growth and absorbed the A&BR on 1 July 1891. The A&BR would be the line that the London Extension of Watkin's Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
(MS&LR) would meet at Quainton Road
Quainton Road railway station
Quainton Road railway station was opened in 1868 in undeveloped countryside near Quainton, Buckinghamshire, from London. Built by the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway, it was the result of pressure from the 3rd Duke of Buckingham to route the railway near his home at Wotton House and to open a...
. In anticipation of the connection, the A&BR was doubled by 1897 and the Metropolitan extended its line from Chalfont Road
Chalfont & Latimer station
Chalfont & Latimer station is a London Underground and National Rail station in Travelcard Zone 8 on the Metropolitan Line, in Buckinghamshire. It is the junction between the through service to and a shuttle service every half an hour to...
to Aylesbury in 1892.
Metropolitan era
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
). Around the same time, the Metropolitan inaugurated a service of through trains between Baker Street and Verney Junction, although this could hardly be said to be merited on the basis of traffic. From 2 April 1906, all Metropolitan services north of Harrow South Junction to Verney Junction came under the control of the Metropolitan & Great Central Joint Committee which had been set up by an Act of Parliament to manage the companies' joint lines.
The Metropolitan opened another intermediate station on the A&BR at Waddesdon
Waddesdon railway station
Waddesdon is a closed station that served the village of Waddesdon and its manor, to the north of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. The station is not to be confused with Waddesdon Road railway station at the other end of the Waddesdon Manor estate on the Brill Tramway.-History:The station was...
in 1897, adding to the three existing stations at Grandborough Road
Granborough Road railway station
Granborough Road railway station was a station serving the village of Granborough, to the north of Quainton in Buckinghamshire, England.-History:The station was first served in 1868 and closed in 1936....
, Quainton Road and Winslow Road
Winslow Road railway station
Winslow Road railway station was a station serving the village of East Claydon , to the north of Quainton in Buckinghamshire, England...
which had opened in 1868. A new Pullman
Pullman (car or coach)
In the United States, Pullman was used to refer to railroad sleeping cars which were built and operated on most U.S. railroads by the Pullman Company from 1867 to December 31, 1968....
service was introduced in 1910 as part of a drive to attract first-class paying passengers from the Great Central; two Pullman coaches named "Mayflower" and "Galatea" were used on alternate weeks between Verney Junction, Chesham
Chesham tube station
Chesham lies at the end of the Metropolitan Line Chesham branch, and opened on 8 July 1889 as the original northern terminus of the Metropolitan Railway from . The station is a Grade II listed building. There is no station starter signal at Chesham. The branch has no intermediate stations...
and London.
The Metropolitan was vested in the London Passenger Transport Board
London Passenger Transport Board
The London Passenger Transport Board was the organisation responsible for public transport in London, UK, and its environs from 1933 to 1948...
(LPTB) on 1 July 1933 and freight and passenger workings to Verney Junction continued in trains repainted with the London Transport lettering. However, little over three years later, the LPTB decided to discontinue suburban services beyond Aylesbury and in consequence two Metropolitan outposts were closed — the Brill Tramway
Brill Tramway
The Brill Tramway, also known as the Quainton Tramway, Wotton Tramway, Oxford & Aylesbury Tramroad and Metropolitan Railway Brill Branch, was a six-mile rail line in the Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire, England...
ended on 30 November 1935 and passenger services ceased between Quainton Road and Verney Junction on 6 July 1936 when the line was singled. London Transport did, however, reinstate a limited service between 3 May 1943 and 29 May 1948 for war workers, but there were only one or two daily services and these were not widely advertised.
Decline and closure
Although the two World Wars brought an increase in freight traffic from Verney Junction to London, with considerable volumes of freight passing through the station's transfer sidings, the post-war period saw a decline in the station's fortunes. The closure of the Aylesbury-Verney section by the LPTB in 1936, severing the connection to Buckingham, was followed by the removal of one of the line's tracks on 28 January 1940. In the same year, freight traffic through Verney Junction was substantially diminished by the construction on 14 September 1940 of a connecting spur between the LNWR and GCR lines at Calvert which enabled freight from the Oxford-Bletchley route to work south over the Great Central Main LineGreat Central Main Line
The Great Central Main Line , also known as the London Extension of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , is a former railway line which opened in 1899 linking Sheffield with Marylebone Station in London via Nottingham and Leicester.The GCML was the last main line railway built in...
without having to pass over the Verney Junction-Quainton Road section.
By the end of 1940, Verney Junction was effectively left "severed from its purpose", having little usefulness other than as a rural interchange for local services. It played a useful part in the transfer of goods between the interconnecting lines, but passenger traffic declined in the face of the availability of more direct routes to and from Banbury and Oxford. Goods services were withdrawn in 1964, with passenger services following in 1968.
After closure, the track on the northern section of the A&BR between Verney Junction and Winslow Road was retained until the early 1960s, including the former Metropolitan sidings which were subsequently used for storing veteran railway vehicles.
Routes
Present and future
The permanent wayPermanent way
The permanent way is the elements of railway lines: generally the pairs of rails typically laid on the sleepers embedded in ballast, intended to carry the ordinary trains of a railway...
from Quainton Road
Quainton Road railway station
Quainton Road railway station was opened in 1868 in undeveloped countryside near Quainton, Buckinghamshire, from London. Built by the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway, it was the result of pressure from the 3rd Duke of Buckingham to route the railway near his home at Wotton House and to open a...
to its connection with the Varsity Line has been closed and lifted. A single-track freight line from Bletchley to Bicester was retained and then abandoned in place in 1993; the track remains rusted beyond use and in overgrown state, although modern signage still warns travellers to watch for approaching trains. Of the station itself, the stationmaster's house remains as a private residence and the station ticket office has become a private garage. The platform edges have also survived in a dilapidated state. The stationmaster's house's garden occupies the former Metropolitan trackbed.
There is a current proposal to re-open the Varsity Line
Varsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
, but it is unlikely that the reopening would include Verney Junction station as it would serve no significant settlement.