Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway
Encyclopedia
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.
In the 1860s the Wallingford and Watlington Railway had been planned to link the Great Western Main Line
at Cholsey
and the Wycombe Railway
at Princes Risborough
, serving the towns of Wallingford and Watlington
en route. The W&WR had opened between Cholsey and Wallingford in 1866, but had then failed to raise enough capital to complete the remainder of its intended route.
In 1869 the Watlington & Princes Risborough Railway Company was founded independently of the W&WR. It opened between Thame Junction on the Wycombe Railway and Watlington on 15 August 1872. The line was not commercially successful as an independent company, and the Great Western Railway
took it over on 1 July 1883. In 1927 several sidings were added south of Chinnor railway station to serve Chinnor cement works.
Under the nationalisation of Britain's railways in 1948
the Watlington and Princes Risborough line became part of the Western Region of British Railways
. On 29 June 1957 British Rail
ways closed the line to passenger traffic. Thereafter the section between Chinnor and Princes Risborough remained open for freight traffic from the cement works until 1989.
The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
Association was formed in 1990 and began operating a heritage railway
passenger service between Wainhill Halt and Chinnor in 1994. The C&PRR extended its service to Horsenden Lane in 1995 and Thame Junction in 1996.
Watlington, Oxfordshire
Watlington is a market town and civil parish about south of Thame in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlets of Christmas Common and Greenfield, both of which are in the Chiltern Hills. The M40 motorway is from Watlington.-History:...
and Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
which remained operational for over 88 years between 1872 and 1961.
In the 1860s the Wallingford and Watlington Railway had been planned to link the Great Western Main Line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
at Cholsey
Cholsey
Cholsey is a village and civil parish south of Wallingford, in South Oxfordshire. In 1974 it was transferred from Berkshire to the county of Oxfordshire, and from Wallingford Rural District to the district of South Oxfordshire....
and the 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...
at Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough
Princes Risborough is a small town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 9 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north west of High Wycombe. Bledlow lies to the west and Monks Risborough to the east. It lies at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, at the north end of a gap or pass through the Chilterns,...
, serving the towns of Wallingford and Watlington
Watlington
Watlington could be*Watlington, Norfolk, England*Watlington, Oxfordshire, England*Whatlington, Sussex, England*Watlington, New Zealand...
en route. The W&WR had opened between Cholsey and Wallingford in 1866, but had then failed to raise enough capital to complete the remainder of its intended route.
In 1869 the Watlington & Princes Risborough Railway Company was founded independently of the W&WR. It opened between Thame Junction on the Wycombe Railway and Watlington on 15 August 1872. The line was not commercially successful as an independent company, and 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...
took it over on 1 July 1883. In 1927 several sidings were added south of Chinnor railway station to serve Chinnor cement works.
Under the nationalisation of Britain's railways in 1948
Transport Act 1947
The Transport Act 1947 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Under it the railways, long-distance road haulage and various other types of transport were acquired by the state and handed over to a new British Transport Commission for operation...
the Watlington and Princes Risborough line became part of the Western Region of British Railways
Western Region of British Railways
The Western Region was a region of British Railways from 1948. The region ceased to be an operating unit in its own right in the 1980s and was wound up at the end of 1992...
. On 29 June 1957 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 closed the line to passenger traffic. Thereafter the section between Chinnor and Princes Risborough remained open for freight traffic from the cement works until 1989.
The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway is a heritage railway with its main station at Chinnor on the border between Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England.-History:...
Association was formed in 1990 and began operating a heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
passenger service between Wainhill Halt and Chinnor in 1994. The C&PRR extended its service to Horsenden Lane in 1995 and Thame Junction in 1996.