Tankman
19-06-2010, 04:40 PM
Done this some time ago! It was one of those days where something local was in order:thumb What better than a Mothballed(like 20years) abandoned railway line:thumb
Known as the "Varsity Line" because it originally connected up the University towns of Cambridge and Oxford via Bletchley it originally had important connections all along its original route (see map).
It was one reason why the WW2 Bletchley Park Code Breaking School was located where it is, because of the Intelligency from both Universitys had direct access:thumb
Unfortunately the line suffered under the "Beeching" cuts of the 1960's and the stations were closed vast sections of the line were severed. The branch through to Aylesbury survived into the 1980's with waste trains using it from London. This section closed in the mid 1980's The only surviving section today is between Bletchley and Bedford.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/Aylesbury2C_High_Wycombe2C_Princes_.jpg
Old map showing the connections along the line.
I started my sojourn at Claydon station:thumb
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/ClaydonStation1921.jpg
Claydon station, circa 1921.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/033.jpg
Only the overgrown Platform survives of Claydon today, the station buildings having been demolished:(
There are however some old bits of the railway still remaining if you ferret around in the overgrown areas.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/028.jpg
The remains of an old buffer stop in the goods yard, it can just be made out in the old photo above:thumb
Claydon station had a nice country level crossing and this remains in a nice abandoned state.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/049.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/047.jpg
Level crossing signal is being reclaimed by nature!
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/038.jpg
Phone the signalman if there are any problems:lol:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/061-1.jpg
Further down the line at Verney Jct, once a very busy station, the peace & quite returned a long time ago:thumb All that remains is the platforms, the station house is now a nice private residence along with the Goods shed.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/063-1.jpg
The remains of Verney Jct Level Crossing:)
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/062-1.jpg
Do what is says on the sign! and you will be waiting a long time for the sound of a train:lol:
Thanks for looking:thumb
Further pics of the Line here:
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/?start=all
Known as the "Varsity Line" because it originally connected up the University towns of Cambridge and Oxford via Bletchley it originally had important connections all along its original route (see map).
It was one reason why the WW2 Bletchley Park Code Breaking School was located where it is, because of the Intelligency from both Universitys had direct access:thumb
Unfortunately the line suffered under the "Beeching" cuts of the 1960's and the stations were closed vast sections of the line were severed. The branch through to Aylesbury survived into the 1980's with waste trains using it from London. This section closed in the mid 1980's The only surviving section today is between Bletchley and Bedford.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/Aylesbury2C_High_Wycombe2C_Princes_.jpg
Old map showing the connections along the line.
I started my sojourn at Claydon station:thumb
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/ClaydonStation1921.jpg
Claydon station, circa 1921.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/033.jpg
Only the overgrown Platform survives of Claydon today, the station buildings having been demolished:(
There are however some old bits of the railway still remaining if you ferret around in the overgrown areas.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/028.jpg
The remains of an old buffer stop in the goods yard, it can just be made out in the old photo above:thumb
Claydon station had a nice country level crossing and this remains in a nice abandoned state.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/049.jpg
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/047.jpg
Level crossing signal is being reclaimed by nature!
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/038.jpg
Phone the signalman if there are any problems:lol:
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/061-1.jpg
Further down the line at Verney Jct, once a very busy station, the peace & quite returned a long time ago:thumb All that remains is the platforms, the station house is now a nice private residence along with the Goods shed.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/063-1.jpg
The remains of Verney Jct Level Crossing:)
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/062-1.jpg
Do what is says on the sign! and you will be waiting a long time for the sound of a train:lol:
Thanks for looking:thumb
Further pics of the Line here:
http://s260.photobucket.com/albums/ii38/tankman_2008/Abandoned%20Railway%20Swanbourne/?start=all