Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway | |
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Pannier Tank at Chinnor Station. 5700 class Pannier tank 9682 waits while passengers board at Chinnor Station on the preserved Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway | |
Locale | Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, England |
Terminus | Chinnor and Princes Risborough |
Connections | Chiltern Main Line at Princes Risborough |
Commercial operations | |
Name | Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway Company |
Original gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
Preserved operations | |
Operated by | Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway |
Stations | 2 |
Length | 4 miles (6.4 km) |
Preserved gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
Commercial history | |
Opened | 15 August 1872 |
Closed | 1 July 1957 (passenger) 20 Dec 1989 (goods) |
Preservation history | |
August 1989 | C&PRR formed |
26 July 1994 | Transport and Works Order active |
20 August 1994 | First public service |
1996 | Extended to Thame Junction |
July 2016 | First train into Princes Risborough |
March 2017 | Lease Agreement signed with Network Rail for Princes Risborough Platform 4 |
August 2018 | Opening of rebuilt Platform 4 |
Headquarters | Chinnor |
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The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway is a preserved standard gauge heritage railway with its headquarters and main station at Chinnor in South Oxfordshire, England. It runs along the foot of the Chilterns escarpment. Although a little distance away, it has since[ when? ] been given the nickname 'The Icknield Line' for its connection to the Lower Icknield Way.
The line was part of the former Great Western Railway branch line between Watlington and Princes Risborough. British Railways closed the line to passenger traffic in 1957. The section between Chinnor and Princes Risborough thereafter carried a freight-only cement service until 1989. [1]
The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Association was formed around August 1989. On 19 May 1991, the first train - a works train headed by a 0-4-0 Baguley diesel - ran from Chinnor. [2] It began to operate passenger trains between Chinnor and the site of the former Wainhill Halt (about 1 km NE of Chinnor) in August 1994. In 1995, the route was extended by about 3 km to Horsenden Lane, and then to the old rail connection that led trains to Oxford now known as Thame Junction in 1996. [1] On 21 February 2016, the railway was connected to the main line at Princes Risborough, with services commencing later that year running in to a siding adjacent to Platform 4 at Princes Risborough while works were being undertaken to rebuild the platform there. Some service trains were not always able to run that far either due to Network Rail / Chiltern Railways requirements or other works related to platform reinstatement and continued to terminate at Thame Junction.
The railway now operates between Chinnor and platform 4 at Princes Risborough, although some services may continue to terminate and turn around at Thame Junction for operational reasons. There is no platform at Thame Junction. Work to reinstate platform 4 at Princes Risborough was completed in August 2018.
Following discussions with Network Rail, an extension of about a mile (1.5 km) to Princes Risborough main line railway station was undertaken, with a view to running into Princes Risborough station. [3] This would allow passengers to connect from Chiltern Railways services on the Chiltern Main Line. Previously, the line was reconnected at a point just yards from the head shunt at Thame Junction for special events to allow trains to run into Princes Risborough station: in October 2013, the line was reconnected for the first 3 weekends for the Railway's "Haversham & Friends" celebrations, [4] and the first through-train for 57 years, a rail tour from Aylesbury via Princes Risborough, ran on 5 October 2013. [5] [6]
On 21 February 2016, a small team of volunteers used a road-rail vehicle to install a track panel in place of a Network Rail buffer stop to reinstate the physical connection to Princes Risborough; the following day, official boundary gates and safety signage were installed, making the line operational. [7] With the extension in place, the line is 4 miles (6.4 km) in length.[ citation needed ] The link was used for the first time by a visiting locomotive as part of the diesel gala held on 4/5 June 2016; DB Cargo Class 66 66185 hauled 3-CEP 411198 on the 0950 from Chinnor. [8] A test run with a single-car DMU was operated on 25 June with the train running into Princes Risborough's temporary platform 4, followed a week later by a Class 17 working and then a steam-run on 10 July. [9] The first full public service carrying VIP guests to Risborough ran on 23 July, hauled by D3018 Haversham with the return journey worked by GWR 0-6-0PT 5786 (L.92). [9]
Bay platform 4 of the original Watlington branch has been reconstructed at Princes Risborough by the preserved railway using, where possible materials recovered from the site; with that work completed, Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway passengers are now able to join or leave trains at Princes Risborough on certain services. [10] The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway held an official opening ceremony of the Platform on 15 August 2018. [11]
Extending the line to the south-west from Chinnor towards Aston Rowant near the A40, taking its total length to 6 miles (9.7 km). [12] [13]
A purpose built Maintenance and Education centre at a site some 200 yards south of Chinnor station has been opened. [14]
The railway is currently constructing a new independent line which will allow trains to run into Princes Risborough without having to use the Network Rail-owned line. [15]
Chinnor station has been used for the filming of various TV series including Miss Marple and Midsomer Murders . [16]
Thame is a market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about 13 miles (21 km) east of the city of Oxford and 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Aylesbury. It derives its name from the River Thame which flows along the north side of the town and forms part of the county border with Buckinghamshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Moreton south of the town. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 11,561. Thame was founded in the Anglo-Saxon era and was in the kingdom of Wessex.
The Chiltern Main Line is a railway line which links London (Marylebone) and Birmingham on a 112-mile (180 km) route via High Wycombe, Bicester, Banbury, Leamington Spa and Solihull in England.
Aylesbury railway station is a railway station in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, England, on the London–Aylesbury line from London Marylebone via Amersham. It is 38 miles (61 km) from Aylesbury to Marylebone. A branch line from Princes Risborough on the Chiltern Main Line terminates at the station. It was the terminus for London Underground's Metropolitan line until the service was cut back to Amersham in 1961. The station was also known as Aylesbury Town under the management of British Railways from c. 1948 until the 1960s.
Watlington is a small market town and civil parish about 7 miles (11 km) south of Thame in Oxfordshire, near the county's eastern edge and less than 2 miles (3 km) from its border with Buckinghamshire. The parish includes the hamlets of Christmas Common, Greenfield and Howe Hill, all of which are in the Chiltern Hills. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 2,727.
Chinnor is a large village and civil parish in South Oxfordshire about 4 miles (6.4 km) southeast of Thame, close to the border with Buckinghamshire. The village is a spring line settlement on the Icknield Way below the Chiltern escarpment. Since 1932 the civil parish has included the village of Emmington. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 5,924.
Princes Risborough station is a railway station on the Chiltern Main Line that serves the town of Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire, England. It is operated by Chiltern Railways.
Haddenham & Thame Parkway railway station is a station in Buckinghamshire serving the village of Haddenham and town of Thame in the neighbouring county of Oxfordshire, England. The station is on the western edge of Haddenham, about 2 miles (3 km) north east of Thame, and is served by Chiltern Railways.
The Wycombe Railway was a British railway between Maidenhead and Oxford that connected with the Great Western Railway at both ends; there was one branch, to Aylesbury.
Aston Rowant railway station was opened in 1872 and was a part of the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway. Having closed in 1961, there have been proposals to reopen the station not only to the heritage services of the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway, but also National Rail commuter services operated by Chiltern Railways.
The Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway was a railway built and operated jointly by the Great Western Railway (GWR) and Great Central Railway (GCR) between Northolt and Ashendon Junction. It was laid out as a trunk route with gentle curves and gradients and spacious track layouts. The two companies each needed approach railways at both ends of the line to connect their respective systems; these were built as part of a single project.
Thame railway station was a station on the Wycombe Railway serving the town of Thame in Oxfordshire. It was opened in 1862 as the terminus of an extension from High Wycombe via Princes Risborough The cost of construction of the station building was £2,201 1S 5d additional general works were £2,137 8S 8d. In 1864 the line was extended from Thame to Oxford. The station was built with a train shed over its platforms.
Littlemore railway station was on the Wycombe Railway and served Littlemore in Oxfordshire. Littlemore was then a village but is now a suburb of Oxford.
The Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway was an independent English railway company that opened a line between the Oxfordshire towns of Watlington and Chinnor in 1872. The 9 mi (14 km) branch, which connected to the Great Western Railway (GWR) at Princes Risborough, did not make any money and was taken over in 1883 by GWR resulting in its investors sustaining considerable losses.
Kingston Crossing Halt railway station was a halt on the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway which the Great Western Railway opened in 1906 to serve the Oxfordshire village of Kingston Blount. The opening of the halt was part of a GWR attempt to encourage more passengers on the line at a time when competition from bus services was drawing away custom.
Henton is a hamlet in Oxfordshire, about 3 miles (5 km) west of Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire. Henton is in the civil parish of Chinnor, just off the Icknield Way, which has been a road since the Iron Age.
Wainhill Crossing Halt was a halt on the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway which the Great Western Railway opened in 1925 to serve the Oxfordshire hamlet of Wainhill. The opening of the halt was part of a GWR attempt to encourage more passengers on the line at a time when competition from bus services was drawing away patronage.
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 Bledlow Bridge Halt on the Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway, which was 0.75 miles (1.21 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 Princes Risborough.
Towersey Halt railway station was an intermediate station on the Wycombe Railway which served the Oxfordshire village of Towersey from 1933 to 1963. The opening of the halt was part of an attempt by the Great Western Railway to encourage more passengers on the line at a time when competition from bus services was drawing away patronage. The possibility of reopening the line through Towersey Halt, 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 Princes Risborough.
Horspath Halt was an intermediate station on the Wycombe Railway which served the Oxfordshire village of Horspath from 1908 to 1915, and then from 1933 to 1963. The opening of the halt was part of an attempt by the Great Western Railway to encourage more passengers on the line at a time when competition from bus services was drawing away patronage. The possibility of reopening the line through Horspath Halt has been explored by Chiltern Railways, the franchise holder for the Chiltern Main Line which runs through Princes Risborough.
Morris Cowley was an intermediate station on the Wycombe Railway which served the small town of Cowley, just outside Oxford, from 1908 to 1915, and again from 1928 to 1963. The station originally opened as part of an attempt by the Great Western Railway to enable to have more passengers access to the line, at a time when competition from bus services was drawing away patronage. The line through Morris Cowley remains open for the purposes of serving the BMW Mini factory, although the possibility of reinstating passenger services has been explored by Chiltern Railways, the franchise holder for the Chiltern Main Line which runs through Princes Risborough.