East West rail, Bletchley to oxford line

[1E BoY]

2 hours ago, rodent279 said:

Interesting photo, and it's showing the TR site before it was built, although in the far distance. I guess that view isn't possible now.

 

The site occupied by the former Telephone Rentals company (later Cable & Wireless) and now the East - West Rail site was previously occupied by a large builders merchants Cleaver's. There was also a substantial row of railway cottages as well as the very large carriage shed building. I am sure I have a picture of those somewhere in my collection and will try and find them.

 

In the meantime, take a look at this map on the National Library of Scotland website (a very useful resource which also despite its title and location also covers England and Wales) which shows the old road layouts, the carriage sheds and also the position of Cleavers.

 

Link to map https://maps.nls.uk/view/104181197

 

You will need to zoom into the top left hand corner.

 

The entry in the first edition Official Guide to Bletchley, Bucks (published 1950) has the following entry for Cleaver's

 

A. R. & W. Cleaver Ltd, Buckingham Road, Builders Merchants.

 

 

 

 

[1E BoY]

The row of railway cottages close to the carriage sheds was officially named Railway Terrace.

[Nearholmer]

Imaginative.

[1E BoY]

On 23/04/2020 at 21:16, rodent279 said:

And while we're on the subject, since the TR building seems to be in the limelight at the moment, does anyone have any photos showing the PSB, flyover & TR site before the TR building was built? Around 1973'ish? I've trawled Flickr and come up with surprisingly few shots from that era, none from the right angle

 

Three links below show the former Telephone Rentals site in earlier times (all before 1970).

 

https://talkaboutbletchley.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/aerialamend3.jpg

 

https://talkaboutbletchley.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/water-eaton-rd-and-newfoundout-from-the-west-19291.jpg

 

For the one below the picture is about half way down the document.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/launch-of-new-east-west-railway-company-puts-uks-own-silicon-valley-rail-link-on-fast-track

 

 

[Pannier Tank]

2 hours ago, 1E BoY said:

Link to map https://maps.nls.uk/view/104181197

 

I see the "Top Tip" is shown but not the "Chord Line" (except a point leading to it off the Oxford Branch).

 

It clearly shows the "Three Bridges" not  the WCML / Oxford Branch / Flyover that were often referred to has being the Three Bridges!

[1E BoY]

37 minutes ago, Pannier Tank said:

It clearly shows the "Three Bridges" not  the WCML / Oxford Branch / Flyover that were often referred to has being the Three Bridges

 

 

I was always confused as a youngster as to why the area was known to locals as "Three Bridges", when I could clearly count four (the fourth was of course the 1959 flyover). The three shown on the map (taken as travelling from Water Eaton travelling towards the station) we had the bridge carrying the WCML (the current one - well known for being blocked by lorries that are too big to go under it!), the Oxford branch and the head shunt for the carriage sheds. The latter bridge (along with the Oxford branch bridge) was of course subsequently removed although the abutments can be spotted in the undergrowth - although much of that is being cleared in relation to the current works.

 

Just to confuse the current group of youngsters growing up - they can only count two bridges now, although to most of us it is still and always be the "Three Bridges".

[jcarta]

Two pictures that was taken trackside view whilst on a Pendolino....... I will try a get some better ones when on a slow train.

 

 

 

Jim

[1E BoY]

9 hours ago, rodent279 said:

18 hours ago, 1E BoY said:

Interesting photo, and it's showing the TR site before it was built, although in the far distance. I guess that view isn't possible now. Cheers N

 

Taken from an almost identical viewpoint on today's walk. The pedestrian entrance to the bus station running in front of Wilkinsons today was formerly Park Street - now long gone along with the western side of Albert Street.

 

The second picture shows the buildings which still exist - seen in the middle of the old picture (circa 1969-70 above). Taken in a lull in the rain around 1700 today unfortunately without the blue skies of last week!

[rodent279]

9 minutes ago, 1E BoY said:

 

Taken from an almost identical viewpoint on today's walk. The pedestrian entrance to the bus station running in front of Wilkinsons today was formerly Park Street - now long gone along with the western side of Albert Street.

 

The second picture shows the buildings which still exist - seen in the middle of the old picture (circa 1969-70 above). Taken in a lull in the rain around 1700 today unfortunately without the blue skies of last week!

Brilliant, thanks! Hope you didn't get too wet!

I'm guessing that sculpture behind the white van is from the grounds of the old TR building?

[1E BoY]

To those following this thread from afar, I have taken these this afternoon on the permitted walk, which will hopefully explain the mysteries of the "Three Bridges"

 

The first picture shows the bridge (Bridge 1) which carries Water Eaton Road underneath the four track West Coast Main Line. It was fine for a rural area when horse and carts were the main transport mode but big lorries come to grief here. It is not uncommon for them to have to back up when they see that their 40 ton truck is not going to go underneath it! Taken looking east towards Water Eaton.

 

The second taken looking west towards the station shows the abutments nearest the camera of the old Oxford line (bridge 2) and beyond that the low brick wall which formerly crossed the road at a higher level than the wall suggests which carried the head shunt for the carriage sheds (bridge 3). Lurking above it is the flyover - which of course makes four???

[1E BoY]

The second section (removed yesterday) has been moved in front of the lifting slings (it still has the safety fencing around it). The section removed last week is still in the slings.

[1E BoY]

22 hours ago, rodent279 said:

I'm guessing that sculpture behind the white van is from the grounds of the old TR building?

 

Taken during today's permitted walk.

 

It has been here a while but there is nothing to indicate where it came from.

[1E BoY]

Today's observations

 

Lift slings moved onto second section - first section still in place.

 

Parts of blue crane (on right) seem to have been dismantled. Perhaps for a move towards the sections on the left?

 

Demolition company (Penny) vans back on site possibly in connection with the two lifted sections?

[1E BoY]

On 15/04/2020 at 16:21, 1E BoY said:

he picture below was taken on the east side of the WCML a couple of days ago. The crane is on the other side of the railway in the former Telephone Rentals site. The houses on the extreme right  of the picture (just behind the tree) are in Duncombe Street, which backs on to the line.

 

The land which forms the access site is railway land (hence the security fencing installed a few years ago) which had reverted to countryside over the last 30 years! 

 

Major work going on here today - hard standing or road access has been put in during the last few days.

 

This was an overgrown forest before the work commenced!

 

[1E BoY]

Extensive clearance work has also taken place on the eastern side of the flyover between Bridge 1 (WCML) and Bridge 2 (the original Oxford line) seen in yesterday's posts.

 

Water Eaton Road is off to the right as seen in the second shot.

[Arun Sharma]

Old maps show that there was a chord south of Bletchley station on the main line which curved around to the West to join the line to Winslow and Oxford. Is it intended to replace this connection?

[1E BoY]

1 hour ago, Arun Sharma said:

Old maps show that there was a chord south of Bletchley station on the main line which curved around to the West to join the line to Winslow and Oxford. Is it intended to replace this connection?

 

You are referring to the Worcester curve - built to allow express trains (standard gauge) to access Worcester via the Oxford area. It was shown with the word BLETCHLEY on it as shown below

 

https://talkaboutbletchley.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/water-eaton-rd-and-newfoundout-from-the-west-19291.jpg

 

All the trains from both Oxford and Aylesbury (which will join the Oxford line at what was Claydon LNE Junction) for either Bedford/Cambridge or Milton Keynes Central will serve new high level platforms at Bletchley on the flyover. They will after leaving the station head either for the line to Fenny Stratford to join the Bedford branch or to Denbigh Hall to join the WCML and vice versa.

 

 

[1E BoY]

1 hour ago, 1E BoY said:

You are referring to the Worcester curve - built to allow express trains (standard gauge) to access Worcester via the Oxford area. It was shown with the word BLETCHLEY on it as shown below

 

I should have explained that this was in the very early days of railways and the curve was taken out of use once Worcester got a more direct service (as indeed happened elsewhere such as Aylesbury and Bedford). 

 

It was however, restored during World War 2. Other curves to link up lines were built at Claydon LNE junction to connect with the Great Central and at Tempsford (near Sandy) to access the East Coast Main Line.

Edited April 29, 2020 by 1E BoY
Grammar

[Nearholmer]

In one of Bill Simpson's books he gives accounts of some excursions from Euston to Oxford and IIRC Banbury running via that curve in LNWR days.

[melmerby]

The Worcester Curve was built in 1854 and taken out of use in 1861, re-instated in 1942 and closed again in 1970.

 

 

[chris p bacon]

2 hours ago, 1E BoY said:

Other curves to link up lines were built at Claydon LNE junction to connect with the Great Central and at Tempsford (near Sandy) to access the East Coast Main Line.

 

Tempsford was (is) several miles north, the wartime curve was still Sandy and where it joined the ECML was controlled by a ground frame.

I have a picture of the brickworks in the late 50's (bottom right) and in the background can be seen stored wagons on the curve. 

 

 

 

[caradoc]

Interesting that the map shows the 'Bedford and Cambridge' branch as LNER, instead of LMS !

 

[31A]

9 hours ago, chris p bacon said:

 

Tempsford was (is) several miles north, the wartime curve was still Sandy and where it joined the ECML was controlled by a ground frame.

I have a picture of the brickworks in the late 50's (bottom right) and in the background can be seen stored wagons on the curve. 

 

 

 

 

I seem to remember seeing the remains of some level crossing gates in that area Dave, I presume would have been where your blue arrow is.  We used to go down that lane to where the footbridge over the ECML is (just off the map I presume) to watch the trains sometimes.

 

9 minutes ago, caradoc said:

Interesting that the map shows the 'Bedford and Cambridge' branch as LNER, instead of LMS !

 

 

A rare error by the Ordnance Survey!

 

[chris p bacon]

8 minutes ago, 31A said:

I seem to remember seeing the remains of some level crossing gates in that area Dave, I presume would have been where your blue arrow is.  We used to go down that lane to where the footbridge over the ECML is

 

I've often wondered how it crossed Steve, as both the Ox/Cam on the left and the ECML on the right are on embankments, I'm guessing they just built the ground up on the approach and made a crossing. 

I don't remember any earthworks for the chord when I was a kid, it had all been flattened out and returned to growing land.

The old field lane is now Sunderland Road which serves the industrial estate and new housing to the North. (I'm about right for the arrow location).

 

The footbridge would have been New Zealand bridge ( named because it accessed the camp adjacent to Tempsford airfield occupied by the Kiwis) and was Bridge '123' ....the plate for this now resides not far from where I sit.....repatriated when I was 15...

 

[Pannier Tank]

Whilst searching for the history of Fletton Brickworks, Bletchley I found this interesting document.

http://www.bucksas.org.uk/rob/rob_17_4_232.pdf