Bletchley railway station
Encyclopedia
Bletchley is a railway station that serves the southern districts of Milton Keynes
(especially Bletchley itself), and the north-eastern parts of the Buckinghamshire
district of Aylesbury Vale
.
It includes a junction
of the West Coast Main Line
with the Bletchley- Marston Vale Line
.
This is one of the five railway stations serving Milton Keynes. The others are Milton Keynes Central
, Wolverton
, Fenny Stratford
and Bow Brickhill
.
It is the nearest station for Stadium mk, the home of Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
, at present about 30 minutes walk.
There are ticket barriers controlling access to the platforms.
, now part of the "West Coast Main Line", was officially opened from Euston
to Denbigh Hall, approximately one mile north of Bletchley station, on April 9, 1838, where a temporary station was built. The line was fully opened in September 1838, and there seemed no apparent need for a station in the Bletchley area at all. It was not until 1847 that Bletchley station was built following the opening of the line from Bedford. Originally a major intercity
station, that role passed to Milton Keynes Central in 1982 when the latter was built, long after the east/west route had been downgraded, taking Bletchley's importance as a junction with it. Today, no Virgin
inter-city services stop at Bletchley.
The eastbound route (to Bedford
) opened in 1846, when the first station at Bletchley was built. The westbound route (to Buckingham
) opened in 1850. This east/west route subsequently became the Oxford
to Cambridge
"Varsity Line
".
line, is covered by the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership. The Partnership aims to increase use of the line by getting local people involved with their local line.
to Bicester
is closed to passenger traffic at present, with goods traffic going only as far as Newton Longville
sidings for the waste disposal site there. The high level crossing over the WCML at Bletchley remains in place and in occasional use. There is a campaign to re-open the line to passenger traffic at least as far as Bicester and ideally rebuild it from Oxford right through to Cambridge. In 2001, the Strategic Rail Authority
considered but rejected the option to reopen the line between Bicester and Bletchley. The track has been lifted back to Swanbourne
and from there to Claydon Junction the track is overgrown. The remaining section from Bicester remains open for traffic to Oxford
. (The future of this route is more fully described at the Varsity Line
article).
The Bletchley TMD ceased to be a full service maintenance depot on 30 May 2008, with most services being transferred to Northampton or Birmingham. This means that there is only a limited service for the trains on the (non-electrified) Marston Vale Line.
, work on the high-level platform or the Saxon Street entrance had yet to begin.
operate services between Bletchley and London Euston, as well as east to Bedford. Additionally, Southern
operate services between Bletchley and South Croydon. Northbound, both operators run services to Milton Keynes Central, with London Midland continuing on to Northampton
and stations to Birmingham New Street.
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
(especially Bletchley itself), and the north-eastern parts of the Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
district of Aylesbury Vale
Aylesbury Vale
The Aylesbury Vale is a large area of flat land mostly in Buckinghamshire, England. Its boundary is marked by Milton Keynes to the north, Leighton Buzzard and the Chiltern Hills to the east and south, Thame to the south and Bicester and Brackley to the west.The vale is named after Aylesbury, the...
.
It includes a junction
Junction (rail)
A junction, in the context of rail transport, is a place at which two or more rail routes converge or diverge.This implies a physical connection between the tracks of the two routes , 'points' and signalling.one or two tracks each meet at a junction, a fairly simple layout of tracks suffices to...
of the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
with the Bletchley- Marston Vale Line
Marston Vale Line
The Marston Vale Line is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England. It is one of two surviving passenger-carrying sections of the "Varsity Line" between Oxford and Cambridge....
.
This is one of the five railway stations serving Milton Keynes. The others are Milton Keynes Central
Milton Keynes Central railway station
Milton Keynes Central railway station serves Central Milton Keynes and the surrounding area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The station is located on the West Coast Main Line between the stations of Bletchley and Wolverton, both of which are also within Milton Keynes. The station is served by...
, Wolverton
Wolverton railway station
Wolverton railway station serves northern Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, especially Stony Stratford, Wolverton and New Bradwell.The station is served by London Midland local services from Northampton to London on the West Coast Main Line. It is one of the five stations serving Milton Keynes...
, Fenny Stratford
Fenny Stratford railway station
Fenny Stratford is a railway station that serves the Fenny Stratford area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. It is on the Marston Vale Line that links Bletchley and Bedford.This station is one of five serving Milton Keynes. The others are , , and ....
and Bow Brickhill
Bow Brickhill railway station
Bow Brickhill railway station is a railway station that serves the village of Bow Brickhill in the Borough of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, and the Caldecotte, Tilbrook and Walton areas of south-east Milton Keynes itself. It is on the Bletchley — Bedford Marston Vale Line.The station is served by...
.
It is the nearest station for Stadium mk, the home of Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
, at present about 30 minutes walk.
There are ticket barriers controlling access to the platforms.
History
The London and Birmingham RailwayLondon and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
, now part of the "West Coast Main Line", was officially opened from Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
to Denbigh Hall, approximately one mile north of Bletchley station, on April 9, 1838, where a temporary station was built. The line was fully opened in September 1838, and there seemed no apparent need for a station in the Bletchley area at all. It was not until 1847 that Bletchley station was built following the opening of the line from Bedford. Originally a major intercity
Inter-city rail
Inter-city rail services are express passenger train services that cover longer distances than commuter or regional trains.There is no precise definition of inter-city rail. Its meaning may vary from country to country...
station, that role passed to Milton Keynes Central in 1982 when the latter was built, long after the east/west route had been downgraded, taking Bletchley's importance as a junction with it. Today, no Virgin
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
inter-city services stop at Bletchley.
The eastbound route (to Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
) opened in 1846, when the first station at Bletchley was built. The westbound route (to Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
) opened in 1850. This east/west route subsequently became the Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding 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...
".
Community Rail Partnership
Bletchley, in common with other stations on the Marston ValeMarston Vale Line
The Marston Vale Line is the railway line from Bletchley to Bedford in England. It is one of two surviving passenger-carrying sections of the "Varsity Line" between Oxford and Cambridge....
line, is covered by the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership. The Partnership aims to increase use of the line by getting local people involved with their local line.
Future
The Marston Vale Line is the passenger carrying remnant of the Varsity Line. The line beyond Bletchley through WinslowWinslow, Buckinghamshire
Winslow is a small market town and also a civil parish designated as a town council within Aylesbury Vale district in north Buckinghamshire. It has a population of about 4500....
to Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
is closed to passenger traffic at present, with goods traffic going only as far as Newton Longville
Newton Longville
Newton Longville is a village and civil parish in Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. The village is about south-west of Bletchley.-History:...
sidings for the waste disposal site there. The high level crossing over the WCML at Bletchley remains in place and in occasional use. There is a campaign to re-open the line to passenger traffic at least as far as Bicester and ideally rebuild it from Oxford right through to Cambridge. In 2001, the Strategic Rail Authority
Strategic Rail Authority
In existence from 2001 to 2006, the Strategic Rail Authority was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom set up under the Transport Act 2000 to provide strategic direction for the railway industry....
considered but rejected the option to reopen the line between Bicester and Bletchley. The track has been lifted back to Swanbourne
Swanbourne
Swanbourne is a village and also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located about two miles east of Winslow, three miles west of Stewkley, on the secondary road B4032.-History:...
and from there to Claydon Junction the track is overgrown. The remaining section from Bicester remains open for traffic to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. (The future of this route is more fully described at 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...
article).
Development plans 2006 to 2010
In May 2006 the Department of Transport announced specific plans for Bletchley station.- Maintenance of the new Desiro trains to move to NorthamptonNorthamptonNorthampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
by the end of June 2006, - maintenance of all other Silverlink trains is moved there too, by the end of December 2006, and
- the maintenance depot, Bletchley TMDBletchley TMDBletchley TMD is a railway traction maintenance depot situated in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire to the north of Bletchley Station on the West Coast Main Line . The depot is operated by London Midland...
, is to close. - "It is likely" that Bletchley area renewals and network simplification will take place by 2010, to include a high-level platform for the Bedford trains. "The network will be suitable for the later addition of any "East-West" link to and from Oxford and for the operation of through links from either Oxford or Bedford to and from Milton Keynes."
- As part of the project to regenerate Bletchley as a whole, Milton Keynes Council proposes a new station approach for pedestrians, crossing the tracks from Saxon Street and leading into Bletchley.
The Bletchley TMD ceased to be a full service maintenance depot on 30 May 2008, with most services being transferred to Northampton or Birmingham. This means that there is only a limited service for the trains on the (non-electrified) Marston Vale Line.
, work on the high-level platform or the Saxon Street entrance had yet to begin.
Services
Southbound, London MidlandLondon Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
operate services between Bletchley and London Euston, as well as east to Bedford. Additionally, Southern
Southern (train operating company)
Southern is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Officially named Southern Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, a joint venture between transport groups Go-Ahead Group and Keolis, and has operated the South Central rail franchise since October 2000 and the Gatwick Express service...
operate services between Bletchley and South Croydon. Northbound, both operators run services to Milton Keynes Central, with London Midland continuing on to Northampton
Northampton railway station
Northampton railway station is a railway station serving the large town of Northampton and other parts of Northamptonshire in England. Other parts of South Northamptonshire are better served by Kings Sutton, Banbury and Milton Keynes Central stations....
and stations to Birmingham New Street.