Kempston and Elstow Halt railway station
Encyclopedia
Kempston & Elstow Halt was a railway station on the Varsity Line
which served the Bedfordshire
town of Kempston
in England
. Opened in 1905, it was closed temporarily during both world wars and did not reopen after 1941, being officially closed in 1949.
in 1905 between Stewartby
and Bedford
. Their opening coincided with the introduction of a steam railmotor
on the Varsity Line, and each was conveniently sited alongside a level crossing
. Kempston Halt, as it was known until 1908, was constructed close to "Cow Bridge", an old road bridge which carried the present A421
over a tributary
of the River Great Ouse
. All three halts were opened on the same day and all were simultaneously temporarily closed as a First World War economy measure in 1917, reopening two years later only to close again in 1941 during the Second World War. This time, however, only one - Kempston Hardwick
- was to reopen, the others officially closing as from February 1949.
The crossing near the station was manned by a crossing keeper from 1846 to 1868 when the diversion of the road by the Midland Railway
led to the removal of the crossing. A railway crossing cottage had been provided for the use of the keeper, and was later used by a porter from Kempston & Elstow Halt.
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...
which served the Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
town of Kempston
Kempston
Kempston is a town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. Once known as the largest village in England, Kempston is now a town with its own town council. It has a population of about 20,000, and together with Bedford, it forms an urban area with around 100,000 inhabitants, which is the...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Opened in 1905, it was closed temporarily during both world wars and did not reopen after 1941, being officially closed in 1949.
History
Kempston & Elstow was one of three halts opened by the London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
in 1905 between Stewartby
Stewartby railway station
Stewartby railway station serves the Bedfordshire village of Stewartby in England. It is also the nearest station to the Marston Vale Millennium Country Park.-Services:...
and Bedford
Bedford St Johns railway station
Bedford St Johns is the smaller of two railway stations that serve the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire. It is on the Marston Vale line from Bletchley to Bedford Midland.The station is unstaffed, and is operated by London Midland....
. Their opening coincided with the introduction of a steam railmotor
Railmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
on the Varsity Line, and each was conveniently sited alongside a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
. Kempston Halt, as it was known until 1908, was constructed close to "Cow Bridge", an old road bridge which carried the present A421
A421 road
The A421 is an important road for east/west journeys across England. Together with the A428, the A43 and A34, it forms the route from Cambridge through Milton Keynes to Oxford...
over a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the River Great Ouse
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
. All three halts were opened on the same day and all were simultaneously temporarily closed as a First World War economy measure in 1917, reopening two years later only to close again in 1941 during the Second World War. This time, however, only one - Kempston Hardwick
Kempston Hardwick railway station
Kempston Hardwick railway station serves the village of Kempston Hardwick in Bedfordshire, England. It is not to be confused with the nearby town of Kempston. The station has two platforms next to a half-barrier level crossing.-Services:...
- was to reopen, the others officially closing as from February 1949.
The crossing near the station was manned by a crossing keeper from 1846 to 1868 when the diversion of the road by the Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
led to the removal of the crossing. A railway crossing cottage had been provided for the use of the keeper, and was later used by a porter from Kempston & Elstow Halt.