Verney Junction diversion
"subterraneo" wrote in message
. uk...
Had an email from a Geoff Cole about a Verney Junction diversion in the
70s. Perhaps someone knows the date of this and could help (him) out?

Cheers (posted to uk.railway & uk.transport.london)
--------

Many years ago (in the early 1970s - I do wish I had noted the date) the
overhead catenary wires came down around Hemel Hempstead early one morning
and services through Hemel were cancelled.

Someone had a great idea and had a diesel loco fitted in lieu of the
electric one off the train went, over the Bletchley Oxford branch which was
then still used for freight and then down the Great Central into
Marylebone.

I guess the train used Verney junction. I remember turning south on to
disused tracks (I think only single track) with weeds all between the rails
and at very slow speed. Then on to proper used tracks and down through
Aylesbury, Amersham, Harrow etc.

It would not have been via Verney Junction, as not only had the line from
Verney Junction to Quainton Road been long since lifted by then, to have
done this trip even before closure would have required a reversal.

The route this must have taken was the more "main line" way of through
Verney Junction and on to Claydon LNE Junction. From here, the train would
have turned south onto what was once a double track spur from the
Bletchley-Oxford line onto the Great Central main line, joining the latter
at Calvert Junction. Obviously, by the time of this trip, the GC was no
more, Calvert Junction being the northern most point that the GC still
existed out from Marylebone*, and had been singled throughout from Aylesbury
to Calvert. Calvert was the southern most GC-built station on the London
Extension excepting Marylebone, the line forming a junction with the
Metropolitan main line at Quainton Road.

A map showing the approximate layout of the region before rationalization:
http://www.blugman.freeserve.co.uk/calvertmap.jpg
(Note for pedants, whilst lines are colour coded by original builders, the
spur between Claydon LNE and Calvert Junctions was a WWII innovation, and
not built by any of the original companies!)

These photos, taken on May 14th 2005, show the area of Calvert as it is in
recent times:
http://www.blugman.freeserve.co.uk/calvert1.jpg
http://www.blugman.freeserve.co.uk/calvert2.jpg
http://www.blugman.freeserve.co.uk/calvert3.jpg

In calvert1.jpg, the main running line on the right (formerly the "up" GC
line) is shown heading away north-west from Calvert station's over-bridge
(ie, towards Sheffield in old money). You'll note that in the far distance,
it suddenly veers to the right, snaking out of sight. This was the site of
Calvert Junction, the GC line previously carrying straight on to cross the
Bletchley-Oxford line. The ground-frame in the mid-ground allows the
bin-liner trains to crossover to what remains of the former "down" line,
which is now basically the refuse depot.

Calvert2.jpg shows the remaining platform at Calvert, and the overbridge
from which passenger access was gained. The track show is the "up" line.

Calvert3.jpg is another view from the bridge, looking south-east towards
London, with the remains of the station platform in the foreground. The
refuse depot can clearly be seen, and there is a train in at the time. Note
how a second track on the "down" side has appeared, forming a rather long
run-round loop.

I know none of this really answers the question of precisely when this train
was diverted or why and what the train was formed of, but there's been some
mild discussion of this area recently (including in another active thread),
so I thought I may as well post the pictures and map for information
purposes.

*Until the line was severed between Bletchley and Claydon LNE Junction in
recent years, you could still (via a circuitous route) reach Ruddington
station, all the way up in South Nottinghamshire, from London Marylebone.
This was by taking the route Marylebone, Calvert, Claydon, Bletchley,
Bedford, Loughborough, East Leake, Ruddington. Ruddington station no longer
has any track, the current GCR(N) bufferstops being about 440yds short of
the platform. This makes my very own Rushcliffe Halt the only open station
on the whole GC London extension that is theoretically still accessible from
London Marylebone (minus a few hundred yards in the home counties)... I'll
organise a special :P

--
Ronnie
(Caution - this post written whilst suffering from extreme sleep
deprivation... Please handle with care)
--
Have a great day...
....Have a Great Central day.
www.greatcentralrailway.com