Exploring the Great Central's London Extension in 1980

To be more precise, from north of Quainton Road to south of Rugby on the 21st October 1980.

 

Another of the explorations with my friend Alan to view the remains of a disused railway, this time a major main line which had it survived would have be a godsend to the development of HS2. 

The Great Central's London Extension from Annesley to Quainton Road, and then to a new terminus at Marylebone, was opened in 1899 and lasted just 67 years, with closure as a through route on 3rd September 1966. It had been built to continental (Berne loading gauge) standards, (this is a myth, the standards for Berne loading gauge weren't laid down until 1912, although it is true the GCR had a relatively generous loading gauge, it wasn't continental - Ed (thanks to Bill in the comments!)) had a ruling gradient of 1:176, and had no level crossings. It had some outstanding structures: - 

Brackley Viaduct (755 feet long with 22 arches)

Catesby Tunnel (2997 yards long)

The long birdcage bridge over the West Coast Mainline at Rugby

The very lengthy viaducts taking the line through the centres of Leicester and Nottingham

Nottingham Victoria station, practically subterranean with tunnel entrances at both ends

There were two main expresses, "The Master Cutler" and "The South Yorkshireman", and the famous Newspaper, which left Marylebone at 1.45 a.m. and ran at express speeds.

Five excellent books: -

Main Line Lament - Colin Walker - published 1973 (Oxford Publishing Company) 

Great Central Twilight - Colin Walker - published 1986 (Pendyke Publications)

The Last Years of the Great Central Main Line - Robert Robotham - published 1986 (Ian Allan)

The Great Central Then and Now - Mac Hawkins - published in 1991 (David and Charles) and again in 1999 (Grange Books)

Through Great Central England - David Ablett - published 2009 (Silver Link Publishing) 

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So to our day out exploring this former magnificent line. What would it be like after 14 years since closure, or to be more precise a couple of years less after the track and structures had been removed?

As with all our explorations, the initial job was to buy the relevant OS maps for the section of the line that we hoped to explore and identify likely places of interest. Then on the planned day, driving to the line and as far as possible visiting each place in turn. It was always pot luck what you would actually see when you got to each one.

In the final section of the wonderful "Main Line Lament", Colin Walker had placed many photos of the sad remains of the line after closure. From this I had already identified two particular locations that I very much wanted to see and photograph.

It was a long drive to the start point at Quainton Road and I knew at the end of the day it would be an even longer one to return home - at the time our northern stopping point was tentative as it depended on how well we progressed during the day. I just hoped that all our efforts would be worth it. As it turned out they most definitely were !

The first photo of the day was taken from the road bridge, just north of Quainton Road. The track at this point was still in situ, albeit now singled.

Arriving at the next bridge, the view north towards Grendon Underwood Junction, where the  former line came in that linked the GC with the GWR. The heavy use of the Metropolitan section of the line from London to Aylesbury frequently created pathing problems for the GC trains and as such they had acquired rights over the GWR's Birmingham line from Northolt Junction to Ashendon Junction, just beyond Princes Risborough. The GC built the connecting lines.

North of Calvert and the former junction with the Oxford-Bletchley line. The trackbed of the GC line veers off to the left and on through the distant gap.

A little further on from the previous photo, looking north over the dismantled Edgcott road bridge.

Chetwode - looking north from the Watergate Farm road with the former trackbed trailing off into the distance

Newton Purcell - facing north. Looking up at the twin overbridges, bar the lack of telegraph poles and wires, it was easy to imagine that the line was still there.

 

Just south of Brackley and the A422 Buckingham Road bridge - facing north towards Brackley.

 

The other side of the bridge - facing south. In Mac Hawkins book a photograph taken 9 years later shows just the bridge parapets, the entire cutting having been completely filled in.

Had we been doing our exploration of the GC a few years earlier, one of the major highlights would have been Brackley Viaduct. Despite a lot of local opposition this magnificent structure was demolished in the Autumn of 1978.

Having reached Brackley, the only town to negotiate during our day, I have always been puzzled as to how Alan and I ended up at the other side of the town to continue our exploration. This was well before the A43 Brackley Bypass was built in 1987. Did we go up the busy, but very attractive High Street with its gorgeous Town Hall, or take the winding country lane via Turweston village to end up at the north end of the Brackley. I simply cannot remember, but knowing my wish to avoid busy traffic I imagine it was via Turweston.

 Brackley Town Hall and High Street (March 2016)

Part of the lovely village of Turweston, very sadly a victim of HS2 (April 2016) 

On reaching the north end of Brackley, we took the road to Radstone. At the time we wouldn't have known that we were in fact within a few hundred yards of where Pam (one of our metal workers and painters) still lives. She was amazed when I told her. It's a small world indeed!

Radstone - looking north

This magnificent structure is Bridge 519, just south of Helmdon. In his book Mac Hawkins says that it was this bridge together with Brackley Viaduct which generated his interest in the GC, and when looking at the above photo and the next two it's not hard to see why.

Standing in the enormous cutting it is easy to see that this really was a main line.

 

  A fallen gradient post in the cutting.

From the bridge the view north to the former site of Helmdon Station.

The view north across Helmdon Viaduct. Not so impressive as Brackley would have been, but nevertheless it's good to see that it has survived.

A view east of the viaduct with the trackbed of the former LNWR Banbury - Northampton Railway clearly visible in the foreground. In 2018 on one of my trips to Brackley I was able to return to this exact spot and it was a treat to see this same view - for once nothing had changed.

However a little further on from Helmdon this view north, from what I have called Peters Farm Bridge in my notes, had definitely changed. In 2018, the trackbed south towards the viaduct was completely clear and in use by several dog walkers, whereas the view above had turned into a jungle.

 The Stratford and Midland Joint Railway link line from the GC looking south for Stratford

The SMJR line junction - looking south along the GC line with the dismantled Towcester line flyover in the distance

On reaching Woodford Halse I took the first of the two photos based on two very evocative ones taken by Colin Walker in his book "Main Line Lament". Anyone with the book will recognise this view down Station Road (Colin's photo was actually taken further back). In the distance is the bridge - the railway could still be there and it's not hard to imagine an A3 hauled express suddenly tearing across it.

Woodford Halse - looking east with the trackbed running north-to-south - again, looking from below the line could still be there

Woodford Halse Station site - the down platform looking south. Once again, fanciful imagination returns to reality - definitely no lines!

 

 Charwelton Station site - two views looking south

Charwelton Station site - on the other side of the bridge looking north

The south approach to Catesby Tunnel. 

We now get to another major feature and the place where I wanted to emulate the second photo taken by Colin Walker.

The whole area has now become the location of the Catesby Aerodynamic Research Facility where vehicles can be tested at high speed in the tunnel to monitor their aerodynamic performance. It was recently featured on Rob Bell's railway walks programme on the GC.

A close-up of the south portal

The view looking south. Alan then turned and looked north to the far end and the tiny pinprick of light, and half-heartedly suggested a walk through the tunnel. A quick reminder of its distance soon put paid to any thoughts of that !

I then took the photo that I most wanted, as close as possible emulating the one that Colin Walker had taken 7 years before. The main difference was that his was taken at night and with good reason. It is the final one in "Main Line Lament" and is one of the most evocative photos I have ever seen. The caption reads: -

"Moon-stirred memories. On the way to midnight on April 17th 1973 - a picture from the south end of Catesby Tunnel. Time for the 10 o'clock down Mail."

All you see is a moonlit sky and the blackness of the cutting. It is so easy to imagine that the track is still there and in the far distance the eerie high-pitched sound of a Gresley whistle rapidly approaching. No wonder he wanted this as the final scene.

We were now nearing the end of the day - a lot of driving and the inevitable to-and-fro walking with all these railway explorations makes for a long tiring day. I was all for returning home as we had a long drive ahead of us, but Alan persuaded me to drive to one final location north of Catesby Tunnel. It was the best thing he could have said as without knowing I had a very pleasant surprise waiting for me.

We were now near Staverton - from the A425 the view looking north towards Braunston and Willoughby with the long railway embankment standing out clearly.

We then climbed up onto the embankment and started walking south and up gradient towards where Staverton Viaduct used to be. The north portal of Catesby tunnel was out of sight in the far distance.

It was at this point that I stopped dead in my tracks with a cry of surprise, for there in front of me was the scene that I had painted a few years before, the main difference of course that there was now no track, pole line, or A3 in full flight with the down "South Yorkshireman". The background scenery however had changed little even after all that time and was imprinted on my mind after spending a considerable time on my painting. It gave me a great boost and I'm pleased to say made the long drive back that little bit better. 

The painting is on the wall in front me as I type this and brings back more memories of a really great day.

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There are now many YouTube videos on disused railway exploration, and so it was no surprise to find an excellent one on the GC London Extension in the Rediscovering series.

Englands Lost Main Line Railway - Rediscovering the Great Central Main Line

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbFNwYkf5Go