Postscript to Exploring the Great Central's London Extension in 1980

In February 2016 I started going to Brackley on a regular basis for almost 4 years. Brackley is a lovely town in Northamptonshire, very close to the borders of North Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. 

Since my lengthy day of exploration of the GC Extension in October 1980, this was my first time back in the area, although I had been along the A43 Brackley Bypass on my way to Silverstone on a couple of occasions in the early Noughties.

Other than two photos taken on the trackbed under the old Brackley-Buckingham road bridge just outside Brackley,  Alan and I hadn't given this section of the old line much attention. Had Brackley's outstanding viaduct (755 feet long with 22 arches) still been in existence it would have been a very different story. Sadly, and with considerable local opposition, the viaduct was removed in 1978, which in turn enabled the major A43 bypass to be created in 1987.

On the first day of my renewed acquaintance with Brackley, Pam took me to see what remained of the former Great Central station and viaduct.

 

Brackley Central Station frontage, at the time being used by ATS. 

In 2018 ATS left the premises and in 2019 it became a very nice cafe known as Brackley Central. This was a great relief to those who hoped the building would survive because there had been rumours about demolition and development for housing. The cafe owners have kept the tradition of the railway, even with a pointing finger sign to the counter saying "Platform  No.1". In the lounge area is a very large photo of the old station with trains.

Taking the drive leading down to the site of the station itself, remnants of the old fencing lie in the undergrowth.

 

All that remains of the main building. This was a typical GC station with island platform and bridge linking the entrance building with the platform tower and buildings. 

Where the bank in front is now would have been the north end of the station and the twin arches of the road bridge, in turn leading into the cutting. The whole area has been filled in and this end of Brackley is now a mass of new estates.

 

Did this exist at the time of the Railway or is it something done in memory of the line? Whatever, it is a very nice touch.

 

The whole area, station and yard, is now an industrial estate. However the old Goods Shed has been preserved and put to a new use.

It was Goods, not Engines, but the thought is well meaning and it has meant that this fine old building has survived. It is now home to a catering equipment firm.

We now walked back up the drive and into Brackley High Street, before veering off into Old Town and a lengthy muddy footpath to the remains of the viaduct.

 

 A steep climb up the bank enabled us to reach the start of the north end of the viaduct. The structure that is left actually leans towards the camera, but nevertheless it is the only bit remaining and only physical evidence that it even existed. From this angle when it was still in place the viaduct would have been awe-inspiring.

 

Climbing the last bit onto the trackbed, the view south of where the viaduct would have been, and in the distance the continuation of the line. Out of sight, and amazingly almost out of hearing (it was a Sunday, so quieter), is the A43 dual carriageway bypass.

 

 The view north towards the station site.

 

Looking across to Brackley Old Town and the church. Colin Walker in his wonderful book "Main Line Lament" has a photo taken from the top of the church tower of the 5.15 pm train from Nottingham crossing the viaduct on a gorgeous sunny evening in September 1966. It must have been within a day or two of the line's closure on 5th September.

As I frequently felt when walking an old trackbed, I tried to imagine what would have passed this way. This was no branch line, but something major that had for 67 years seen everything from expresses to locals and freight. As I stood there it was hard to believe it was the 50th year since the GC Extension closed as a through route, thus depriving the up and coming town of Brackley of it's last rail link. Brackley Town Station on the Banbury-Buckingham line had previously closed to passengers in January 1961 and to goods in December 1963.

On a later visit to Brackley to see the remains of the Banbury-Buckingham line on the south-western edge of the town. It is about a mile in length and is now a walking and cycle track, and part of Brackley Pocket Park.

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Some links worth looking at: -

Brackley Central Station:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brackley_Central_railway_station

(covers the station and viaduct, and a very interesting couple of paragraphs under the heading "Future")

http://disused-stations.org.uk/b/brackley_central/index.shtml

(an excellent article also covering the rest of the GC, with photos of the station and site at the end)

Brackley Central Cafe:

https://www.banburyguardian.co.uk/news/people/new-lease-life-given-iconic-brackley-building-852901

Brackley Goods Shed:

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/b/brackley_central/index17.shtml 

Brackley Viaduct: 

http://www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/brackley.html  

(an excellent very detailed article about the building of the viaduct) 

Brackley Town Station: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brackley_railway_station 

http://disused-stations.org.uk/b/brackley/index.shtml

(an excellent article about the station and a general history of this line, with photos of the station and site at the end)