High Wycombe Train Station

[Bungle_GOT]

Hi guys,

I was at the recently re-developed High Wycombe station the other day and I must say they've done a superb job, I was able to spend a good 4 hours on platform 2 and record details of approx. 12 different types of train, as well as an old steam engine that had pulled into platform 1.

What impressed me most was the quality and condition of the newly laid rail on the stretch from High Wycombe to Beaconsfield, where they've also carried out some magnifcent work on the old bridge in Beaconsfield.

I'm taking one of the kids to Gerrards Cross station on Saturday to see what we can record, the shop there also sells some top quality doughnuts, so that's an added bonusnif the trains let us down.

 

[Searle]

I passed through High Wycombe the other day, was impressed with the curviness of the platforms

I can assure you that Gerrard's Cross is good, I was there the other day. High line speeds (must be close to 100mph or so), and you get either a good view through the tunnel at one end, or a nice straight line out the other end.

 

[Bungle_GOT]

Some of the speed achieved coming through wycombe for trains not stopping there were decent. They also seem to have shortened the journey time to Birmingham which can only be positive.

The kids love noting all the trains down in their books and drawing pictures, we've spent many an afternoon watching the world go by at various stations around the country. Reading is a personal favourite of mine.

 

[corfield]

I must admit the Beaconsfield bridge work left me a little dissapointed. Some of the wooden? side panels on the roof are already stained with dirt, as indeed are parts of the canopies, and the roof gutterings dont look to have been done too well. Perhaps just cosmetic but I dont recall the bridge looking too bad before?

One thing I've noticed at HW is how the track alignment has been shifted (smoothed), presumably for speed, but such that restoring through lines would be very difficult. At BCF that still seems to be quite an easy upgrade were it to ever happen.
Also at HW the time to get to the London platform from the station always seems to see people missing the train ! I'm surprised they didnt just hack more out of the hill and have the platforms opposite.

The work now ongoing at Seer Green is presumably similar ? But including platform renewal (replacing woodend support structure?). A nice station although perhaps less served these days - I recall being advised not to leave my nice mountain bike chained there during the day, although never had a problem.

 

[Cherry_Picker]

As I assume it's a point of interest, the line speed through High Wycombe is 60mph. It's 100mph through Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross.

You might not have noticed it, but there is a old GWR (I think) sign up on Platform 2 at High Wycombe which says it's the junction for Marlow. Dunno how old the sign it, it was behind some Network South East/Chiltern stuff for years and only uncovered recently. It's a bit faded if you look at it from the platform side but you can walk behind it (or stand in the bay) and see a much more clear version. It's not earth shattering, but it's an interesting quirk.

 

[barrykas]

Broadly speaking, it's 25mph leaving Marylebone, steadily increasing to 100mph around Wembley LMD (75mph for loco-hauled trains other than 67s+Mk3s or HSTs from there onwards), drops to 60mph through High Wycombe, building back up to 100mph a mile North of Princes Risborough, then down to a mix of 85 and 90mph between the former Aynho Park Jn and Aynho Jn, which is where the Evergreen 3 Phase 1 enhancements end.

 

[CarltonA]

I was at HiWyc station recently and noticed the old sign on P2, hopefully it will be left as is. Though it will be confusing if someone actually thinks they can get a direct train to Marlow from there. Not for over forty years unfortunately. The 67s going through northbound shake the station quite well. I remember the place in the 70's when it had a signal box and a good array of semaphores.

 

[83G/84D]

Railway station not train station PLEASE!

 

[Rugd1022]

As I assume it's a point of interest, the line speed through High Wycombe is 60mph. It's 100mph through Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross.

You might not have noticed it, but there is a old GWR (I think) sign up on Platform 2 at High Wycombe which says it's the junction for Marlow. Dunno how old the sign it, it was behind some Network South East/Chiltern stuff for years and only uncovered recently. It's a bit faded if you look at it from the platform side but you can walk behind it (or stand in the bay) and see a much more clear version. It's not earth shattering, but it's an interesting quirk.

The side facing the mainline platform is the original GWR one from when the station was first opened while the brown and cream enamel one on the other side facing the bay platform is the BR Western Region version, fitted into the original frame sometime in the '50s...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21403537@N00/7345908406/in/set-72157619442651286

 

[Skimble19]

Railway station not train station PLEASE!

Really? I think we're a bit past that now.. Time to move on

 

[Bedpan]

Out of interest, wasn't it a junction for Maidenhead AND Marlow? Or didn't trains from Maidenhead get as far as High Wycombe, ie MAidenhead - Bourne End connecting with Wycombe to Marlow? For some reason I thought that Bourne End to Marlow was a separate branch off the Maidenhead - Wycombe line.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Railway station not train station PLEASE!

Train station / bus station. Railway station / what?

AND, as well, also, in addition - I see with increasing frequency question marks at the end of statements. Several in this thread. Like this? Is it meant to be a question, or is it an attempt to up-turn the end of the sentence in the mind of the reader - as is currently fashionable in speech? ( - legitimate question mark!).

 

[corfield]

Like this?

It depends on context. It's either a question, or implies potential uncertainty in the validity of the statement. On the internet it seems to be a way of making a point in a way less likely to generate a misreading or misunderstanding and unnessecarily furious responses. Just as we use I think/feel/beleive to soften points and make a discsussion open and inclusive rather than a ranting of absolute unarguable facts and the farce that follows.

The upturn of voice at the end of a spoken sentence has always meant either of the above contexts - at least that's what I was taught to teach English to foreigners. That upturn is common in the majority of languages I beleive.



Train station is shorter and quicker to say. I think that horse has not only bolted, it's spent the rest of it's life in the open fields before dying and going to horsey heaven (i.e. become a beef lasagne).

Language is usage in my view.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

For some reason I thought that Bourne End to Marlow was a separate branch off the Maidenhead - Wycombe line.

The line, originally built as the Wycombe Railway ran from Maidenhead via Wycombe to Princes Risborough and beyond. The line to Marlow was a branch leaving the Maidenhead to Wycombe stretch at Bourne End. Various ways of working the Branches were tried over the years until the closure of the Bourne End to Wycombe stretch in 1970. These included the obvious approach of Maidenhead to High Wycombe and with a shuttle from Bourne End to Marlow. Stations to Bourne End had more custom than the ones beyond or passengers wanting to travel through to Wycombe, so some trains terminated at Bourne End. With autotrains and then DMUs, shuttles were also run Maidenhead - Marlow, Wycombe - Marlow and in the final years Wycombe - Bourne End.

The service pattern since the 1970s has been an hourly shuttle Maidenhead - Marlow reversing at Bourne End. At peak times this reverts to a Maidenhead - Bourne End service with a Bourne End to Marlow shuttle.

Had the Bourne End to Wycombe stretch remained open, who knows what would have happened in time? A service by FGW or Chiltern, Maidenhead - Aylesbury perhaps. More pessimistically, closure of the whole line.

 

[L&Y Robert]

Like this?

It depends on context. It's either a question, or implies potential uncertainty in the validity of the statement. On the internet it seems to be a way of making a point in a way less likely to generate a misreading or misunderstanding and unnessecarily furious responses. Just as we use I think/feel/beleive to soften points and make a discsussion open and inclusive rather than a ranting of absolute unarguable facts and the farce that follows.

The upturn of voice at the end of a spoken sentence has always meant either of the above contexts - at least that's what I was taught to teach English to foreigners. That upturn is common in the majority of languages I beleive.

Crumbs! Thanks, corfield, you've thought about it more than I have. But I find this tonal question derails the conversation sometimes when I begin to answer what I percieve to be a question, whereas the speaker is just colouring his speech (her speech! It's mostly girls as do it). Maybe I'm a bit "Out of Guage" here.

 

[Bedpan]

The line, originally built as the Wycombe Railway ran from Maidenhead via Wycombe to Princes Risborough and beyond. The line to Marlow was a branch leaving the Maidenhead to Wycombe stretch at Bourne End. Various ways of working the Branches were tried over the years until the closure of the Bourne End to Wycombe stretch in 1970. These included the obvious approach of Maidenhead to High Wycombe and with a shuttle from Bourne End to Marlow. Stations to Bourne End had more custom than the ones beyond or passengers wanting to travel through to Wycombe, so some trains terminated at Bourne End. With autotrains and then DMUs, shuttles were also run Maidenhead - Marlow, Wycombe - Marlow and in the final years Wycombe - Bourne End.

The service pattern since the 1970s has been an hourly shuttle Maidenhead - Marlow reversing at Bourne End. At peak times this reverts to a Maidenhead - Bourne End service with a Bourne End to Marlow shuttle.

Had the Bourne End to Wycombe stretch remained open, who knows what would have happened in time? A service by FGW or Chiltern, Maidenhead - Aylesbury perhaps. More pessimistically, closure of the whole line.

Cheers Marlow Donkey, most interesting. I didn't realise that a change at Boyurne End is necessary in the rush hour but it makes sense as it effectively provides a two train service.

What you say begs the question as to why there is a "Junction for Marlow" sign at High Wycombe station, rather than "Junction for Maidenhead" (re other posts, no question mark necessary here as it is a statement ). It has certainly confused me 40+ years after closure and may have similarly done if I was a traveller on the line back in the days. I wonder if it might be because it was for the benefit of day trippers to Marlow as opposed to regular travellers - or maybe there was other, long removed signage at High Wycombe referring to Maidenhead separately.

 

[Metrailway]

Cheers Marlow Donkey, most interesting. I didn't realise that a change at Boyurne End is necessary in the rush hour but it makes sense as it effectively provides a two train service.

What you say begs the question as to why there is a "Junction for Marlow" sign at High Wycombe station, rather than "Junction for Maidenhead" (re other posts, no question mark necessary here as it is a statement ). It has certainly confused me 40+ years after closure and may have similarly done if I was a traveller on the line back in the days. I wonder if it might be because it was for the benefit of day trippers to Marlow as opposed to regular travellers - or maybe there was other, long removed signage at High Wycombe referring to Maidenhead separately.

Last time I looked, the sign states:

HIGH WYCOMBE
JUNCTION FOR THE MARLOW
AND MAIDENHEAD LINES​

 

[Bedpan]

Ah, that explains it!