Whatever happened to the old rail route to Birmingham via Paddington St?

Question

I am an expat living in the US worked on the Western Region as a secondman, recently while scoping out my old manor on Google Earth I saw that the down track appeared to be torn up just at the junction of Old Oak Common Depot. I assume electrification was deemed too expensive . Have any preservation groups used the old route to Brum or has it all gone to Sh##

Answer 1

MURDERED!

Answer 2

I hadn't realised the connection at Old Oak had been torn up - I thought it had been left in situ as a diversionary route. However, all is not bad news for services to Brum along the GW/GC joint and north from Aynho Junction are very much alive and improving. They are provided out of Marylebone by the Train Operating Company, Chiltern Trains. which has been very proactive in improving services along the line. Marylebone has been greatly improved and new platforms added. Looking at the live departure boards for the next hour there are two services to Birmingham, one to Bicester, another to Stratford-upon-Avon. + 'metro' services. Thexx50 service to Birmingham does the journey in 2hr10m and calls at Moor Street, before terminating at a rejuvenated Snow Hill. The xx20 is slower, calling at all stations from High Wycombe, which includes one at Haddenham for Thame. The track has been upgraded, with the down platform reinstated at Risborough and double track from there northwards. The up platform has been reinstated at Bicester North (There is also a Bicester Town station served by trains from Oxford)

There was an interesting incident a couple of years ago. A decision was taken to build over the airspace above the cutting south of Gerrards Cross and build a supermarket. Half way through the works the structure collapsed and thel ine was closed for a couple of months.

I used to live in Risborough, and used to commute on the Paddington trains. I was very miffed when they were withdrawn and the service concentrated on Marylebone. But that was over 30 years ago. As I said, things are much better now

Have a look at Chiltern's website at :- http://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/

LATER: I've had a look at Microsoft's 'Live Search' (which is often much better for the UK than Google Earth) and it would appear that the link is still in existence. I'm sure Chiltern run a once daily 'parliamentary' to save the need for formal closure and as the route is a useful diversionary in the event of engineering works etc between Northolt Junc and Marylebone.

It has been confirmed to me that the link is, in fact, still open and traversed by one train a day. A picture of the site of Old Oak Common Halt site can be found here:- http://disused-rlys.fotopic.net/p3904354...

taken from that daily Chiltern train.