The Metropolitan Railway's Aspirations?
It started quite small then growed and growed. As well as its lines in London ...
... including the Northern City line and the East London line it developed the routes coloured purple on today's Underground map ...
... known as their "Extension".
It extensioned way into deepest rural Buckinghamshire.
The line to Verney Junction was a country branch in every way ...
... offering connections with the Oxford to Cambridge line (GREEN) and its branch to Brackley and Banbury and, of course, southbound to Aylesbury and the rest of the "Met".
But even Verney Junction had aspirations of the Met's importance.
It was somewhat over the top to refer to the route to Oxford as a "branch" of the Metropolitan!
But the line from Quainton Road to Brill was about the daftest outpost of what became the London Underground network. It ran from nowhere very much (Quainton Road) to nowhere at all (Brill).
A typical "station" was Wood Siding ...
... and a typical train was ...
... a fine example of what might be termed the "basic railway"! The terminus at Brill was remarkable ...
... for its diminutive size.
The railway reached the little town of Brill in March 1872 and for the next 20 years 2 mixed trains ran each day. In 1899, the railway was taken over by the Metropolitan Railway and the service increased to 4 trains each day. The original platform was low and had to be raised when the Met. introduced the carriage seen in the picture. Although only 6 miles from Quainton Road, the journey took about 35 minutes due to the poor quality of everything related to the railway. Taken over by LT in July 1933, the line had no future and was closed in December 1935.
The station's location was equally, well, rural. As usual the route of the line remains in undergrowth as seen on this Google aerial view ...
... and the road that led from Brill village to the station is called ...
... Train Hill, although that name does not appear on any signboard. Pity.
This is what the two extremities would look like were they still part of the working London Underground.
As well a its obscure extremities, the Met had grander aspirations, both in its own business and in its link with the Great Central Railway.
We shall explore more tomorrow.
Imagine meanwhile, if you can, what things would be like in rural Buckinghamshire if you could catch a train of "S" stock from Baker Street to Wood Siding today!
Maybe not! But it would have been an opportunity for an even grander Metro-Land, had it ever been allowed.
Illuminations Illuminated.The tree. morphing into a cross and back is joined by a real plastic tree covered in rather too many blue LEDs.
As a further statement as to what we should be celebrating at CHRIST mas , the fbbs have switched the cross to "always on". Three of the six properties in the fbb mansions block now have lights on display.
Preservation Appeal? Really?The guy who has started the petition writes:-
fbb signed the petition yesterday afternoon.
Sadly, after his signature was added to the list he has been asked FOUR times to send money.
Scam or not, it did not endear fbb to the petition and he has removed any on-line contact.
Pity.
Farewell To An Old Friend
A railway network has bid a final farewell to its fleet of Pacer trains after more than three decades of service.
The outdated carriage made its final Northern journey from Kirkby to Manchester Victoria on Friday.
It marked the end of more than 35 years of service – clocking 300 million miles – in the north of England.
fbb always liked the Pacers. They were fun to ride, although maybe a bit bumpy for regular users; they have the best window view of any commuter train, even better for those that retained low-back seats. But they were always cold and draughty OR steamingly over-heated, the latter usually on hot summer days!
Fortunately several have been preserved.
Talking Of Old Friends
Many thanks for those who sent condolences to fbb after the passing of his sister. Her death was not unexpected but it still leaves an emotional gap after knowing her for 73 years. Prayers are important, too, for son Matthew, who has the job of handling the seemingly endless "paperwork" as well as the loss of his mother.
fbb will be leading the service at the Isle of Wight Crematorium. Date and time not yet fixed.
It will be quite hard to do, but far better than relying on "the duty minister". Jane was only an occasional church-goer.
Next Lovely Logo blog : Tuesday 1st December
