Reading–Basingstoke line

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Reading–Basingstoke line
standard gauge
Route map

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The Reading–Basingstoke line is a railway link between the

South Western Railway weekend workings also operate between Reading and Salisbury
.

The northern part of the line, including Reading West station, is shared with the

double track throughout, with line speed limited to 75 miles per hour (121 km/h). There is a level crossing
at Bramley railway station, with all other road crossing carried by under or over bridges.

History

A railway was originally proposed in 1843 as a link between Basingstoke, Newbury and Didcot by the London and South Western Railway. A new company, the Berks and Hants Railway had the idea of building the link between Basingstoke and Reading. The Berks and Hants Railway joined the Great Western Railway before the track was laid.

The railway was built by the GWR, with the engineer

broad gauge, from Reading's railway station to Basingstoke. Since the main line at Basingstoke used standard gauge, it was impractical for the railways to share the same station, and the GWR built a station to the north of the L&SWR's station. The line had a single intermediate station at Mortimer.[2][3]

In 1846, prior to the line being built, the Gauge Commissioners (Regulation of Gauge Act) recommended to Parliament that the line from Reading to Basingstoke should be built to standard gauge. In 1854 the Great Western was ordered to convert the railway to standard gauge between Reading and Basingstoke by 7 February 1856, or face a fine of £200 each day. However, it was not until 22 December 1856 that a

mixed gauge track was opened. Basingstoke kept its separate Great Western station until 1 January 1932 when trains were diverted into the L&SWR station with addition of one platform, still in use today, from the old station.[4]

In 1895, a railway station was opened at

Bramley Ordnance Depot, which had a complex network of sidings.[5] The depot was used to manufacture and store ammunition, and lasted until 1987. Another station was opened in 1906 at Reading West, which allowed long-distance trains to call at Reading without the need to reverse at Reading's main station.[6] Some use was made of this facility.[7] This became less of an issue when diesel multiple unit trains were introduced, which could easily reverse at Reading General.[citation needed
]

The section of line between Southcote Junction and Basingstoke was resignalled in 2006, to increase the capacity of the line.[citation needed]

In July 2007, plans were agreed to build a station in Reading south of Southcote Junction in the Green Park business park, also serving the southern suburbs of Reading and the Madejski Stadium. Construction of Reading Green Park railway station was expected to be completed in 2010 but by 2011 work had not started and the plans were suspended. The plans were reinstated in 2013 and after several further delays,[8][9] construction eventually got under way in 2019, just in time to be further delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.[10] In October 2020 it was reported to be due to open in the late summer of 2021 "at the earliest".[11] In June 2021 Network Rail announced that the opening had been put back until April to June 2022.[12] It eventually opened on 27 May 2023.[13]

Services

A map of the Reading-Basingstoke Line showing train operating companies serving it

The route sees two stopping services in either direction every hour which are operated by

South Western Railway run Sunday services, scheduled hourly between 08:00 and 18:00.[15]

Future

See also:
Proposed railway electrification in Great Britain

The railway is listed with Network Rail as part of route 13, the

modernisation of the main line.[17] However this has been delayed until Control Period 6 (2019-2024).[18]

Plans have been discussed over the years for a further new station to the north of Basingstoke, serving the Basingstoke suburb of Chineham.[19] However doubts have been cast on the capacity of the line to support a further station after the opening of Green Park.[20] The line between Southcote Junction and the Great Western Main Line is heavily trafficked and, in 2015, Network Rail’s Western Route Study suggested the provision of a grade separated junction at Southcote, with a third track to be provided between there and the Oxford Road Junction at Reading West.[21]

Gallery

  • A northbound CrossCountry service speeds through Mortimer
    A northbound CrossCountry service speeds through Mortimer
  • Reading West, looking towards Basingstoke
    Reading West, looking towards Basingstoke
  • Mortimer, looking towards Basingstoke
    Mortimer, looking towards Basingstoke
  • Bramley, looking towards Reading
    Bramley, looking towards Reading
  • In BR days the line was operated by Southern Region 3H, Class 205, units
    In BR days the line was operated by Southern Region 3H, Class 205, units

References

  1. ^ "BKE mileages".
  2. ISBN 0-7181-2355-7
    .
  3. ^ Leigh, Chris (3 November 2010). "1835-2010: Brunel's GWR legacy". Rail Magazine. No. 656. Bauer. p. 50.
  4. ^ "Great Western Railway publicity". The Great Western Archive. 2006. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  5. ^ "A History of the Railways around Basingstoke". Basingstoke & District Railway Society. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  6. ISBN 0-7110-1937-1
    .
  7. SBN 7153 4686 5
    .
  8. ^ Markson, Tevye (24 October 2019). "New Reading station Green Park opens in 2020 - final details confirmed". The Reading Chronicle.
  9. ^ Markson, Tevye (14 October 2020). "Reading: Green Park Station delayed until 2021 – this is when it could open". The Reading Chronicle.
  10. ^ "Food waste bin collection and Green Park station delayed". The Reading Chronicle. 23 April 2020. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  11. ^ Markson, Tevye (14 October 2020). "Reading: Green Park Station delayed until 2021 – this is when it could open". The Reading Chronicle. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  12. ^ Markson, Tevye (25 June 2021). "Opening of Reading's Green Park station faces further delays". Berkshire Live. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Reading's new Green Park Station welcomes first passengers". BBC News. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  14. ^ "Northern gets '150s' from GWR". Modern Railways. Vol. 75, no. 833. February 2018. p. 83.
  15. ^ "Check Train Times and Timetables | Great Western Railway". www.gwr.com. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  16. ^ "Great Western electrification scheme 'one year behind schedule". BBC News. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  17. ^ "Building a Greater West - London and Thames Valley". Great Western Railway.
  18. ^ "Network Rail attempt to get Green Park Station project back on track". getreading. 26 February 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
  19. ^ Evans, Ryan (18 January 2021). "Chineham still on track to get its own train station". Basingstoke Gazette. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  20. ^ Evans, Ryan (21 September 2021). "Chineham station: Blow for hopes as congestion on line revealed". Basingstoke Gazette. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Network Rail predicts new route requirements". Rail Magazine. 28 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Reading to Basingstoke Line.

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