Reading to Basingstoke Line
Encyclopedia
The Reading to Basingstoke Line is a short railway link between the South Western Main Line
and the Great Western Main Line
, constructed by the Great Western Railway
between 1846 and 1848. The line is served by First Great Western
local services between Reading
and Basingstoke
, which stop at the intermediate stations Reading West, Mortimer and Bramley. The line is also an important through route for longer distance passenger and freight services: CrossCountry
services from Bournemouth
and Southampton
to Birmingham
and the North of England and freight trains between Southampton Docks and the Midlands
use the line. The section of line between Southcote Junction and Basingstoke was resignalled in 2006, to increase the capacity of the line.
and Didcot
by London and South Western Railway
. A new company, Berks and Hants railway had the idea of building the link between Basingstoke and Reading. Berks and Hants railway joined Great Western Railway
before the track was laid.
The railway was built by Great Western railway, with the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel
, who used a broad gauge
, from Reading's railway station to Basingstoke. Since the main line at Basingstoke used a standard gauge, this meant that it would be impossible for the railways to share the same station. Great Western railway built a small station to the north of L&SWR's station.
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 using 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.
In 1895, a railway station was opened at Bramley
, then in 1917, a large depot was opened at Bramley Ordnance Depot
, which had a complex network of sidings. The depot was used to manufacture and store ammunition, and lasted until 1987. Another station was opened at , and allowed long-distance trains to call at Reading without the need to reverse at Reading's main station. This became less of an issue when diesel multiple unit
trains were introduced, which could easily reverse at Reading General.
. The line is limited to 75 mph, and is not electrified. It has a maximum tonnage of 15 tonnes. The line has two tracks
. There is a level crossing at Bramley railway station.
. A further train in each direction every hour is operated by CrossCountry
which reverses at Reading.
. In July 2007, plans were agreed to build a station in Reading south of Southcot Junction in the Green Park business park, serving the southern suburbs of Reading and also the Madejski Stadium
. Construction on Reading Green Park railway station was expected to be completed in 2010, but has not started since.
South Western Main Line
The South Western Main Line is a railway line between London Waterloo and Weymouth on the Dorset coast, in the south of England. It is a major railway which serves many important commuter areas, as well as the major settlements of Southampton and Bournemouth...
and the Great Western Main Line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
, constructed by the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
between 1846 and 1848. The line is served by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
local services between Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
and Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
, which stop at the intermediate stations Reading West, Mortimer and Bramley. The line is also an important through route for longer distance passenger and freight services: CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
services from Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
and Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
to Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
and the North of England and freight trains between Southampton Docks and the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
use the line. The section of line between Southcote Junction and Basingstoke was resignalled in 2006, to increase the capacity of the line.
History
A railway was originally proposed in 1843 as a link between Basingstoke, NewburyNewbury railway station
Newbury railway station is a railway station in the centre of Newbury, Berkshire, England. It was opened on 21 December 1847 by the Great Western Railway...
and Didcot
Didcot Parkway railway station
Didcot Parkway is a railway station serving the town of Didcot in Oxfordshire in England. The station was opened as Didcot on 12 June 1844, and renamed Didcot Parkway on 29 July 1985 to reflect its role as a park and ride railhead....
by London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
. A new company, Berks and Hants railway had the idea of building the link between Basingstoke and Reading. Berks and Hants railway joined Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
before the track was laid.
The railway was built by Great Western railway, with the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
, who used a broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
, from Reading's railway station to Basingstoke. Since the main line at Basingstoke used a standard gauge, this meant that it would be impossible for the railways to share the same station. Great Western railway built a small station to the north of L&SWR's station.
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 using 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.
In 1895, a railway station was opened at Bramley
Bramley (Hampshire) railway station
Bramley railway station is a railway station in the village of Bramley, Hampshire, England.The station is served by First Great Western — local services. The station is north of Basingstoke. The line opened in 1848 but Bramley station did not open until 1895.-Services:From Mondays to Saturdays...
, then in 1917, a large depot was opened at Bramley Ordnance Depot
Bramley Camp
Bramley Camp is a British Army training camp, located south of the village of Bramley, Hampshire. Opened during World War I as a ammunition depot, the camp now serves wholly as a training facility.-Bramley Ordnance Depot:...
, which had a complex network of sidings. The depot was used to manufacture and store ammunition, and lasted until 1987. Another station was opened at , and allowed long-distance trains to call at Reading without the need to reverse at Reading's main station. This became less of an issue when diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
trains were introduced, which could easily reverse at Reading General.
Infrastructure
Since the conversion, the line uses standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. The line is limited to 75 mph, and is not electrified. It has a maximum tonnage of 15 tonnes. The line has two tracks
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
. There is a level crossing at Bramley railway station.
Services
The route sees 2 stopping services in either direction every hour which are operated by First Great WesternFirst Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
. A further train in each direction every hour is operated by CrossCountry
CrossCountry
CrossCountry is the brand name of XC Trains Ltd., a British train operating company owned by Arriva...
which reverses at Reading.
Future
The railway is listed with Network Rail as part of route 13, the Great Western main lineGreat Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
. In July 2007, plans were agreed to build a station in Reading south of Southcot Junction in the Green Park business park, serving the southern suburbs of Reading and also the Madejski Stadium
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
. Construction on Reading Green Park railway station was expected to be completed in 2010, but has not started since.