Wootton Broadmead Halt railway station
Encyclopedia
Wootton Broadmead Halt was a railway station on the Varsity Line
which served the settlement of Wootton Broadmead near Stewartby
in Bedfordshire
, England
. Opened in 1905, it was closed temporarily during both world wars and did not reopen after 1941, officially closing in 1952.
in 1905 between Stewartby
and Bedford
. Their opening coincided with the introduction of a steam railmotor
on the Varsity Line, and each was sited alongside a level crossing
. All three halts were opened at the same time and were all closed during the First World War as an economy measure. Wootton Broadmead and Kempston & Elstow Halt
were also suspended from service during the Second World War for the same reason, never to reopen. Wootton Broadmead lingered without use until it was officially closed in 1952.
Unlike other halts to the south and north, Wootton Broadmead was not conveniently situated near any local community, although there was a brickworks
in the vicinity. It was located at the north end of Forder's Sidings on the line's 12 milepost.
Varsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
which served the settlement of Wootton Broadmead near Stewartby
Stewartby
Stewartby is a model village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, originally built for the workers of The London Brick Company. The village housing and town community centre was designed by the noted neo-Georgian architect Sir Albert Richardson a later and more modern development than such...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Opened in 1905, it was closed temporarily during both world wars and did not reopen after 1941, officially closing in 1952.
History
Wootton Broadmead was one of three halts opened by the London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
in 1905 between Stewartby
Stewartby railway station
Stewartby railway station serves the Bedfordshire village of Stewartby in England. It is also the nearest station to the Marston Vale Millennium Country Park.-Services:...
and Bedford
Bedford St Johns railway station
Bedford St Johns is the smaller of two railway stations that serve the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire. It is on the Marston Vale line from Bletchley to Bedford Midland.The station is unstaffed, and is operated by London Midland....
. Their opening coincided with the introduction of a steam railmotor
Railmotor
Railmotor is a term which was used by several British railway companies for a steam railcar.-Overview:William Bridges Adams started building railmotors as early as 1848, but only in small numbers...
on the Varsity Line, and each was sited alongside a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
. All three halts were opened at the same time and were all closed during the First World War as an economy measure. Wootton Broadmead and Kempston & Elstow Halt
Kempston and Elstow Halt railway station
Kempston & Elstow Halt was a railway station on the Varsity Line which served the Bedfordshire town of Kempston in England. Opened in 1905, it was closed temporarily during both world wars and did not reopen after 1941, being officially closed in 1949....
were also suspended from service during the Second World War for the same reason, never to reopen. Wootton Broadmead lingered without use until it was officially closed in 1952.
Unlike other halts to the south and north, Wootton Broadmead was not conveniently situated near any local community, although there was a brickworks
Brickworks
A brickworks also known as a brick factory, is a factory for the manufacturing of bricks, from clay or shale. Usually a brickworks is located on a clay bedrock often with a quarry for clay on site....
in the vicinity. It was located at the north end of Forder's Sidings on the line's 12 milepost.