The Chiltern Main Line is a name for the railway line between London Marylebone and Birmingham Snow Hill stations. The main entrance to Marylebone station. ... The station entrance Birmingham Snow Hill station is a railway station located in the centre of Birmingham, England. ...

The main towns served by the route, starting from London, are listed below.

• London Marylebone
• Wembley
• Sudbury
• Harrow
• Northolt
• Ruislip
• Denham
• Gerrards Cross
• Seer Green and Jordans
• Beaconsfield
• High Wycombe
• Princes Risborough
  • Branch line diverges to Aylesbury
• Haddenham and Thame
• Bicester
• King's Sutton
  • Joins Cherwell Valley Line from Oxford
• Banbury
• Leamington Spa
  • Line diverges to Coventry
• Warwick
• Hatton
  • Line diverges to Stratford-upon-Avon
• Lapworth
• Dorridge
• Widney Manor
• Solihull
• Olton
• Acocks Green
• Tyseley
• Small Heath
• Birmingham Moor Street
• Birmingham Snow Hill
  • Line continues to Stourbridge and Kidderminster

London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... The main entrance to Marylebone station. ... Wembley is a place in the London Borough of Brent. ... Harrow is the principal town in the London Borough of Harrow. ... Northolt is a place in the London Borough of Ealing, west London. ... Ruislip (pronounced rye-slip) is a place in the London Borough of Hillingdon in north west London, immortalised in Leslie Thomas 1974 novel of suburbia Tropic of Ruislip. ... Denham is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. ... Map sources for Gerrards Cross at grid reference SU999880 Gerrards Cross is a large village in Buckinghamshire, England. ... Seer Green is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. ... Location within the British Isles Beaconsfield is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 30 miles NW of London. ... High Wycombe in the UK High Wycombe, (previously Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe) South Buckinghamshire, is 29 miles (46. ... Location within the British Isles Princes Risborough is a town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 6 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north of High Wycombe. ... St Marys Church, Aylesbury Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in south central England. ... Haddenham is the name of more than one place, including: Haddenham, a village in Buckinghamshire, England Haddenham, a village in Cambridgeshire, England This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Map sources for Thame at grid reference SP710060 Thame is a market town in Oxfordshire, England on the River Thame between Aylesbury and Oxford, with a population of around 12,000. ... Map sources for Bicester at grid reference SP5822 Bicester (pronounced bister) is a town in the Cherwell district of north-eastern Oxfordshire in England, with a population of 28,672 (2001 census). ... Kings Sutton is a village in the west of Northamptonshire in England near to the River Cherwell that forms the boundary thereabouts with the county of Oxfordshire. ... The Cherwell Valley Line is the railway line from Didcot to Banbury via Oxford. ... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... The modern Castle Quay Shopping Centre in Banbury is built alongside the Oxford Canal Map sources for Banbury at grid reference SP4540 Banbury is a market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England. ... The Royal Pump Rooms and Baths Leamington Spa, (Properly Royal Leamington Spa but commonly called just Leamington) (pronounced Lemmington — IPA: ) is a spa town in central Warwickshire, in England. ... The Precinct in Coventry city centre. ... Map sources for Warwick at grid reference SP2865 Warwick (pronounced warrick ) is the historic county town of Warwickshire in England and has a population of 25,434 (2001 census). ... Hatton, Warwickshire Hatton is a village about 4 miles north of Warwick. ... Stratford-upon-Avon Stratford-upon-Avon is a town in Warwickshire, England. ... Lapworth is a village and Civil Parish situated in the East of the county of Warwickshire, United Kingdom close to the border with the West Midlands. ... Dorridge is a small town in the West Midlands borough of Solihull, England. ... Map sources for Solihull at grid reference SP1579 Solihull (IPA: , or , or some combination of the two; occasionally ) is a town in the West Midlands in England with a population of 94,753 (2001 census). ... Olton is an area of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull. ... Acocks Green (also written Acocks Green) is an area in south Birmingham, England. ... Tyseley is a district in the southern half of the city of Birmingham, England, near the Coventry Road and the districts of Small Heath and Yardley. ... Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency shown within Birmingham Small Heath is an area within the city of Birmingham, West Midlands, England. ... The city from above Centenary Square. ... Birmingham Moor Street railway station is one of three main railway stations in the city centre of Birmingham, England. ... The city from above Centenary Square. ... The station entrance Birmingham Snow Hill station is a railway station located in the centre of Birmingham, England. ... Map sources for Stourbridge at grid reference SO8883 Stourbridge is a town in the West Midlands, England, which in 1991 had a population of 54,661. ... Map sources for Kidderminster at grid reference SO825765 Kidderminster is a town in the Wyre Forest district of Worcestershire, England. ...

Passenger Services

Passenger services on the route are currently operated by Chiltern Railways. Some services between Birmingham Snow Hill and Leamington Spa are operated by Central Trains, whilst Virgin Trains run services over the line between Birmingham New Street and Coventry to Banbury as part of their cross-country services from Scotland and the north of England to the south coast of England. A Chiltern Railways Clubman at Kidderminster station. ... The station entrance Birmingham Snow Hill station is a railway station located in the centre of Birmingham, England. ... The Royal Pump Rooms and Baths Leamington Spa, (Properly Royal Leamington Spa but commonly called just Leamington) (pronounced Lemmington — IPA: ) is a spa town in central Warwickshire, in England. ... Central Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom, running local and cross-country trains in central England. ... Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. ... Birmingham New Street could refer to: Birmingham New Street Station New Street, Birmingham This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Precinct in Coventry city centre. ... The modern Castle Quay Shopping Centre in Banbury is built alongside the Oxford Canal Map sources for Banbury at grid reference SP4540 Banbury is a market town on the River Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England. ... Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st UK... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location within the British Isles Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st UK...

History

The original line from Birmingham to London was built by the Great Western Railway (GWR) in the 1850s, to connect Oxford to Birmingham and Wolverhampton. The original Bristol Temple Meads station, first terminus of the GWR, is the building to the left of this picture The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company, linking South West England, the West Country and South Wales with London. ... // Events and Trends Technology Production of steel revolutionised by invention of the Bessemer process Benjamin Silliman fractionates petroleum by distillation for the first time First transatlantic telegraph cable laid First safety elevator installed by Elisha Otis Science Charles Darwin publishes The Origin of Species, putting forward the theory of evolution... Oxford is a city and local government district in Oxfordshire, England, with a population of 134,248 (2001 census). ... Wolverhampton is an industrial, commercial and university city and metropolitan borough in the English West Midlands, traditionally part of the county of Staffordshire. ...

For many years, trains from Birmingham to London went the long way round via Oxford and then along the Great Western Main Line to London Paddington. In an attempt to compete with the LNWR's London-Birmingham route, a shortcut to London was constructed in the 1900s from Aynho Junction just south of Banbury to Princes Risborough via Bicester. This new line was constructed jointly by the GWR and the Great Central Railway (GCR). Categories: Rail stubs | British railway lines ... Paddington station or London Paddington is the name of a major railway station in the Paddington area of London, which is the London terminus for long distance trains to the West of England and South Wales and some West London commuter services. ... The London and North Western Railway (LNWR) was formed in 1846 by the merger of three railway companies - the Grand Junction Railway, London and Birmingham and Manchester and Birmingham. ... // Events and Trends Technology Lawrence Hargrave makes the first stable wing design for a heavier-than-air aircraft Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first documented flight in a powered heavier-than-air aircraft Mass production of automobile Wide popularity of home phonograph Panama Canal is built by the United... Location within the British Isles Princes Risborough is a town in Buckinghamshire, England, about 6 miles south of Aylesbury and 8 miles north of High Wycombe. ... Map sources for Bicester at grid reference SP5822 Bicester (pronounced bister) is a town in the Cherwell district of north-eastern Oxfordshire in England, with a population of 28,672 (2001 census). ... The Great Central Railway (GCR) was the latter day name of a railway company of the United Kingdom which earlier was known as the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR). ...

The new shortcut provided both a faster route between London Paddington and Birmingham Snow Hill stations for the GWR, and a diversionary route for the GCR that would allow it to avoid the route of the Metropolitan Railway. GWR and GCR trains would meet the joint line at Northolt Junction, near South Ruislip station, and part company at Ashendon Junction, with GCR trains turning north to head to Calvert, and GWR trains continuing northwest, via Bicester, to meet the original GWR route at Aynho Junction. The central (and longest) span of Paddington Station Paddington station or London Paddington is the name of a major National Rail and London Underground station complex in the Paddington area of London. ... The station entrance Birmingham Snow Hill station is a railway station located in the centre of Birmingham, England. ... The Metropolitan Line is a line of the London Underground. ... South Ruislip is a London Underground and National Rail joint station in Ruislip in north London. ... South Ruislip is a London Underground and National Rail joint station in Ruislip in north London. ... Calvert is a common place name in English speaking countries. ... Map sources for Bicester at grid reference SP5822 Bicester (pronounced bister) is a town in the Cherwell district of north-eastern Oxfordshire in England, with a population of 28,672 (2001 census). ... GWR is a TLA that can mean: Great Western Railway of Canada (AAR reporting mark GWR) Great Western Railway of the United Kingdom Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway — a heritage railway that has taken the initials of the GWR. GWR Group, who until early 2005 own several radio stations, including GWR FM...

In the 1960s, when the rival West Coast Main Line was electrified, express services from London to Birmingham on this route were discontinued as part of the Beeching Axe; the Banbury to Princes Risborough line was single-tracked, and was for years only used by the sparse local service to Banbury. Snow Hill station in Birmingham was also closed, along with the line to Wolverhampton. Virtually all services were diverted to Marylebone, and the line to Paddington via Greenford was singled and run down. The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... The WCML running alogside the M1 motorway in Northamptonshire The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is one of the most important intercity railway lines in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system. ... Many railway lines were closed as a result of the Beeching Axe The Beeching Axe was an informal name for the British governments attempt in the 1960s to control the spiralling cost of running the British railway system by closing what it considered to be little-used and unprofitable...

Services were expanded somewhat in the late 1980s, when Snow Hill station was re-opened, although they still ran from Marylebone rather than Paddington. Upon rail privatisation in the 1990s Chiltern Railways took over the route, and in the late 1990s, the Banbury-Princes Risborough line was re-doubled to allow for a much more frequent service. The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ...

Part of the old Great Western route from Birmingham Snow Hill to Wolverhampton is now used by the Midland Metro light rail system. A Midland Metro tram The Midland Metro is a light-rail tram system in the West Midlands of England. ...

The line from Northolt Junction to Paddington alone has not been improved, and only one Chiltern train a day from Princes Risborough, and back, uses it, and only during the week. Freight trains carrying refuse from London use the line, however, and it has been used as a diversion when work is taking place on the line to Marylebone, or when the normal line into Paddington is closed.

Future

There are several plans the this route; [1] [2]

• All services to and from Birmingham Snow Hill could be operated by Chiltern Railways.

• The restoration of the quadruple track between South Ruislip (Northolt Junction) and West Ruislip, allowing trains to call at both stations without blocking the line. Triple track currently exists at West Ruislip, with the up platform loop still in situ, and at South Ruislip, with the Down Main through line also in situ.

• Building of the West Hampstead Interchange to allow easy interchange with the Silverlink Metro, Jubilee line, Metropolitan Line and Thameslink line. This would give Chiltern railways an interchange with the future Orbirail line.

• A new railway built between Oxford and Princes Risborough, this would then give oxford an alternative to the Oxford Paddington route. The Oxford to Banbury spur would then be handed over to the Chiltern mainline to create a diversionary loop from Princes Risborough to Banbury via Oxford.

Plans that are at an early stage have proposed a Crossrail type scheme to link Marylebone and Fenchurch Street station. This would give extra east west capacity through London and link two of the smaller rail franchises that could then be amalgamated. South Ruislip is a place in the London Borough of Hillingdon, situated very close to RAF Northolt. ... West Ruislip is a London Underground and National Rail station in Ruislip in north London. ... West Ruislip is a London Underground and National Rail station in Ruislip in north London. ... South Ruislip is a place in the London Borough of Hillingdon, situated very close to RAF Northolt. ...