Ampthill railway station

Ampthill railway station was built over a mile from the historic market town of Ampthill in the English county of Bedfordshire by the Midland Railway in 1868 on its extension to St. Pancras.

This article is about the former Midland Railway station. For the LNWR station formerly known as Ampthill (Marston), see Millbrook (Bedfordshire) railway station.

Ampthill
Ampthill Station remains, with a Down goods passing in 1960
General information
LocationAmpthill, Central Bedfordshire
England
Grid referenceTL022371
Platforms2
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyMidland Railway
Post-groupingLondon Midland and Scottish Railway
London Midland Region of British Railways
Key dates
15 July 1868Opened
4 May 1959Closed

History

Opened by the Midland Railway, it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923. After passing on to the London Midland Region of British Railways upon nationalisation in 1948, it was then closed by the British Transport Commission.

At the time it was built there were no coaching connections by road, so for a number of years the station was particularly beneficial in providing an outlet for the trade in straw hats, Ampthill's speciality being the "Narrow Improved" version.[1] The station closed in 1959 and the inhabitants were advised to use the "excellent alternative bus service."

About half a mile north of the station is Ampthill Tunnel, increased to two bores when the line was upgraded to four tracks in 1891.[2]

Stationmasters
  • James W Yaxley 1870 - 1875[3]
  • F. Tomblin 1875 - 1880
  • John William Brookes 1880 - 1882[4]
  • Joseph Minney 1882 - 1898[4]
  • George Bailey 1898 - 1908[5]
  • Robert Henry Turner 1908[6] - ca. 1914
  • O.P. Pitman ca. 1931 - 1937[7]
  • H.R. Ross until 1947[8]
  • W.T. Abrahams 1949-1953
Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Bedford Midland
Line and station open
   Midland Railway
Midland Main Line		   Flitwick
Line and station open

Present and future

Trains on the Midland Main Line, electrified through the former station, still pass the site.

The area in which Ampthill station was situated is still visible today due to the widening of tracks where the now long gone platforms used to be.

The Bedfordshire Railway & Transport Association is campaigning for the reopening of a station at Ampthill.[9]

References
  1. Radford, B., (1983) Midland Line Memories: a Pictorial History of the Midland Railway Main Line Between London (St Pancras) & Derby London: Bloomsbury Books
  2. Radford, B., (1983) Midland Line Memories: a Pictorial History of the Midland Railway Main Line Between London (St Pancras) & Derby London: Bloomsbury Books
  3. "1871-1879 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 560. 1871. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  4. "1881-1898 Coaching". Midland Railway Operating, Traffic and Coaching Depts: 736. 1881. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  5. "Correction". Bedfordshire Mercury. England. 13 November 1908. Retrieved 6 March 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Ampthill". Bedfordshire Mercury. England. 27 November 1908. Retrieved 6 March 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Ampthill Stationmaster's Retirement". Bedfordshire Times and Independent. England. 5 November 1947. Retrieved 6 March 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Stationmaster at Ampthill". Bedfordshire Times and Independent. England. 3 January 1947. Retrieved 6 March 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. Ampthill Station. Archived 13 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine

Sources

52.02352°N 0.51124°W / 52.02352; -0.51124


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