CHARWELTON & WOODFORD HALSE stations and works with traffic and after closure Great Central Railway

All photographs taken by Peter Martin.
CHARWELTON station closed to passengers and goods on 4 March 1963, the line itself on 5 September 1966.
The station buildings had already gone before the line closed, though the platform remained until the mid-1980s as so - more critically - did the road bridge. This became something of a traffic hazard owing to its steep approaches, a sharp kink in the road at the apex on the west side, and poor visibility. In 1985 the bridge was demolished and the road straightened and lowered. The platform was removed at the same time.
WOODFORD HALSE
The GCR was, at times, a busy route and the depot and yards at Woodford Halse were a hive of activity, but not busy enough to ensure survival when the Beeching Axe closures of the 1960s took place. The Stratford & Midland Junction had already closed on 7 April 1952 although the Woodford North to West Curve which gave access to it had actually gone earlier, on 31 May 1948. On 5 April 1965 the marshalling yards closed, and on 5 September 1966, most of the GCR was closed completely, including all remaining lines converging on Woodford Halse.

[@Hard-Boiled-Bollock]

The closure of the Great Central was the biggest single act of infrastructural vandalism in British history. Imagine how useful that line would have been nowadays for the huge increase in freight traffic alone

[@richardchadwick4028]

Yep what a waste ,and then they build the m40 ,no where near the out cry of HS2 ...

[@TheStevemcgregor]

Along with the Woodhead route across the Pennines and Bedford to Cambridge. Absolutely no sense.

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

@@TheStevemcgregor I was pleased to see the demolition of the GCR, the biggest white elephant in railway history. Oxford to Cambridge should have been kept open. Indeed Beeching recommended its development. It was closed later by the Labour Gov against Beeching's advice.

[@saabinsanity]

@@PreservationEnthusiast disagree completely with your statement white elephant or not much needed now ! think about what they have built at Daventry freight terminal

[@PreservationEnthusiast]

@@saabinsanity No, Daventry Rail Freight terminal already has great connections by Road and Rail in all four compass directions. It doesn't need the GCR.

[@paulwilson3083]

Thank you for sharing your great pictures a hive of activity right up to the mid sixties, I would like to see pictures of Woodford 2 yards, it was said that freight traffic on the GC actually paid right up to closure.

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

According to the figures published in the Beeching Report only coal traffic made a profit (just under £3 million pounds) all other freight flows ran at a loss with general goods losing over £70 million. So I doubt the freight on the GCML other than coal paid its way. Part of the problem was the competition from the roads, but a bigger problem was the cap on in freight charge increases from the mid-1950s onwards (passengers fares also suffered) meaning that as costs went up so did the losses.

[@burniemaurins2382]

Although I didn't visit these areas, the GC was a huge part of my young life and have so many fond memories in and around Leicester

[@johnhealy8513]

The pictures are great but that music is awful

[@flippop101]

Wonderful set of images.

[@andrewlong6438]

Interesting pictures. The bridge on the A361 over Charwelton station disappeared years ago.

[@andrewlong6438]

Yes it’s at ground level. Removed because it’s a busy road and it was bendy. The infilled road above Helmdon station is the closest to how it would have looked.