Princes Risborough to Chinnor

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Who's going to ask first?

Where?

For the absence of doubt, this is not Chinnor nor is it Princes Risborough. Nor is it Taunton! It just struck me as an appropriate use of a picture I took in June.

[JayMac]

Coatbridge.

[grahame]

Coatbridge.

Correct

[grahame]

Some very good news of another preserved line finally reconnected to the mainline network:

On Wednesday 15 August, the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway (C&PRR^▸ (Princes Risborough)) will become the nearest main line connected heritage railway to London, with a cross-platform interchange facility when the newly restored platform is opened at Princes Risborough. The steam railway will be under 25 miles and 40 minutes from Marylebone.

...

From gov.uk

An application to transfer powers to run part of the former Watlington branch line in Buckinghamshire from Network Rail (the owner of the line) to the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Association (the lessee of the line).

with a link to the application

Transport and Works Act 1992 - Transfer of Responsibility for Railway Track at Princes Risborough

The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Association Limited (CPRRA) is applying to the Secretary of State for Transport for an Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 (the Transfer Order) to transfer the statutory rights and responsibilities for some of the track at Princes Risborough Station, including an approximately half-mile length of railway track, from Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (NR^» (Network Rail - home page)) to CPRRA for the purposes of our heritage railway undertaking.  The land on which these tracks stand is already leased to us. 

We are not seeking here permission for any development.  This is existing railway.  The Transfer Order is solely about transferring statutory responsibility for the relevant part of the railway line.  We have sent information to neighbouring residents and businesses in Horsenden Lane, Summerleys Road, and Northmill, Princes Risborough.  We are also consulting the appropriate authorities (e.g. Princes Risborough Town Council, Chinnor Parish Council, and Buckinghamshire Council).

So ... land owned by Network Rail and track looked after by Network Rail becomes land owned by Network Rail track looked after by the association from and including the branch line platform at Princes Risborough along the branch that used to go via Thame and Cowley to Oxford as far as the branch off the branch turned off towards Chinnor.

[Electric train]

Some very good news of another preserved line finally reconnected to the mainline network:

On Wednesday 15 August, the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway (C&PRR^▸ (Princes Risborough)) will become the nearest main line connected heritage railway to London, with a cross-platform interchange facility when the newly restored platform is opened at Princes Risborough. The steam railway will be under 25 miles and 40 minutes from Marylebone.

...

From gov.uk

An application to transfer powers to run part of the former Watlington branch line in Buckinghamshire from Network Rail (the owner of the line) to the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Association (the lessee of the line).

with a link to the application

Transport and Works Act 1992 - Transfer of Responsibility for Railway Track at Princes Risborough

The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Association Limited (CPRRA) is applying to the Secretary of State for Transport for an Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 (the Transfer Order) to transfer the statutory rights and responsibilities for some of the track at Princes Risborough Station, including an approximately half-mile length of railway track, from Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (NR^» (Network Rail - home page)) to CPRRA for the purposes of our heritage railway undertaking.  The land on which these tracks stand is already leased to us. 

We are not seeking here permission for any development.  This is existing railway.  The Transfer Order is solely about transferring statutory responsibility for the relevant part of the railway line.  We have sent information to neighbouring residents and businesses in Horsenden Lane, Summerleys Road, and Northmill, Princes Risborough.  We are also consulting the appropriate authorities (e.g. Princes Risborough Town Council, Chinnor Parish Council, and Buckinghamshire Council).

So ... land owned by Network Rail and track looked after by Network Rail becomes land owned by Network Rail track looked after by the association from and including the branch line platform at Princes Risborough along the branch that used to go via Thame and Cowley to Oxford as far as the branch off the branch turned off towards Chinnor.

Not an unusual arrangement, the lease of the land protects it for any future railway use while freeing NRIL of railway operational complexity also frees CPRRA of having complying to NRIL track safety rules etc and will be able to work under their own operating and track safety rules

[Oxonhutch]

I think the Statement of Aims sums it up well - and gives a very nice potted history of our line. 

One of my jobs is being the mentioned 'Person in Charge' at Princes Risborough

[Oxonhutch]

Ian Mansfield who writes the blog 'Ian Visits' toured our signalbox on our recent open day - the only one this year I believe - and has reported on his time at our site - please click here. He has posted some nice pictures accompanied by an informative narrative. Many thanks to Ian for coming along and for his article.

For those of a signalling bent, the operating ground frame - working the current run-around cross-over at the country end of the layout - can be seen between the yellow painted quadrant plates in Ian's photo no. 4 ' The main levers room'. The diagram for this Princes Risborough North Ground Frame can be seen in photo no. 16 'Signal layout diagram', where it is described as: 125 levers including 17 spaces - 102 spares. I think it fair to describe it as the country's largest ground frame! Any questions and I will be happy to answer those I can.