Aylesbury to Princes Risborough

[@cliffwheeler7357]

I would sometimes use the Aylesbury/Marylebone line via Princes Risborough and High Wycombe for a change of scenery from the Amersham route. There was little difference in the journey time. Very enjoyable video, pleasant way to pass a quarter of an hour.

[@johnmacleod5775]

Another brilliant video. Didn't know the line was single. Another must visit for me. Thanks.

[@christopherbentley5216]

I caught the 10.40 train from Monks Risborough to Marylebone on 18th August 2021 Coming back via Aylesbury. Certainly a nice line. Going to be extremely busy if the proposed service to Milton Keynes begins in 2025.

[@keithwilliams1974]

Re-opening South Aylesbury would be useful now. Another short sighted closure.

[@semajttam]

It looks like some of the line had space for a second track under some of those bridges....

[@chrissimmons1787]

I used to live in little Kimble a nice area to be in before parents sold the house down fall was because this route is the shuttle line trains going to princes risborough and to Aylesbury you only got one train an hour which the quickest way was bus which was every 20 minutes but yes little Kimble was a nice area to live very peaceful and relaxing which they are thinking of getting rid of this shuttle line which is what I read whether it's going ahead still I don't know miss little Kimble though

[@leec2317]

Excellent video. More please!!!

[@axolotlgamer615]

My Local Station is P Risborough Did you know Little Kimble station is the Least used station In buckinghamshire But President Clinton stood on the Platform of Little kimble! Good video!!! And smooth Driving You handled the Automatic Warning System very good!

[@Bluesman2509]

Is that Chinnor Hill in the background? Jewel in the Crown of the Chilterns

[@Trainspotter11_]

Fantastic video! I really enjoyed this :)

[@johntyjp]

Change here for the Oxford line via Thame, did them all before Beeching!!😉

[@I_Was_Chrispy_Kreme]

Great video, never realised it was only single track

[@semajttam]

It does look like there used to be some passing places/sidings especially at Kimble.

[@thechilterntrainspotters]

Lovley video 😁 Very enjoyable to watch

[@alastairmc]

Love this, many thanks!

[@AshBehindtheCamera]

Terrific video really enjoyed it 👍

[@29brendus]

Very enjoyable, and reminded me of some sc-fi movie where everybdoy was gone from the planet. How did this line not fall prey to Beeching?

[@semajttam]

Main connection from Wycombe to Aylesbury and I would imagine the Calvert brickworks would've had something to do with it. And by extention the binliners from Northolt.

[@hamjazz]

Often wonder why this was not twin-tracked-obviously built for it-- a much shorter bypass for the met than Ashendon/Grendon.

[@johnm2012]

Actually, it was not built with two tracks in mind. It was built by the GWR in 1863 using a single broad gauge track. It was converted to standard gauge in 1870, which is why it looks as though there is room for a second track. Unfortunately, there isn't, though re-signalling under Project Evergreen 2, which split the route into two sections, does now allow the line to accommodate two trains (in the same direction, as there are no passing loops), so a single train no longer blocks the entire line, allowing a freight train to follow a passenger train without disrupting the service pattern.

[@semajttam]

This was originally a branch of the Wycombe Railway Company which ran from Oxford (via Risborough and Wheatley) to Maidenhead via Bourne End and Loudwater, with a branch to Marlow. As John's said it was absorbed by the GWR and converted to Standard Gauge.

[@ДмитрийЗапЕвропа]

Good video, thanks!

[@UKTransport232]

Is the bay platform at Princes Risborough still used?

[@driverskid]

Yes, it is still in use.

[@gkbxx9924]

Wow.

[@EdgyNumber1]

Have they replaced ATP yet? I heard they were dropping down to TPWS only, is that true?

[@driverskid]

It hasn't been removed yet but it will have to be done in the next few years as it is now very old tech and there is an issue with spares. Not sure what the timescale is.

[@EdgyNumber1]

@@driverskid Yeh, that's what I read. Could've been a good opportunity to move to an equivalent high level ERTMS and digital signalling but once again they chose a cheaper option. ATP is older tech and because there's nothing that can be procured off-the-shelf any more the parts have to be custom made by the original supplier (who probably, ironically, now specialises in ERTMS)

[@fetchstixRHD]

@@EdgyNumber1: As far as I remember, the drop to TPWS was suggested and would have been "temporary", until a plan for ETCS was rolled out. The report about the options was pretty interesting to read, as an outsider (e.g. search "Chiltern line ATP ORR" and it should come up). On the note of ATP, is the 5:02 ABCL supervised by the ATP system [to stop the crossing being passed if the DCI isn't cleared]? Going by the ATP wires, it looks like it is [plus how the Cambrian line ETCS had to get a derogation for its locally monitored crossings to not be interfaced]?

[@peterscouse8252]

So many speed limits for such a short line.

[@Ron_TTE]

Do you drive any other trains like the 168 and 68?

[@driverskid]

Just 165s and 168s now. Used to drive 121s too.

[@Ron_TTE]

Aha ok which train do you prefer the 168 or 165 i prefer the 168

[@Ron_TTE]

@@driverskid .

[@theresaguilfoyle5795]

Wait forever for connection to Aylesbury

[@davidpanton3192]

Little Kimble, Monks Risborough... how very English.

[@AFCManUk]

Even now, in 2021, they STILL have to slow down to a crawl for that bloody Level Crossing. I'd have though the technology existed so trains didn't have to slow there by now.

[@driverskid]

It's only a drop from 40 to 20. It's an ABCL crossing i.e. monitored by the driver so the train has to be going slow enough to stop short if the crossing fails. It could be upgraded to a CCTV crossing but it would require additional signalling and cost millions; to save 30 seconds or so on the journey time.

[@AFCManUk]

@@driverskid Fair enough. I wasn't sure how it was controlled. I had assumed there was some kind of signal arrangement at a distance of half-a-mile or so either side of the crossing that, when passed over by a train, activated the barriers.

[@galaxycoder]

I never did, 75 straight through.

[@RoadCone411]

Not a very busy trip - only saw one person on the platform at Monks Risborough! I'm not trying to be funny but why does this route survive? It's obviously very lovely but it apparently connects two modestly suburban towns by way of two very rural stations on a single track! It's exactly the sort of line that Beeching would have tried to close...thank goodness he didn't! Is it an important connection for freight services or as a relief between two main lines? "All change" - could there be any train terminology that is more British than that? Maybe "Mind the Gap!" I ride a suburban train frequently in the US and have never heard anybody say either. Then again, our trains don't get assigned platform numbers, they get track numbers. It's so uncouth and uncultured, I just want to correct Americans!

[@driverskid]

Yes, it forms part of a through route between Aylesbury and London, and is also used by freight trains.

[@galaxycoder]

I hold the record for this run. 7minutes. Ask Peter Miller to confirm it.