London Euston to Chester

The Route of the Cheshireman

There are two principal Anglo-Scottish main lines in Britain the East Coast Main Line out of London Kings Cross and the West Coast Main Line out of London Euston. The first to reach the capital was Robert Stephenson’s London & Birmingham Railway to London Euston. The West Coast Main Line is particularly famous for its legendary gradients of Shap and Beattock over the Cumbrian Fells and the mountains of the Scottish Borders.

The original London Euston station was built in 1837 and was the Gateway to the North. Its crowning glories were the mighty great Euston Arch flanked by its entrance lodges and the magnificent Great Hall. The station had a distinctive iron truss pitch roof. A statue of Robert Stephenson dominated the Great Hall. Sadly this original Euston station is now lost forever as it was swept away in the massive rebuild of the station that took place between 1963 and 1968 accompanying the electrification of the West Coast Main Line. It was this rebuild that controversially demolished the famous Euston Arch. The new rebuilt London Euston a station of sleek modern concrete and glass was opened by HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1968.

Today the only remnants surviving from the old Euston are the two entrance lodges on Euston Road that once flanked the Euston Arch and the statue of Robert Stephenson which now graces the Great Hall of the National Railway Museum in York. The Britannia emblem which used to crown the doorway to the Boardroom in the Great Hall also now survives at the National Railway Museum in York. London Euston historically served the West Coast Main Line to the West Midlands, North Wales, the North West and Scotland. In its heyday London Euston was the starting point for such famous expresses as the Royal Scot, the Coronation Scot, the Mid-Day Scot, the Caledonian, the Irish Mail, the Mancunian and the Merseyside Express.

London Euston to Watford Junction:

As is usual with trains departing London going north, trains departing London Euston head through a series of tunnels and cuttings through north London. The train ascends Camden bank and at Camden Town passes the historic former Camden Roundhouse engine shed built in 1847 (now home to the famous Roundhouse performing arts venue and creative centre for young people) and the great classical portal of Primrose Hill tunnel dating from 1837. The train then heads through London’s northern suburbs passing South Hampstead, Kilburn High Road, Queens Park, Kensal Green with the D.C. lines on the left. At Willesden Junction the line passes under the North London Line and the line from West London joins on the left. The train passes through Harlesden, Stonebridge Park, Wembley Central and North Wembley. Passing Wembley, the magnificent new Wembley Stadium can be glimpsed to the right. Then the train passes through South Kenton and Kenton. Soon to the left we can see Harrow and the spire of the famous Harrow School Chapel and the train passes through Harrow & Wealdstone. The train continues north past Headstone Lane, Hatch End, Carpenders Park and Bushey before arriving at Watford Junction station. On this route on either side of the line can be seen the food factories, with great names such as Heinz, McVitiie’s and Ovaltine. From Watford Junction there is a branch to the right to St Albans.

Watford Junction to Milton Keynes Central:

After leaving Watford Junction station the line soon passes into Watford Tunnel. When the railway was built there was considerable opposition from the influential landowners, who feared that the railway would adversely affect their properties. North of Watford the railway had to pass the great adjoining estates of the Earls of Essex and of Clarendon. To overcome the objections raised, the Watford Tunnel was designed to carry the railway line out of sight of the great parks, and although it involved the company in heavy expense it served its purpose and solved the problem of access from London to the industrial areas of the north-west.

Northwards the railway enters a pleasant rolling landscape in the Gade Valley near the Chilterns and follows the Grand Union Canal through Kings Langley, a former royal town with the remains of a Dominican Friary founded in 1312, a 15^th century church and an attractive main street.

The Grand Union Canal is a major feature of the journey northwards at this point and its winding route is never far from the railway, with plenty of fine views of narrow boats, locks and the distinctive brick arched bridges. Apsley, famous for its paper making, is followed by Hemel Hempstead, whose pleasant High Street and fine Norman church are in marked contrast to the expanding acres of the postwar new town housing.

Leaving Hemel Hempstead there are good views on the left westwards across the canal and its locks towards a typically English landscape of rolling fields framed by hedges and copses. Just before reaching Berkhamsted the remains of Berkhamsted Castle can be seen to the right south eastwards. The original castle was built soon after William the Conqueror accepted the English throne in 1066. Destroyed in a rebellion, it was rebuilt and many subsequent royal figures stayed here, including the Black Prince. With its Tudor school, large church and 18^th century buildings, Berkhamsted still has the atmosphere of the busy market town it once was.

Now for some miles the line climbs gradually up past the Chiltern Hills and the summit is reached at Tring station. From Tring to the right eastwards are the wooded hills behind Aldbury. Leaving Tring the train enters a long cutting, one of the major engineering works of Stephenson’s line, 2.5 miles long and 60ft deep in places. This is followed by a long elevated section through Cheddington to Leighton Buzzard, with enjoyable views on both sides.

This attractive area was popular with grand families in the 19^th century, several of whom, notably the Rosebery’s and the Rothschilds, built their country houses here such as Waddesden Manor and Mentmore Towers. Mentmore can be briefly seen from the train to the left, while Ascott, Tring and Waddesden are not far away. Ascott, now owned by the National Trust, is two miles south west of Leighton Buzzard station, near the village of Wing, which boasts one of the best Anglo-Saxon churches in Britain. After Linslade tunnel, with its gothic portico, there is a fine view to the right of Linslade Old Church, set on a mound with the manor near by. It was near Linslade that, in 1963, the Great Train Robbery took place. An armed gang held up the overnight Royal Mail train running from Glasgow to London and stole mailbags worth over £2.5 million.

The train now follows the canal and the River Ouzel through an attractive landscape to Bletchley, where the line to Bedford branches off to the right. To the left of Bletchley station is the once top secret site of Bletchley Park where during the Second World War the German armed forces' top secret codes were broken providing the Allies with vital information towards their war effort. One of the famous ciphers broken here was the Enigma code. The house is now a museum telling the story of the top secret code breakers during the Second World War and you can see one of the famous Enigma machines on display. Bletchley now spreads indeterminately into the modern new town of Milton Keynes which was built in the 1960s. Milton Keynes Central station is well placed for the shopping centre. Once Bletchley and Rugby stations were important stations for this stretch of the WCML but now Milton Keynes Central has usurped their place as the most important station in this area.

Milton Keynes Central to Crewe:

On departing Milton Keynes Central station the line soon reaches Wolverton where there is a new town of an earlier age built from 1838 to serve the railway carriage works here, whose history is painted as a long mural beside the canal. The old carriage works can be seen to the left just before the station. North of Wolverton the countryside returns, with good views to the left towards Cosgrove, thanks to a long embankment and the high six arched brick viaduct of 1838. Cuttings now limit the views, but the fine spire of Hanslope Church, nearly 200 ft high, is hard to miss on the right. Shortly after passing the village of Roade at Hanslope junction the Northampton line diverges off to the right. Then the village of Blisworth is passed on the left. Then the village of Weddon is passed. After this for a few miles the railway is joined by the Grand Junction Canal and the M1 motorway to the right. Here the line is in the Watford Gap at the northern end of the Chiltern Hills. To the right the tall broadcasting masts at Daventry can be seen. Then the line suddenly plunges into the famous Kilsby Tunnel which is over a mile long. After exiting Kilsby Tunnel the Northampton line rejoins the mainline from the right and beyond can be seen the cluster of radio masts that form the Rugby Radio Transmitting Station. This is one of the world’s most powerful radio transmitting stations. This also forms the European end of the transatlantic telephone system. Originally built in 1926, there were 12 radio masts but 8 of them became obsolete in recent years and were demolished in 2004, now there are just 4 radio masts. Soon the train reaches the once important junction station at Rugby. Sadly now the station is a shadow of its former self having lost its magnificent over 100 years old LNWR trainshed roof in 2000.

North of Rugby the Birmingham line diverges off to the left by means of a flyover and the mainline continues northwards. The Oxford Canal accompanies the line for a while to the left before eventually swinging away to the left before the railway passes under the M69 motorway near the village of Shilton. The line continues through pleasant landscape of the Trent Valley with glimpses of the industrial West Midlands away to the west on the left. Just before Nuneaton station the line from Coventry joins the mainline from the left and the Leicester line from the right. On leaving Nuneaton the line to Birmingham via Water Orton soon diverges off to the left. To the left extensive former gravel workings can be seen before the train passes Atherstone station. Soon after crossing the River Anker which then snakes round to the left the train reaches Polesworth station and the Coventry Canal accompanies the line to the left. Next the train reaches Tamworth where there is an interchange with the Birmingham to Derby line at Tamworth Low Level. Then Lichfield Trent Valley station is reached. This station is also an interchange with the Stafford to Lichfield City and Birmingham line shortly after a station a spur from the Stafford line can be seen joining the mainline from the right. Lichfield has many interesting associations, not the least among them being that it was the birthplace of Dr. Johnson, the great man of letters. Just before reaching Rugeley the massive towers of its power station can be seen to the left of the line. Then the line from Walsall and Birmingham can be seen joining the main line from the left. Then the train passes Rugeley Trent Valley station. After passing the village of Colwich to the right the main line swings round to the left and the line to Manchester avoiding Stafford can be seen diverging from the main line to the right. The line then dives into a tunnel underneath the Shugborough Hall estate, home to the Earls of Lichfield. The mainline then swings round with the line from Wolverhampton joining to the left and enters Stafford station.

After passing Stafford the railway runs through the village of Great Bridgeford. Then Norton Bridge is passed soon after which the line to Manchester diverges off to the right. After climbing up a gradual gradient that is Whitmore bank to the summit at Whitmore, the railway descends slowly to the level of the Cheshire Plain. To the right is a distant view of the Potteries, and three or four miles farther on, just before entering Crewe, are the famous Basford Hall goods sidings containing over 100 miles of track which can be seen to the left. Crewe South Carriage Shed is passed on the right hand side. Just after this vast array of sidings the Shrewsbury line can be seen joining the mainline from the left, while to the right joins the line from Stoke on Trent. Then the train enters the famous railway town and great junction station of Crewe.

Crewe is famous as a railway town and is a busy junction station. To the right of Crewe station can be seen the Crewe Arms Hotel, famous as being the first railway hotel in Britain. It is also home to the famous railway works which although it doesn’t build trains anymore is still comparatively busy as a repair works. Although sadly it has to be said the once mighty works is now a shadow of its former self. Crewe was home from 1946 to 2002 to the Rolls-Royce motor car works. From the end of 2002 Rolls-Royce motor car manufacture has now moved to a new factory in Chichester. However the car factory continues to be the home of Bentley Motors and now just produces Bentley motor cars. Crewe did not come to prominence until the late 1830s when the Grand Junction Railway chose it to be the site of its new locomotive works and Crewe railway station. Today Crewe is one of the largest stations in North West England and is a major station on the West Coast Main Line and thus remains a major railway centre.

Crewe to Chester:

On departing Crewe station the Chester and North Wales line diverging off to the left, while the Manchester line via Wilmslow diverges off to the right. The mainline to Glasgow continues north past the old Crewe North signal box is passed in what has become Crewe Heritage Centre (The Railway Age Crewe) and here on the left is the distinctive sight of retired ill fated British Rail experimental APT tilting train (arguably the forerunner of today’s Pendolino tilting trains operated by Virgin Trains) now on static display in the heritage centre. However our train to Holyhead diverges off the mainline to the left and heads past the Crewe Heritage Centre on the right. Soon Crewe train depot is passed on the left with the famous Crewe Works on the right, now run by the French based global transport manufacturer Alstom S.A.. The line then heads into the rolling Cheshire countryside and crosses the River Weaver followed by the Shopshire & Union Canal. Soon this canal is following the railway on the right hand side. Then the train enters Chester station, just before which the Warrington line joins the mainline from the right.

The historic city of Chester lies on the River Dee and is the county town of Cheshire. It is one of the best preserved walled cities in Britain. The city dates back to Roman times and is famous for Chester Cathedral and the ruined Roman amphitheatre. Today a large amount of land in and around Chester is owned by His Grace The Duke of Westminster whose country estate Eaton Hall is a few miles away near the village of Eccleston. The city is also for its unique ‘Rows’ on its shopping streets and its famous Browns of Chester department store was once known as ‘The Harrods of the North’. Today the store is part of the Debenhams chain. There is also the famous Chester Racecourse and Castle. A bus link operates from the railway station into the city centre.