London Marylebone to Aylesbury

The Route of the Chiltern Clubman

London Marylebone was the London terminus of the Great Central Railway, the last main line to be built in Britain (before the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link). It originally competed with London Paddington for services to the West Midlands. The services via the Great Central main line also competed with the London St Pancras for services to Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield. But it has since taken over as the London terminus for express services to Birmingham Snow Hill and instead competes with the West Coast Main Line services to the West Midlands from London Euston.

London Marylebone is one of London’s hidden treasures. One of the last of London’s many termini; Marylebone was completed in 1899 by the Great Central Railway. The station is fronted by the magnificent former Great Central Hotel, which was used as offices for many years but now once again is a prestigious hotel known as the Landmark London. In its heyday London Marylebone was the starting point for famous expresses such as the Master Cutler and the South Yorkshireman. Today the station is still busy with commuter services along the Chiltern Line to Aylesbury and Birmingham Clubman express trains to Birmingham Snow Hill via Banbury.

Throughout this “Through the Window” guide we describe views as being left or right from the train facing in the direction of travel out of London.

London Marylebone to Banbury:

On leaving the peace and quiet of London Marylebone station, the train enters a long tunnel that takes it under Lord’s Cricket Ground, and the London suburbs of St John’s Wood and Hampstead. At Neasden the Birmingham trains branch westwards while the Aylesbury line diverges off to the right. Also the London Underground’s large Neasden train depot can be seen to the right. 

From here the Chiltern Line trains share much of the route to Amersham with the London Underground's Metropolitan Line.Therefore all the intermediate stations carry London Underground roundals. This is a legacy of the old Metropolitan Railway's ambitious development of its routes into London's growing north western suburbs during the early 20th century. This was the period where communities such as Pinner, Northwood, Moor Park, Rickmansworth and Chorleywood were developed under the banner of Metroland. The route remains largely surburban as the train makes its way past villas and back gardens to Moor Park station, where the Colne valley and the Grand Union Canal help to divide London from its surrounding countryside. The famous Moor Park golf course is by the line, and the grand early 18th century mansion that now serves as the club house lies to the left westwards. Woods then flank the line to Chorleywood. At Chorleywood there are two houses by C.F. voysey, the best known being The Orchard, which the architect built for himself in 1901. At Chalfont & Latimer station, you can change for the London Underground Metropolitan Line's branch to Chesham. After this we soon reach Amersham, which has a 17th century Town Hall and almshouses. There are also some famous 1930s International Moderne style houses, including Connell's High and Over of 1931.

Amersham to Aylesbury:

From Amersham the train climbs into the Chilterns along the valley of the River Misbourne, a delightful stretch of woodland and rolling hills. As the train approaches Great Missenden, the church can be seen in the valley to the right. Nearby is the 18th century gothic style Abbey, now a college. From Missenden onwards all the stations are similar in style, having been built by the Great Central Railway whose mainline from London this used to be. The attractive landscape continues to Wendover as the train begins its downward descent through the Chiltern beechwoods. Wendover is a delightful town set in the valley to the right of the station eastwards and it marks the end of the Chilterns. With the wooded scarp of Bacombe Hill to the left and beyond it the obelisk of Coombe Hill, the hills are left behind as the train drops into the flatter landscape of the Vale of Aylesbury. After Stoke Mandeville station, the train passes the famous hospital and then makes its elevated way into Aylesbury.

Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire and has managed to preserve its market town atmosphere despite much modern development. At the heart of the town is the fine market square, with its early 18th century County Hall, its 1876 clock tower and three statues of Disraeli, Lord Chesham and John Hampden. The former Grammer School now houses the local museum. The attractive canal basin is the terminus of a branch of the Grand Union Canal.