Denham railway station

Denham railway station is a railway station in the village of Denham in Buckinghamshire, England. It is on the Chiltern Main Line between West Ruislip and Denham Golf Club.

Denham
National Rail
General information
LocationDenham, Buckinghamshire
England
Grid referenceTQ042877
Managed byChiltern Railways
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeDNM
ClassificationDfT category E
History
Opened2 April 1906
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 0.308 million
2019/20Decrease 0.286 million
2020/21Decrease 43,810
2021/22Increase 0.134 million
2022/23Increase 0.176 million
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

History edit

 
A 1914 Railway Clearing House map showing (upper left) railways in and around Denham

The station was built just north of Denham village as part of the Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway. It opened on 2 April 1906 as Denham for Harefield.[1]

The original station layout had four roads: two for non-stop trains, and two with platforms for stopping services. There was a small goods yard north of the line, and a signal box at the London end of the "down" platform. The two through roads have been removed, being taken up in December 1965, with all services using the platform roads and has since had improved track alignments to allow fast running trains. The signal box closed on 15 June 1975. The former goods yard is now the station car park.[2][3]

The station was transferred from the Western Region of British Rail to the London Midland Region on 24 March 1974.[4]

Abandoned Central line extension edit

Under the London Passenger Transport Board's 1935-40 New Works Programme, Denham was to have been the terminus of the Central line's westward extension from North Acton, with Central line platforms south of those on the main line.[5] The continuation to Denham was added in 1937.[5] Work on the extension was postponed in World War II. The introduction of the Metropolitan Green Belt limited the expansion of the London urban area and the extension beyond West Ruislip was cancelled.[6] No visible signs of the extension works remain at Denham.

Development edit

The station was built with a pedestrian underpass linking the platforms, but this was inaccessible to people with impaired mobility. Further, the embankment supporting the "down" (westbound) platform and buildings was subsiding,[when?] so the "down" platform has been relocated as an island north of the "down" road, in the gap left by the removal of the original through roads, and to provide a footbridge and lifts, similar to those at Gerrards Cross, for disabled access. The new "down" platform was opened for use in late July 2008, and the original "down" platform and buildings have been removed.

A proposed second phase, providing a third reversible track between the rear of the new platform and the existing "up" (eastbound) platform road, would improve operational flexibility by allowing stopping services to be passed by following non-stop trains.[citation needed]

Services edit

All services at Denham are operated by Chiltern Railways.

The typical off-peak service is one train per hour in each direction between London Marylebone and High Wycombe. Services to and from London operate as stopping services calling at most stations. Additional services call at the station during the peak hours, including some services that run semi-fast to and from London.[7]

On weekends, northbound services are extended beyond High Wycombe to and from Aylesbury via Princes Risborough.

Preceding station   National Rail Following station
Chiltern Railways
  Historical railways  
Line and station open
Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway
Line open, station closed
Disused railways
TerminusGreat Western Railway
Line and station closed
  Abandoned plans  
Preceding station     London Underground   Following station
Terminus   Central line   Harefield Road

Cultural use edit

Denham Station served as "New Milton station" in the 1949 British comedy '"The Chiltern Hundreds, starring Cecil Parker and David Tomlinson.

In the episode "Queen and Country" of season 9 of the TV series New Tricks, Denham station was the location used for an unspecified station in Exeter.[citation needed]

In episode 6, "Home Sweet Home", of series 2 of TV sitcom The Good Life, the Goods are dropped off by Mr May outside the main building at Denham station after viewing a smallholding.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ *Brown, Joe (2015) [2006]. London Railway Atlas (4th ed.). Ian Allan. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-7110-3819-6.
  2. ^ Maggs, Colin.G, ed. (2009). The Branch Lines of Buckinghamshire. Stroud, Gloucester: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781848683426.
  3. ^ "Railway Codes".
  4. ^ Slater, J.N., ed. (May 1974). "Notes and News: Transfer of Marylebone-Banbury services". Railway Magazine. 120 (877). London: IPC Transport Press Ltd: 248. ISSN 0033-8923.
  5. ^ a b Bruce, J Graeme; Croome, Desmond F (2006) [1996]. The Central Line (2nd ed.). Capital Transport. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-85414-297-9.
  6. ^ Bruce, J Graeme; Croome, Desmond F (2006) [1996]. The Central Line (2nd ed.). Capital Transport. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-85414-297-9.
  7. ^ Table 115 National Rail timetable, May 2023

External links edit

51°34′44″N 0°29′49″W / 51.579°N 0.497°W / 51.579; -0.497