Place Blunham Grid reference TL149505 | Area Central Bedfordshire Platforms in use 2 | |
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Original company Bedford & Cambridge Railway Pre-grouping London and North Western Railway Post-grouping London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London Midland Region of British Railways (1948-1958)
Eastern Region of British Railways (1958-1968) Similar Southill railway station, Chaul End railway station, Cardington railway station, Potton railway station, Sharnbrook railway station | ||
Blunham was a railway station on the Varsity Line which served the small village of the same name in Bedfordshire. Opened in 1862, the station was located in a rural area and saw little passenger traffic; it closed together with the line in 1968.
Contents
History
Travelling from Oxford in the direction of Cambridge, Blunham was the first station on the Varsity Line which was built in the architectural style of the Bedford & Cambridge Railway, a style which included strong gables in yellow gault brick together with red brick dressings and string courses. As with the other Bedford & Cambridge-built stations with the exception of Potton, the main station buildings were situated on the down side and a wooden shelter served for passengers on the up platform. The two platforms were low and steps were often needed to reach coaches, illuminated at night by the station's oil lamps.
The station had a substantial goods shed which contained a 25cwt crane and sidings controlled by a 20-lever frame signal box. A longer private siding led southwards to Beeson's Mill which produced linseed oil on the banks of the River Ivel. The station like many others on the Bedford & Cambridge's line saw much traffic in vegetables - notably potatoes, leading to special trains being laid on to arrange for the collection of goods for carriage to Bletchley and onward transport to London.
The station served a relatively rural community - there were 598 residents in 1901 - and this, coupled with its remote location to the south of Blunham village, left it susceptible to competition from the motor car. The station eventually closed together with the Bedford & Cambridge-built section of the Varsity Line in 1968.
Present day
The main station building has been restored and converted into two semi-detached private residences respectively named "Stationmaster's Cottage" and "Station House". The approach road to the station has been redeveloped as a new housing development called "Old Station Court" which continues westwards across the former railway alignment. To the east, the trackbed is intact including bridge no. 15 over the River Ivel which now forms part of National Cycle Route 51.