Station code RID DfT category F2 Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference SP965373 Managed by London Midland 2011/12 24,330 | |
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Similar Lidlington railway station, Millbrook (Bedfordshire) railway st, Kempston Hardwick railway st, Stewartby railway station, Bedford St Johns railway st | ||
Ridgmont railway station is a small unstaffed railway station that serves the villages of Ridgmont in Bedfordshire (about 1 mile (2 km) away on the other side of the M1 Motorway at Junction 13), Brogborough and Husborne Crawley. It also serves the large Amazon.com warehouse next door.
Contents
It is on the Bletchley — Bedford Marston Vale Line.
The station is served by London Midland Bletchley — Bedford local services. Services are operated using Class 150/1 and Class 153 diesel multiple units. Single carriage Class 153s operate services in the timetable shown with the "Limited Bicycle Space" label. Although not geographically the midpoint of the line, many train services 'cross' at Ridgmont station so it is not unusual to see Class 153 and 150 trains at the same time. There is no Sunday passenger service timetabled although the line remains open with signalers on duty at the Marston Vale Signalling Centre at Ridgmont.
The former station house, built in 1846 in the Cottage Orné architectural style, underwent a total refurbishment in 2014 managed by the Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) with funding from the Railway Heritage Trust. A tea room, gift shop, disabled access and toilets, additional car parking, three small 'start-up' offices and a meeting room have been provided. The former Victorian booking office has been restored as a small heritage centre.
Scenes from the feature film 'One Day' were filmed at the station.
Ridgmont Station has also been used as a watering point for steam-hauled special trains heading north from London.
General information
Ridgmont is in sight of Junction 13 of the M1 motorway and the station is adjacent to a number of distribution centres.
It was at Ridgmont that a new Marston Vale signalling control centre was built as part of the Bedford — Bletchley route modernisation in 2004. This centre replaced all the signal boxes and block posts (some contained within station buildings including Ridgmont) on the route.
Services
An hourly service operates in each direction, Mondays to Saturdays.
Community Rail Partnership
Ridgmont station, in common with others on the Marston Vale Line, is covered by the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership, which aims to increase use of the line by involving local people.