6th visit to Maidenhead on the Great Western Main Line and terminus for the Marlow Branch Line to Marlow which my previous visit was back in September 2021
Featuring services from Great Western Railway, Elizabeth Line and a one off Freighter.
The Present layout of today's Maidenhead station dates from November 1st 1871
There are 5 platforms with Platforms 1 and 2 on the fast lines used by passing services
Platforms 3 and 4 used by stopping services to and from Didcot Parkway semi fast stoppers operated by Class 387s which began operating on the line in January 2018.
Since December 2019 TFL Rail started operating all stopping services to and from Reading are now provided by Class 345s which first entered service on the Great Eastern Main Line in 2017 however wasn't until the following year in May 2018 when they first began on the GWML to Hayes & Harlington.
Since May 2022 TFL Rail was rebranded to Elizabeth Line which the central section from Paddington to Abbey Wood opened on May 24th 2022 however it wasn't until November 6th when services to Reading began running central section.
2 trains per hour continue to Reading which alternate with 2 services terminating at Maidenhead and then reversing via the Turnback Line Siding.
Also West of Maidenhead is the Maidenhead Carriage sidings which can stable Class 345s and 387s however nowadays the latter is maintained at Reading Traincare Depot whilst the Class 345s are maintained at Old Oak Depot as well as Ilford E.M.U.D. on the Great Eastern Main Line.
Platform 5 is mostly nowadays used by Class 165 Turbos which provide the hourly services on the Marlow Branch Line
It can also be used as a through platform in the early morning or evening and as well as being used for trains accessing the carriage sidings located west of the station or reversing stock movements to Reading.
Although 3 car sets can operate on the branch however due to the short Platform at Bourne End means it only practical enough for 2 car Sets to reverse to Marlow.
The Marlow Branch line locally known as 'The Marlow Donkey first opened in 1854 by the Wycombe Railway Company to High Wycombe although before todays station of Maidenhead had a first stop called Maidenhead Boyn Hill which closed in 1871 when the present Maidenhead station opened.
The link from Bourne End to Marlow didn't open until 2 years later.
Since May 4th 1970 the link to High Wycombe was cut back to Boune End by British Rail as part of the controversial Beeching Axe which left Bourne End as a reversing point for Marlow Trains and High Wycombe left to be served exclusively by Chiltern Railways services from London Marylebone.
The Intercity services nowadays are operated by Class 800 and 802 IETs with the Class 800s entering service in October 2017 with the Class 802s operating in August 2018.
They took over the operations from the long running Class 43 HSTs since May 2019 although in recent years Class 387s which not only provide the half hourly semi fast stopping service to and from Didcot Parkway but also provide the electric services to and from Newbury as well as since May 2021 cleared to operate electric services to Bristol Parkway and Cardiff Central.
Although variety has changed over the last few years however it isn't surprising Maidenhead can still be very hectic.
Music used:
JJD - Adventure
Music provided by NCS
Video link:
NoCopyrightSounds
• JJD - Adventure | Glit...
Filmed on Saturday July 1st 2023 on iPhone 14 Pro and edited on iMovie
#greatwesternrailway #gwr #elizabethline #alstom #hitachi #class345 #class387 #class800 #class802 #maidenhead #berkshire