A very busy and warm visit to Slough situated on the GWML after spending around 1 hour on Saturday 7th April 2018. Many 800's and 802's are included and some horns from some 800's and 43's and 166's.
Slough info:
Slough railway station, in Slough, Berkshire, England, is served by local services operated by Great Western Railway from Paddington to Reading and main line services on the Great Western Main Line, the original line of the Great Western Railway. It is also the junction for the Windsor branch. It is 18 miles 36 chains (29.7 km) down the line from Paddington and is situated between Langley to the east and Burnham to the west.
The station is just to the north of the town centre, on the north side of the A4.
Main line trains run to and from Oxford, Worcester Shrub Hill, Worcester Foregate Street, Hereford, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester and many other destinations.
History:
The first section of the Great Western Railway (GWR), between the original station at Paddington and the original station at Maidenhead, opened on 4 June 1838, but although trains stopped at Slough, there was no actual station: tickets were sold at the Crown Inn. This was because the Act which authorised the construction of the GWR contained a clause which forbade the construction of a station within 3 miles (4.8 km) of Eton College without the permission of the Provost and Fellows of the school; but it did not explicitly prevent trains from stopping for passengers. Following the repeal of the relevant clauses in the GWR Act, the first proper station at Slough opened on 1 June 1840. The arrival of the railway led to Queen Victoria making her first railway journey, from Slough to Bishop's Bridge near Paddington, in 1842. Later, a branch to Windsor & Eton Central was built for the Queen's greater convenience.
Originally, the headmaster of Eton College, Dr. John Keate, had resisted efforts to place a station closer to Eton College than Slough, because he feared that it would "interfere with the discipline of the school, the studies and amusements of the boys, affecting the healthiness of the place, from the increase of floods, and endangering even the lives of boys."
Windsor & Eton Central railway station (served from Slough) and Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station both opened in 1849 despite the opposition from the College.
Its approach road which ran from the Great West Road to the station, was much wider than an approach road would otherwise have needed to have been. This was to accommodate the Queen's carriages and entourage. Slough High Street was originally part of the Great West Road, which has now been diverted via Wellington Street, allowing the High Street to be largely pedestrianised.
On 1 January 1845, John Tawell, who had recently returned from Australia, murdered his lover, Sarah Hart, at Salt Hill in Slough by giving her a glass of stout poisoned with cyanide of potash. With various officials in chase, Tawell fled to Slough Station and boarded a train to Paddington. The electric telegraph had been installed between Paddington and Slough in 1843, and a message was sent ahead to Paddington with Tawell's details. Tawell was trailed and subsequently arrested, tried and executed for the murder at Aylesbury on 28 March 1845. This is believed to be the first time that the telegraph had been involved in the apprehension of a murderer.
From 1 March 1883, the station was served by District Railway services running between Mansion House and Windsor & Eton Central. The service was discontinued as uneconomic after 30 September 1885.
On 8 September 1884 the original station was closed and replaced by the present station, situated 220 yards (200 m) to the west of the old.
Services:
The station has an intensive service to and from London Paddington (two fast and four stopping trains each hour on average on weekdays), with trains continuing westwards to Reading and Oxford. Some of the expresses continue along the Cotswold Line to Worcester Shrub Hill, Great Malvern and Hereford. A few London trains also originate/terminate here, though this only now occurs at peak periods rather than as part of the regular timetable. On Saturdays, the local service drops to half-hourly and runs to/from Oxford.
On the Windsor branch, the shuttle service operates every 20 minutes each way all day (including Sundays).
Virgin CrossCountry used to run services to Paddington Via Slough. These services were withdrawn in Summer 2003 as part of Virgin's Operation Princess.
In July 2012, the Department of Transport announced plans for the Western Rail Approach to Heathrow, a proposed new rail link that would enable direct services to run from Reading and Slough to Heathrow Airport. As of 2016, a route has been planned, and public consultation is under way. Subject to approval, Network Rail is envisaging construction will take place between 2019 and 2024.
More info can be seen here: en.wikipedia.o...