Up to the 1950’s Bletchley railway station had been virtually unchanged since the 1880’s. In 1953 the station still retained its Victorian style frontage even after under-going a £20,000 facelift.
Locally the station's main customers were the nearby brickworks, the Tetley tea blending works and the town’s three brush manufacturers. Passengers for the Oxbridge link were dwindling and most mainline expresses passed through without stopping.
In 1957 a scheme to ease the problems with cross-London freight was proposed. It involved developing the Oxbridge line and improving its connections. Bletchley was part of this freight by-pass scheme. A flyover viaduct was needed over the main line at Bletchley and main line traffic was to be diverted to a cross-country route. Another diversion would be from Denbigh Hall to the flyover. Work began in 1957, with the plant to build the flyover arriving in 1958.
The flyover under construction,with the Park Hotel just visible on the left hand side.
In 1959, however, the British Transport Commission (BTC) announced the withdrawal of the passenger service on the entire Oxbridge line. Bletchley believed that this could not happen and after protests, the BTC agreed to continue the service for two years with diesel traction.
By mid-1960 the flyover was in use and before the end of 1961 an under bridge was built.
In some areas in 1963 passenger services were under threat again. Despite objections, the Minister involved decided that Bletchley’s development would not be prejudiced by the closure of the Oxbridge line. After some delays and deferments, the Oxbridge passenger service finally ceased on the 30th December 1967.
Bletchley station itself was renovated in the 60’s. The old coffee tavern next to the Post Office building came down along with the main station building including its Victorian arches. The new building is still in use today.
Bletchley Station: 2000
The Post Office building next to the station survived for several more years, but eventually that too, was demolished: this is where the car park now stands.

All that remains of the original station is the retaining wall on the left as you enter the car park. The large square stones in the wall are the original stone sleepers from the London - Birmingham railway of 1838.
Return to Local Services.
More Photographs of the Station prior to modernisation.
On yer bike...
Previous page...Buses.