HIGH WYCOMBE TO PRINCES RISBOROUGH (Wycombe Railway)
11th May 2006

When the single track Wycombe Railway route between High Wycombe and Princes Risborough was incorporated into the GW/GC joint line, the new double track main line took a different alignment in several places. There are three main sections of abandoned trackbed; the approaches to Temple End viaduct at High Wycombe, the formation between West Wycombe and Saunderton station and the little known Saunderton summit section. Recieved wisdom has it that, where the up and down lines take separate alignments between Saunderton and Princes Risborough, the up line follows the newer GW/GC formation whilst the down line follows the old Wycombe Railway alignment. This is only partially true. The down line uses more of the original Wycombe Railway alignment than the up line, but it also avoids the old summit by diverting into a new cutting. The old summit cutting can still clearly be seen.
Several interesting comparative views can be found in The Railway Archive website (see links). Where appropriate I have indicated the image number in my caption so this can be typed into The Railway Archive search box.
Photos of the GW/GC stations at High Wycombe, Saunderton and Princes Risborough can be found on "Railway Stations UK". (See links).

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The down side abutment of the Priory Road bridge in High Wycombe survives alongside the GW/GC bridge. 4th October 2006. OS: SU865932
The down side abutment of the Priory Road bridge in High Wycombe survives alongside the GW/GC bridge. 4th October 2006. OS: SU865932
The GW/CG Priory Road bridge which has received a new deck at some point. 4th October 2006. OS: SU865932
The GW/CG Priory Road bridge which has received a new deck at some point. 4th October 2006. OS: SU865932
 The truncated up side abutment of the Temple End viaduct in High Wycombe. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU864933
The truncated up side abutment of the Temple End viaduct in High Wycombe. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU864933
 The down side abutment with the replacement GW/GC Joint Line viaduct on the left. Image L3165 in the Railway Archive (see links) shows both viaducts in situ in 1906. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU864933
The down side abutment with the replacement GW/GC Joint Line viaduct on the left. Image L3165 in the Railway Archive (see links) shows both viaducts in situ in 1906. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU864933
A close up of the down side abutment. After having remained in situ but disused for decades, the viaduct was finally demolished in 1987 in order to facilitate road improvements. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU864933
A close up of the down side abutment. After having remained in situ but disused for decades, the viaduct was finally demolished in 1987 in order to facilitate road improvements. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU864933
 Bridge 79 over Cookshall Lane, West Wycombe. Virtually the whole of the original up end abutment survives next to the GW/GC bridge. 18th November 2006. OS: SU835948
Bridge 79 over Cookshall Lane, West Wycombe. Virtually the whole of the original up end abutment survives next to the GW/GC bridge. 18th November 2006. OS: SU835948
 Bridge 79. The down side abutment is also complete, minus one wing wall. 18th November 2006. OS: SU835948
Bridge 79. The down side abutment is also complete, minus one wing wall. 18th November 2006. OS: SU835948
 The trackbed looking towards West Wycombe with the GW/GC tracks situated higher up on the left. 18th November 2006. OS: SU832955
The trackbed looking towards West Wycombe with the GW/GC tracks situated higher up on the left. 18th November 2006. OS: SU832955
Looking in the opposite direction from the same spot, towards the Bradenham Road bridge. 18th November 2006. OS: SU832955
Looking in the opposite direction from the same spot, towards the Bradenham Road bridge. 18th November 2006. OS: SU832955
 Compare this view to picture L1428 in The Railway Archive (see links). Although obscured by undergrowth in the modern view, the Wycombe Railway trackbed and the Bradenham Road bridge are clearly visible parallel to the GW/GC lines in the older picture. (The caption in The Railway Archive is incorrect - they have confused Bradenham with Haddenham!). 18th November 2006. OS: SU832955
Compare this view to picture L1428 in The Railway Archive (see links). Although obscured by undergrowth in the modern view, the Wycombe Railway trackbed and the Bradenham Road bridge are clearly visible parallel to the GW/GC lines in the older picture. (The caption in The Railway Archive is incorrect - they have confused Bradenham with Haddenham!). 18th November 2006. OS: SU832955
 Bradenham Road. In the backgrond is the GW/GC brick arch bridge 81 and closer to the camera is the up side abutment of the Wycombe Railway bridge. The down side abutment and steel span are gone. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU830957
Bradenham Road. In the backgrond is the GW/GC brick arch bridge 81 and closer to the camera is the up side abutment of the Wycombe Railway bridge. The down side abutment and steel span are gone. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU830957
 A closer view of the abutment. Note the bricked-up arches in the face of the abutment, typical of many Wycombe Railway bridges. Image L1422 in the Railway Archive (see links) shows both bridges in situ in 1904. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU830957
A closer view of the abutment. Note the bricked-up arches in the face of the abutment, typical of many Wycombe Railway bridges. Image L1422 in the Railway Archive (see links) shows both bridges in situ in 1904. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU830957
Just north of the Bradenham Road bridge the old formation can clearly be seen in a shallow cutting beside the embankment of the GW/GC Joint Line. 13th September 2006. OS: SU828960
Just north of the Bradenham Road bridge the old formation can clearly be seen in a shallow cutting beside the embankment of the GW/GC Joint Line. 13th September 2006. OS: SU828960
Bridge 87 over Slough Lane, Saunderton. Compare this view to picture L1801 in The Railway Archive (see links). The second bridge abutment mentioned in the Railway Archive caption is in fact the end wall of a house. 18th November 2006. OS: SU813980
Bridge 87 over Slough Lane, Saunderton. Compare this view to picture L1801 in The Railway Archive (see links). The second bridge abutment mentioned in the Railway Archive caption is in fact the end wall of a house. 18th November 2006. OS: SU813980
 Closer inspection of bridge 87 reveals part of the wing wall of the Wycombe Railway bridge is incorporated into the structure. 18th November 2006. OS: SU813980
Closer inspection of bridge 87 reveals part of the wing wall of the Wycombe Railway bridge is incorporated into the structure. 18th November 2006. OS: SU813980
 Bridge 89 over Haw Lane, just north of Saunderton station. At first glance it looks like a typical GW/GC structure, but note that the wing walls on the western side here are red brick rather than the expected Staffordshire blue found on the eastern side. Image L3355 in the Railway Archive (link below) shows the bridge fron the eastern side in 1903. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU809987
Bridge 89 over Haw Lane, just north of Saunderton station. At first glance it looks like a typical GW/GC structure, but note that the wing walls on the western side here are red brick rather than the expected Staffordshire blue found on the eastern side. Image L3355 in the Railway Archive (link below) shows the bridge fron the eastern side in 1903. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU809987
Looking closer at the up side we can see that half the Wycombe Railway abutment still exists, with the later GW/GC structure starting behind that. Evidently the original bridge was slightly higher than the later one. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU809987
Looking closer at the up side we can see that half the Wycombe Railway abutment still exists, with the later GW/GC structure starting behind that. Evidently the original bridge was slightly higher than the later one. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU809987
 Once again the surviving half-abutment features a bricked-up arch. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU809987
Once again the surviving half-abutment features a bricked-up arch. 23rd May 2006. OS: SU809987
 Looking south from near the Saunderton Lee lane bridge. The GW/GC up line is on the left. The down line at this point is on the original Wycombe Railway alignment. 11th April 2007. OS: SU806996
Looking south from near the Saunderton Lee lane bridge. The GW/GC up line is on the left. The down line at this point is on the original Wycombe Railway alignment. 11th April 2007. OS: SU806996
 The point at which the GW/GC down line diverges from the original Wycombe Railway alignment, looking towards Princes Risborough. 11th April 2007. OS: SP804005
The point at which the GW/GC down line diverges from the original Wycombe Railway alignment, looking towards Princes Risborough. 11th April 2007. OS: SP804005
Looking south from above Saunderton Tunnel on the GW/GC up formation. Compare this view to picture L1479 in The Railway Archive (link below). The line of bushes running across from the right hand side of this photo is the edge of the disused summit cutting. The GW/GC down line is in its own cutting some yards behind this. In the archive picture this can be seen as a white scar in the chalk. 11th May 2006. OS: SP801011 (Marked
Looking south from above Saunderton Tunnel on the GW/GC up formation. Compare this view to picture L1479 in The Railway Archive (link below). The line of bushes running across from the right hand side of this photo is the edge of the disused summit cutting. The GW/GC down line is in its own cutting some yards behind this. In the archive picture this can be seen as a white scar in the chalk. 11th May 2006. OS: SP801011 (Marked "5" on map below).
 A section of the summit cutting looking north. 11th May 2006. OS: SP802009 (Marked
A section of the summit cutting looking north. 11th May 2006. OS: SP802009 (Marked "1" on map below).
 A short section of the old cutting has been infilled. This is a view looking north from the infilled section. 11th May 2006. OS: SP801010 (Marked
A short section of the old cutting has been infilled. This is a view looking north from the infilled section. 11th May 2006. OS: SP801010 (Marked "2" on map below).
 The summit cutting looking south from the footpath at SP801010. 11th May 2006. (Marked
The summit cutting looking south from the footpath at SP801010. 11th May 2006. (Marked "3" on map below).
A few steps to the west along the same footpath and we come to the GW/GC down line formation in its cutting. (View looking south) Image L1803 in The Railway Archive (see links) shows this same stretch of line viewed from the opposite end of the cutting. 11th May 2006. OS: SP800010 (Marked
A few steps to the west along the same footpath and we come to the GW/GC down line formation in its cutting. (View looking south) Image L1803 in The Railway Archive (see links) shows this same stretch of line viewed from the opposite end of the cutting. 11th May 2006. OS: SP800010 (Marked "4" on map below).
 By bridge 95 over the Icknield Way the GW/GC down line has regained the old formation and this bridge is a Wycombe Railway structure. 18th November 2005. OS: SP797013 (Marked
By bridge 95 over the Icknield Way the GW/GC down line has regained the old formation and this bridge is a Wycombe Railway structure. 18th November 2005. OS: SP797013 (Marked "6" on map below).
 Red bricks and infilled arches beneath bridge 95 reveal its Wycombe Railway provenance. 18th November 2005. OS: SP797013
Red bricks and infilled arches beneath bridge 95 reveal its Wycombe Railway provenance. 18th November 2005. OS: SP797013
 Looking south from the divergence at Princes Risborough. Compare this with image L1802 in The Railway Archive. 27th March 2004. OS: SP798022 (Marked
Looking south from the divergence at Princes Risborough. Compare this with image L1802 in The Railway Archive. 27th March 2004. OS: SP798022 (Marked "7" on map below).
The site of the Wycombe Railway station at Princes Risborough, situated immediately north of the present (GW/CG) station. 20th September 2005. OS: SP799028
The site of the Wycombe Railway station at Princes Risborough, situated immediately north of the present (GW/CG) station. 20th September 2005. OS: SP799028
OS 1:25000 map of the summit area.
OS 1:25000 map of the summit area.
 Satellite image of the Saunderton summit area with the original Wycombe Railway trackbed visible between the GW/GC up and down lines. (Image courtesy of Google Earth).
Satellite image of the Saunderton summit area with the original Wycombe Railway trackbed visible between the GW/GC up and down lines. (Image courtesy of Google Earth).
 
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Mapping images used on this site produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Images reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
© 1998-2009 Roger Marks - All copyrights rest with the Author
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