Neasden Junction

Neasden Junction is a railway junction in Neasden, London. This is where the mainline from Marylebone diverges into two main lines: the Chiltern Main Line, which runs towards High Wycombe, Oxford and Birmingham, and the London to Aylesbury Line.

A 1914 Railway Clearing House map of railways in the vicinity of Neasden Junction (right). The Great Central Main Line is shown in pink.
Neasden Junction
A Thompson L1 2-6-4T suburban tank engine at Neasden Shed in March 1957

Simplified diagram of layout at Neasden Junction. LUL lines are omitted

The Aylesbury Line used to be the main route of the Great Central Main Line, until the Chiltern Main Line was built to replace it, rejoining the old route north of Aylesbury. The Great Central ran to Rugby, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Manchester until it was closed due to the Beeching axe in 1966.

Just south-east of the mainline junction the freight line (Dudding Hill Line) from Acton splits into two, one line continuing onwards north-east to Cricklewood and the other joining the Chiltern Main Line westbound. There are a few sidings for freight and maintenance trains. There used to be a locomotive shed but this was knocked down during the 1960s.[1] The Metropolitan line and Jubilee line run east of the junction and Neasden Underground station also lies east to the junction. The North Circular Road goes over the junction using a Victorian bridge.

Neasden Junction in 1959
Main line train passing Neasden Station in 1959

Realignment

As part of Chiltern Railways' Evergreen 3 line speed improvements, the junction was rebuilt to allow 75 mph running between the mainline and the Chiltern Main Line, while retaining 60 mph running on the London to Aylesbury Line.[2]

References
  1. Archived 26 May 2005 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Institute of Civil Engineers, talk by Adrian Shooter, Chairman DB Regio UK Ltd / Chiltern Railways". Chiltern Railways. Archived from the original on 26 September 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.


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