Potton Railway Station

Out for a walk this afternoon, I passed this charming building.

This is Potton Railway Station, a Grade II listed building but now a private residence. It was a station on the Varsity Line that ran between Oxford and Cambridge via Bedford and Bletchley. The line found itself proposed for closure first in 1959 and then again in 1963, before eventually closing in 1968.

The last train service left the station on 30th December 1967 and the irony is that it is down to the speed of deisels being introduced by British Rail that meant that people could travel faster between Oxford and Cambridge via London.

I am by no means a railway enthusiast but I have used the railways all my life and have always lived near railway lines so it makes sense to use them. In fact, I was born within about 100 feet of a railway line (albeit a little used one during my lifetime). However, I often look at this old building and think that I would love to live there as the garden includes the old platform and canopy, which is a bit unique on the landscaping front. Mind you, having factory units as neighbours might change my view as the track bed and railway yard etc are all given over to light industry.