Bletchley Flyover

In 1959, the Bletchley Flyover was opened to carry the Varsity line over the West Coast Main Line (WCML) as part of the British Rail Modernisation Plan. The plan proposed to develop the Varsity Line as a freight link from the East Coast ports to South Wales, capable of handling up to 2,400 wagons of coal class traffic and empties daily. However, following British Railways deciding not to proceed with the Swanbourne sidings plan, the line saw little use, with most freight traffic taking other routes. The Varsity line closed to passengers on 1 January 1968; it remained open to goods traffic until October 1993, when the bridge was mothballed. The flyover was returned to use in 2006 along with…

The original structure was composed of 37 concrete spans, resting on concrete piers. It is 605 m long. Most of the spans are beam-shaped; two are double-length arches. Electrification pads were provided when the flyover was first built, despite there being no plans to electrify the line.