Millbrook to Aspley Guise
Upon leaving Stewartby, the train skirts along the
southern border of the Marston Vale Millennium Country Park. The
perimeter path runs just the other side of the fence, and can be
easily accessed from either Stewartby station, or the forthcoming
Millbrook station. To the south of the railway is one of the best
examples of quarry restoration taking place in the Marston Vale.
Significant mineral extraction still takes place around this area,
with quarries dotting the landscape, although much is not viewable
from the line itself. A person with a keen eye may also spot
Ampthill Park House atop a hillside in the distance, a house
rebuilt in the late 1600s to form part of what is now Ampthill
Park.
After a short journey, the train pulls into Millbrook
station. Next to the Bletchley-bound platform is perhaps the best
example of railway architecture on the line, the old station
building. Now a family home, the building has been lovingly
restored by its owner, and both the building and its gardens have
been the base for many rail user group and Community Rail
Partnership events in the past. The brick platforms, and adjacent
buildings, only add to the station’s historic charm.
To the north of the station, there is an entrance to the Marston
Vale Millenium Country Park, the main leisure attraction in the
Marston Vale. You can walk or cycle (you can take your bike on the
train) around 5 miles of off-road tracks, before stopping off at
the Forest Centre for a well-earned break. The Forest Centre is
also central to the Marston Vale Community Forest, which is working
towards not just increasing tree coverage in the Marston Vale, but
also to conserve existing habitats. In addition to the walking and
cycling facilities, the Country Park is an excellent location for
nature lovers, with its wetland reserve harbouring a range of
species. Bird watchers should look out for Bitterns, Lapwings,
Golden Plovers, and Redshanks among the many species spotted here,
while the extensive range of flora and fauna will keep nature
lovers busy for some time!
Upon leaving Millbrook station, you will notice quite a high bank
to the south of the railway. This bank forms part of the running
track for the Millbrook Vehicle Proving Ground. Formerly owned by
Vauxhall, the independent company has put many of today’s top
sports cars through its paces here, for speed on the oval track, to
handling and comfort on its off-road track.
After a while, the train
trundles into the village of Lidlington, coming to a halt at
one of the few stations situated in the heart of a built up area.
Lidlington is a hillside village situated on the northern slope of
the Greensand Ridge, famous for its walk and, if local rumours are
to be believed, the inspiration for the ‘Delectable
Mountains’ in John Bunyan’s The Pilgrims Progress, with
the steep slope at the edge of the village being Bunyan’s
‘Hill of Difficulty’. Lidlington Lake (often mistakenly
called Brogborough Lake) at the edge of the village is popular with
bird watchers and wind surfers.
Once the train leaves Lidlington, it passes along a plateau in the
hillside known as Brogborough Bank. This bank offers what is
perhaps the best view of the Marston Vale from the railway. On a
clear day, you can see as far afield as Bedford, and the chimney
stacks at Stewartby are nearly always visible.
After passing by
some distribution centres, the train then pulls into
Ridgmont station. Here, you will no doubt notice a
significant amount of construction taking place. This is where the
new Ridgmont Bypass will pass over the railway, rather than use the
existing level crossing which causes no end of frustration for
motorists in peak times. As the train stops at Ridgmont, you may
notice a large temporary building next to one of the platforms.
This is the control centre for the entire Marston Vale Line, put in
when the line was upgraded in the summer of 2003. On the other
platform is the beautiful Ridgmont station building, one of only a
handful of original station buildings remaining on the line. The
Community Rail Partnership has some big plans for this building,
which you can read about in the Our
Work section of this website. From the station you can also see
the Marston Gate Business Park, which contains large distribution
centres (notably Amazon.co.uk), and workers frequently use the
Marston Vale train service to get to work.
Just up the hill is the village of Ridgmont. Ridgmont is
essentially an estate village of the magnificent Woburn Abbey, and
contains many examples of brick gabled housing associated with the
estate. A lesser-known claim to fame is that Ridgmont was the
birthplace of the Countess of Strathmore, mother of the late Queen
Elizabeth, the queen mother. The village itself
contains many local shops and services, and is also one of the
entrances to Woburn Safari Park. Travelling by train to this
attraction, however, is not really possible as you are not allowed
in without a car!
The train then takes the short hop under the motorway to Aspley
Guise. The station is located on the edge of the village, which
contains a number of local shops, pubs, and some hotels. Aspley
Guise contains one of the lesser-known operations of World War 2,
The Rookery, on Church Street, which was home the Psychological War
Executive, engaged in special operations to demoralise the
population of Axis countries during World War 2. Historic buildings
enthusiasts will also take interest in the ancient buildings of
Aspley House, Guise House, and the Old House.
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