The Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership is managed by Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC), the leading community development agency working across Bedfordshire, with a proven track record built up over 60 years.
Community Rail Partnerships
Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership is one of a growing number of Community Rail Partnerships across the country.
They work to engage communities and help people get the most from their railways, promoting social inclusion and sustainable travel.
Community Rail Partnerships work alongside train operators to deliver improvements and bring stations back to life.
For more information please visit:
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Train Information
The full timetable, including the return of a Saturday & Bank Holiday service resumed on 19th Feb 2024.
Services are unlikely to operate when industrial action is taking place on the London Northwestern Railway network. Please see the 
A special ticket offer was launched 19th February to celebrate the resumption of the full service. A single journey between any two Marston Vale Line stations costs just £1 for adults and 50p for children. This offers a discount of up to 90% on the usual fare. The offer has been extended and is valid until 16th November.Latest news
Keep up to date with all the latest Marston Vale Line news and events.
Symbol Spot
A new Marston Vale Line Symbol Spot Trail, in association with Mini Map Makers, will be available when purchasing child train tickets at Bedford, Bletchley and Milton Keynes Central stations or when visiting Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre during normal opening hours with a valid train ticket.
The Marston Vale Line is the first in the country to have a Symbol Spot along its route.
The aim is to spot a host of symbols along the line, including letters, numbers, shapes, map symbols, signs and rail safety items. Children will produce rubbings in their booklets of the symbols located at each station and the set at Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre.
Symbol Spot isn't just for children, adults can learn too, A ‘Strip Map’ of the Line has been produced.
Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre
Visit this hidden gem at Ridgmont Railway Station on the Marston Vale rail line.
Tea Room
We're open for breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake, and afternoon tea (book in advance)
Opening hours during winter are Wednesday to Saturday - 10am to 4pm.
Food is served 10am to 3pm
Book your afternoon tea experience
Call 01525 287120 or email tearoom@bedsrcc.org.uk.
Please note that full afternoon tea needs to be booked three days in advance.
Office Space and Meeting Room to Hire
One first floor office space is available to let on competitive terms at Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre.
Viewing by appointment – please call 01234 832645 or email heritagecentre@bedsrcc.org.uk
Download the specifications for the front office.
Meeting room space for up to 15 people is also available at the Heritage Centre. Our delegate rate of £15 per head includes refillable tea/coffee and a sandwich platter lunch plus use of a projector and screen. Wi-fi available.
Please call 01234 832645 to book or e-mail heritagecentre@bedsrcc.org.uk.
Leave us a Review
If you enjoyed your visit to us, we'd be grateful if you could leave us a review on Trip Advisor, Google Maps, or our Facebook page. It really helps us out!
Tag us in your Social Media posts when you visit us:
Thank you so much to John from Rainham Rail Enthusiast for his lovely review of Ridgmont Heritage Centre.
Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre is proud to be part of a network of over 20 museums across Bedfordshire. Check out the Bedfordshire Museums Map for full details.
Contact us
E-mail
officer@marstonvalecommunityrail.org.uk
Phone
01234 832645
Post
Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership,
The Old School, Cardington,
Bedford, Bedfordshire
MK44 3SX
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The Bedfordshire Brickworks Exhibition is returning by popular demand at our very own Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre on Thursday 12th September from 10:00 – 4:00. Free entry!
Heritage Centre and Tea Room open as usual.
Andrew Mortlock, London Brick Archivist, will be bringing an extensive collection of archives, photographs and ephemera connected with the brickworks that used to dominate the landscape along the Marston Vale Line and other areas of Bedfordshire. Andrew will also be bringing his collection of company magazines, the Phorpres News, containing records and photographs of London Brick Company workers.
Andrew and his family are steeped in London Brick with over 200 years’ service dating back to both his grandfathers.
Don’t forget a single journey between any two Marston Vale Line stations is just £1 for adults and 50p for children; £2 adult return, £1 child. Railcard and Bedfordshire Bus Pass discounts (half price travel after 10:00 on weekdays and all day on Saturday & Bank Holidays) apply.
There are also lots of other great places to visit across Milton Keynes this week arranged by our friends Living Archive as part of Heritage Open Days
Special Sunday opening at the Heritage Centre on 8th & 15th September from 10:00 – 4:00 too! (No train services on Sundays).
Check out www.livingarchive.org.uk
#CommunityRail #keepsafe #heritage #HeritageOpenDays #brickworks #londonbrick #bedford #stewartby #MarstonMoretaine #lidlington #ridgmont #brogborough #woburnsands #bletchley
Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre and Tea Room
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity
My Milton Keynes Greensand Country
Bedfordshire Museums Forest of Marston Vale
The Higgins Bedford Bedfordshire Archives Milton Keynes Museum
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Anyone fancy another 3 months of £1 tickets?
Delighted to announce the £1 ticket offer has been extended by popular demand until 16th November!
A single journey between any two Marston Vale Line stations will remain just £1 for adults and 50p for children; £2 adult return, £1 child. Railcard and Bedfordshire Bus Pass discounts (half price travel after 10:00 on weekdays and all day on Saturday & Bank Holidays) apply.
Perfect for the rest of the summer holidays and into half-term too!
Check out www.marstonvalecommunityrail.org.uk/days-out for days out ideas.
Thanks to London Northwestern Railway for making this happen!
Forgotten how to purchase these great value tickets? Here’s how:
• The Senior Conductor on the train (cash or card)
• Any staffed rail station (cash or card)
• Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) at each Marston Vale Line station (card only)
Tickets purchased via www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk can be collected at any staffed station or TVM.
#CommunityRail #keepsafe #bedford #kempstonhardwick #stewartby #millbrookvillage #Wootton #MarstonMoretaine #lidlington #ridgmont #brogborough #aspleyguise #BowBrickhill
#fennystratford #bletchley #miltonkeynes #leightonbuzzard
#schoolsoutforsummer
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity
Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre and Tea Room
East Midlands Railway
Forest of Marston Vale Love Bedford
MK Dons Sport and Education Trust - SET
Bletchley Park Milton Keynes Dons
My Milton Keynes Raring2go Bedford
Greensand Country
Bedfordshire Museums
Primary Times Bedfordshire & Luton
Bedford Independent Bedford College
Bedford Credit Union Bedford Free School
Bedford Girls' School Bedford Modern School
Kimberley STEM College Milton Keynes College
Cedars Upper School
Destination Milton Keynes
Community Rail Network
British Regional Transport Association -BRTA
Bedford Radio John Bunyan Museum The Panacea Museum
The Higgins Bedford Gallone's Ice Cream Bedford
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Our trip to the tearoom and museum at Ridgmont on Saturday. Lovely lunch, and interesting museum.
Great news, we love our trips to the garden centers in Woburn and plan to take the bikes to caldecotte lake this summer as the station is right nearby to it
We visited Millenium Country Park on Wednesday using the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership Myself and Vicki from Buttercup Childminding took 8 children on the train and it was such a great day. The children were so excited and loved riding on the train, for some it was their first experience 😍 So pleased you have extended the offer and we're already planning our next adventure 😀 Thanks to all your brilliant staff for their help on the day, Lorraine @ Bright Stars Childminding
Great news! I’ve been using the service more often since trains have been back running. Went to Edinburgh & back from Stewartby last week.
Just to clarify … does this mean I could go from Bletchley to Bedford for £1 or does it mean I can go from Bletchley to Fenny for £1 then Fenny to bow Brickhill another £1 etc ? Thank you 😊
Looks like London Northwestern are cancelling a high percentage of trains again this week, keep passing road replacement services.
It's great to make a normal trip into a day out with kids. We went to woburn sands, visited the brilliant playground opposite the station, walked up to Woburn Sands Emporium for cake and to do their search and get some seeds for the kids to plant. Then walked back for a trip home to Bedford on the train.
Where do we go to get two ?
Best news ever thank you!!
Great news. Thanks a lot
Best news ever thank u x
Brilliant news.
Now we need to tackle unreliability, driver shortages leading to cancellations and bus substitutions, have a vision and plan for the local line and service including electrification, lengthening halts to 4 coach length and retaining Stewartby for Kimberley College students to use as well as villagers themselves regardless of Universal which should focus on Kempston Hardwick? All this regardless of East-West Rail, which should be icing on the cake. Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership Bedford Borough Council Central Bedfordshire Council Milton Keynes City Council
Fantastic news!
Brilliant News 👍
This is brilliant. Well done Steve Sleight and the rest of the team.
👍
Sandra Bye
Only £1.30 return each, with a two together Railcard 😁
Conner Partridge get in!!!
Woohoo!!
Great news the £1 fare been extended. Wheelchair access is available at both Bedford stations, lots of parking at Melbourne car park next to St Johns. There is a bike area on the train and step free access from St Johns, so you can ride round the Millennium park, or on cycle route 51 from Woburn sands train station again step free access to Willen Lake for more info visit www.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/destinations/trains-to-marston-vale-line Bedford Borough Council Carers in Bedfordshire Embrace - Formerly BDCPS Autism Bedfordshire Bedford Borough Parent Carer Forum Healthwatch Bedford Borough
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This is great for us, coming from Bedford. But - today - we booked the 8.08am, train from Bedford to Leighton Buzzard, via Bletchley on this line. Meeting friends, in LB, to start the Greensand Ridge hike. We arrived at Bedford rail station - before 8am, only to find that the 8.08 train was cancelled. AND the 9.08. This meant we wouldn’t get to L Buzzard until after 11am, if we waited for 10.07. And even then the staff at Bedford station didn’t know if that train would go ahead. We had to get someone to drive us there instead. We are searching for compensation - and can only find out that we should request a refund - then, paying £4 for the admin charge for the refund. This is unacceptable. Is there another option as we’d like a full refund at least (as we had to pay for petrol etc )?
Just 2 weeks to go to make use of the fantastic £1 ticket offer! A single journey between any two Marston Vale Line stations is just £1 for adults and 50p for children (£2 adult return, £1 child) until 19th August.
Railcard and Bedfordshire Bus Pass discounts (half price travel after 10:00 on weekdays and all day on Saturday & Bank Holidays) apply.
Lots of great places to choose from including;
• Bletchley Park - 2 for 1 discount for rail passengers
• Our very own Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre,
• The Forest Centre & Millennium Country Park – pleasant walk or cycle ride from Millbrook Station – 10% discount for rail passengers in the Lakeside Café
• Bedford – family fun at The Higgins Bedford, John Bunyan Museum & The Panacea Museum, a picnic by the River Great Ouse & a wide variety of great independent shops
Don’t forget 25% discount for rail passengers at Gallone's Ice Cream Bedford and Pavilion At The Park!
Plus much more. Check out www.marstonvalecommunityrail.org.uk/days-out
#CommunityRail #keepsafe #familyfun #discount
#bedford #kempstonhardwick #stewartby #Wootton #lidlington #ridgmont #MarstonMoretaine#brogborough #woburnsands #bowbricklhill #fennystratford #bletchley #miltonkeynes #leightonbuzzard
Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity
Ridgmont Station Heritage Centre and Tea Room
London Northwestern Railway East Midlands Railway
Avanti West Coast
Bedford to Bletchley Rail Users' Association
Greensand Country Love Bedford
Bedfordshire Museums Experience Bedfordshire
My Milton Keynes
Raring2go Bedford Primary Times Bedfordshire & Luton
Forest of Marston Vale Bletchley Park
John Bunyan Boat Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust Bedford Association of Tour Guides Bedford Credit Union
Bedford Borough Council
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We'll be taking a series of rides to dance along the line on Saturday - and we're really looking forward to it!
Timetable for Sunday's special River Festival Train Service - all subject to availability
If the River Festival is not for you, of course you could take advantage of the current £1 single / £2 return for anywhere on the Bedford to Bletchley line... maybe a chance to have a day out by train
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Won't be going now ....too much hassle with 2 mobility scooters .... be missing a good day out
Would there be a member of staff/ticket person to help me get a ticket on board the train? I have a Bedford borough bus pass, and I don’t know how to put it through the machine at St John’s station and Bedford Station.
Do we pay for children?
My Bill played here with his band.