Maidenhead railway station

Maidenhead railway station serves the town of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is 24 miles 19 chains (39.0 km) down the line from London Paddington and is situated between Taplow to the east and Twyford to the west.

Maidenhead National Rail Elizabeth line
Maidenhead is located in Berkshire
Maidenhead
Maidenhead
Location of Maidenhead in Berkshire
LocationMaidenhead
Local authorityRoyal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Grid referenceSU886807
Managed byGreat Western Railway
Station codeMAI
DfT categoryC1
Number of platforms5
AccessibleYes
National Rail annual entry and exit
2017–18Decrease 4.583 million[1]
– interchange Increase 0.567 million[1]
2018–19Increase 4.717 million[1]
– interchange Increase 0.605 million[1]
2019–20Decrease 4.675 million[1]
– interchange Increase 0.644 million[1]
2020–21Decrease 0.850 million[1]
– interchange Decrease 93,818[1]
2021–22Increase 2.410 million[1]
– interchange Increase 0.309 million[1]
Railway companies
Original companyGreat Western Railway
Pre-groupingGWR
Post-groupingGWR
Key dates
1 November 1871Opened
Other information
External links
WGS8451.519°N 0.723°W / 51.519; -0.723
 London transport portal

It is served by local services operated by Great Western Railway and the Elizabeth line, and is also the junction for the Marlow Branch Line. It has five platforms which are accessed through ticket barriers at both entrances to the station. The Marlow line platform had an overall roof until 2014 when it was removed in the course of electrification works.

History
Maidenhead station in 1953

The station is on the original line of the Great Western Railway, which opened as far as Reading in 1840. The original Maidenhead Station lay east of the Thames, not far from the present Taplow station. This was the line's first terminus, pending the completion of the Sounding Arch (Maidenhead Railway Bridge) bridge over the river. In 1854, the Wycombe Railway Company built a line from Maidenhead to High Wycombe, with a station on Castle Hill, at first called "Maidenhead (Wycombe Branch)", later renamed "Maidenhead Boyne Hill". However, there was no station on the present site until 1871, when local contractor William Woodbridge built it. Originally, it was called "Maidenhead Junction", but eventually it came to replace the Boyn Hill station as well as the original station on the Maidenhead Riverside.[2]

In 2008 the station underwent major renovation works[3] and in 2010 a statue of Nicholas Winton was installed on one of the platforms.

In 2010 a statue was erected to honour the man dubbed the "British Schindler" for his work saving Jewish children from Nazi invasion. Sir Nicholas Winton was 29 when he smuggled 669 boys and girls, destined for concentration camps, out of Czechoslovakia in 1939. The statue, on platform three, depicts Winton sitting on a bench reading his famous scrapbook, which contained lists of all the children he helped to save.[4]

Crossrail

Initially, the planned western terminus for the Crossrail project was Maidenhead, but an announcement was made in 2014 that it would be Reading.[5] Some peak Elizabeth line trains terminate at Maidenhead, with two per hour continuing to Reading, so sidings have been built at Maidenhead to support this.

The station has undergone significant modification, including the replacement of the existing passenger waiting facilities, a new ticket hall, lifts, platform extensions to accommodate the longer trains, the introduction of overhead line equipment and the construction of new stabling and turnback facilities to the west of the station.[6][7]

Platform layout

The main entrance to the station is on the A308 with a back entrance on Shoppenhangers Road. The station has five through platforms and no terminating platforms:[8]

  • Platform 1 - For westbound trains on the main line. This platform is mainly used during peak times, as outside these times few trains on the main line stop at Maidenhead. It is outside of the ticket barriers at Shoppenhangers Road and the gate to the platform is only opened when a train is due to arrive.
  • Platform 2 - For eastbound trains on the main line. This platform is mainly used during peak times, as outside these times few trains on the main line stop at Maidenhead.
  • Platform 3 - For westbound trains on the relief line. The concourse is shared with platform 2.
  • Platform 4 - For eastbound trains on the relief line.
  • Platform 5 - For trains serving the Marlow branch line. Trains either begin/terminate here or continue to or from London on the relief line. This shares a concourse with platform 4.

Services

All trains at Maidenhead are operated by Great Western Railway and the Elizabeth line. The typical off-peak service is:

During the peak periods, additional trains run to and from London Paddington. In addition, the Marlow shuttle services increase to half-hourly and run only to Bourne End. A half-hourly shuttle connects from Bourne End to Marlow.

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Twyford   Great Western Railway
Great Western Main Line		   Slough
Terminus   Great Western Railway
Marlow Branch Line		   Furze Platt
Preceding station Elizabeth line Following station
Twyford
towards Reading
 Elizabeth line
 Taplow
towards Abbey Wood

References
  1. "Estimates of station usage". Rail statistics. Office of Rail Regulation. Please note: Some methodology may vary year on year.
  2. Over 2001, para. 8.
  3. Justin Burns (25 September 2008). "Train station refurbishment unveiled". Maidenhead Advertiser. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  4. "Statue for 'British Schindler' Sir Nicholas Winton". 18 September 2010 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. "DfT and TfL Extend Crossrail Route to Reading". Crossrail.
  6. Paul Miles (6 December 2012). "Crossrail work begins at Maidenhead train station". Maidenhead Advertiser. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  7. "Maidenhead station". Crossrail. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  8. "Maidenhead". www.chiark.greenend.org.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2017.

Bibliography
  • Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  • Over, Luke (September 2001). Delaney, Peter (ed.). "The Railway Comes to Maidenhead". Wargrave Local History Society. Archived from the original on 25 March 2005. Retrieved 26 November 2005.
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