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Varsity Line
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<table><tbody><tr><th><ul><li>v</li><li>t</li><li>e</li></ul>Varsity Line</th></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Cherwell_Valley_line/3IxS85eY">Cherwell Valley line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Didcot_railway_station/cvA4wSux">Didcot</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Oxford_Rewley_Road_railway_station/g4tokvd5">Oxford</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Oxford_Rewley_Road_railway_station/g4tokvd5">Rewley Road</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Oxford_railway_station/elfRnPFS">Oxford</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Rewley_Road_Swing_Bridge/HIpRLDqw">Rewley Road</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Rewley_Road_Swing_Bridge/HIpRLDqw">swing bridge</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Sheepwash_Channel_Railway_Bridge/vpBElpcc">Sheepwash Channel</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Sheepwash_Channel_Railway_Bridge/vpBElpcc">railway bridge</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Port_Meadow_Halt_railway_station/uIzgekkd">Port Meadow Halt</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Cotswold_line/Lw0b17sJ">Cotswold line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Hereford_railway_station/2Ql3sIUn">Hereford</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/Oxford_Canal/DyVt64Fu">Oxford Canal</a></i></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Cherwell_Valley_line/3IxS85eY">Cherwell Valley line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Banbury_railway_station/kPEKAcmP">Banbury</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Wolvercote_Halt_railway_station/HWrEFEmm">Wolvercote Halt</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Wolvercote tunnel</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/Oxford%25E2%2580%2593Bicester_line/DjtFJgD7">Oxford–Bicester line</a></i></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/Buckinghamshire_Junction_Railway/E9AutRhQ">Bucks Jn Rly</a></i></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Oxford_Road_Halt_railway_station/8dgVdKV8">Oxford Road Halt</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Oxford_Parkway_railway_station/ajRGoLg6">Oxford Parkway</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Islip_railway_station/C293re3U">Islip</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Oddington_Halt_railway_station/jIf0h3aM">Oddington Halt</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Charlton_Halt_railway_station_(Oxfordshire)/w1Rht8S9">Charlton Halt</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Wendlebury_Halt_railway_station/Q4j1s2Pf">Wendlebury Halt</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Bicester_Military_Railway/lW3gN8Aj">Bicester</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Bicester_Military_Railway/lW3gN8Aj">Military Rly</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Bicester_London_Road_railway_station/BVGKYT21">Bicester</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Bicester_London_Road_railway_station/BVGKYT21">London Road</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><i>Bicester chord</i></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Great_Western_Railway/dFDmbH3d">GWR</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/High_Wycombe_railway_station/3R0KktpD">High Wycombe</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Chiltern_Main_Line/ErpNoeel">GWR Bicester cut-off</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Banbury_railway_station/kPEKAcmP">Banbury</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Launton_railway_station/WW0sM4Nq">Launton</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Marsh_Gibbon_and_Poundon_railway_station/5gwfzBKu">Marsh Gibbon</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Marsh_Gibbon_and_Poundon_railway_station/5gwfzBKu">and Poundon</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Great_Central_Main_Line/Ab70yJSu">GCML</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Aylesbury_railway_station/DFFDKFjb">Aylesbury</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Great_Central_Main_Line/Ab70yJSu">GCML</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Rugby_Central_railway_station/DlNnBwpT">Rugby Central</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><i>Claydon curve</i></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td>Freight traffic</td></tr><tr><td>reversing siding</td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Claydon_railway_station/tboq9bwG">Claydon</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Banbury%25E2%2580%2593Verney_Junction_branch_line/a4Kbzugh">Banbury–Verney Jn</a></td></tr><tr><td>line to <a href="/facts/Banbury_railway_station/kPEKAcmP">Banbury</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Verney_Junction_railway_station/WcSxKkFJ">Verney Junction</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Metropolitan_Railway/Nnrs74Ir">Metropolitan Rly</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Aylesbury_railway_station/DFFDKFjb">Aylesbury</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Winslow_railway_station/ehfGsBpw">Winslow</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Swanbourne_railway_station/R1bEaUkR">Swanbourne</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/West_Coast_Main_Line/sa9gUhtH">WCML</a> to <a href="/facts/Euston_railway_station/Ev5XSVXt">Euston</a></i></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2">Swanbourne Siding</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/Bletchley_Flyover/srfSeUAu">Bletchley Flyover</a></i></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Bletchley_railway_station/Dj5QVBCw">Bletchley</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/West_Coast_Main_Line/sa9gUhtH">WCML</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Milton_Keynes_Central_railway_station/R7YNXzky">Milton Keynes C.</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Bletchley_TMD/C1GNAK4o">Bletchley TMD</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Fenny_Stratford_railway_station/BDwNHK26">Fenny Stratford</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/Grand_Union_Canal/UU1G6GDK">Grand Union Canal</a></i></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Bow_Brickhill_railway_station/Hrz2m85k">Bow Brickhill</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Woburn_Sands_railway_station/rhndmET3">Woburn Sands</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Aspley_Guise_railway_station/KWHlx77K">Aspley Guise</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Husborne_Crawley_railway_station/d6lnwW4N">Husborne Crawley</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/Marston_Vale_line/EsLA375W">Marston Vale line</a></i></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Ridgmont_railway_station/pGsFbBtR">Ridgmont</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Lidlington_railway_station/eC8Blnx6">Lidlington</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Millbrook_railway_station_(Bedfordshire)/cbYfXL24">Millbrook</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Stewartby_railway_station/x3YXmWyf">Stewartby</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Wootton_Broadmead_Halt_railway_station/rXbM5orr">Wootton Broadmead</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Kempston_Hardwick_railway_station/xUnX1yk0">Kempston</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Kempston_Hardwick_railway_station/xUnX1yk0">Hardwick</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Midland_Main_Line/ypSoS7Uz">Midland Main Line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/St_Pancras_railway_station/5xWC8pgE">St Pancras</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Kempston_and_Elstow_Halt_railway_station/SW1dLGrX">Kempston & Elstow</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Bedford%25E2%2580%2593Hitchin_line/vGsalQNy">Bedford–Hitchin line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Hitchin_railway_station/W3qjp12T">Hitchin</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Bedford_St_Johns_railway_station/UXdSy2tz">Bedford St Johns</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Bedford_St_Johns_railway_station/UXdSy2tz">Bedford St Johns</a></td></tr><tr><td>(former)</td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Bedford_railway_station/Hx2Lwgkt">Bedford</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Willington_railway_station_(Bedfordshire)/CRAaT6AJ">Willington</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Midland_Main_Line/ypSoS7Uz">Midland Main Line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Leicester_railway_station/mXWJMDhI">Leicester</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Blunham_railway_station/J1WJ9eot">Blunham</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/River_Ivel/Wy8Hujy5">River Ivel</a></i></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Girtford_Halt_railway_station/1tvJohlN">Girtford Halt</a></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/East_Coast_Main_Line/8SdfFM57">ECML</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Peterborough_railway_station/JoE8CgBJ">Peterborough</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><i>Sandy curve</i></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Sandy_railway_station/9ehnk2H7">Sandy</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/East_Coast_Main_Line/8SdfFM57">ECML</a> to <a href="/facts/Hitchin_railway_station/W3qjp12T">Hitchin</a></i></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Potton_railway_station/XrlNWbxp">Potton</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Gamlingay_railway_station/JHhsQJ27">Gamlingay</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Old_North_Road_railway_station/x3rwXoAI">Old North Road</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Lord%2527s_Bridge_railway_station/5QDrG1S6">Lord's Bridge</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/Mullard_Radio_Astronomy_Observatory/IpjeosA0">Mullard Observatory</a></i></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Cambridge_line/wC2yFtVX">Cambridge line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Hitchin_railway_station/W3qjp12T">Hitchin</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/West_Anglia_Main_Line/pKyQxpUc">WAML</a> to <a href="/facts/Liverpool_Street_railway_station/Tzx6XRYH">London</a></i></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><a href="/facts/Cambridge_railway_station/YJe6E7fC">Cambridge</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Ipswich%25E2%2580%2593Ely_line/LIG9yrXQ">Ipswich–Ely line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/Ipswich_railway_station/tkDUMdkx">Ipswich</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Cambridge_to_Mildenhall_railway/zCUkCKMV">Cambridge to</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Cambridge_to_Mildenhall_railway/zCUkCKMV">Mildenhall line</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"><i><a href="/facts/Great_Eastern_Railway/EFbM1T0N">GER</a> to <a href="/facts/St_Ives_railway_station_(Cambridgeshire)/dF3GwSRI">St Ives</a></i></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td colspan="2"> <table><tbody><tr><td><a href="/facts/Fen_line/S8mmMR4d">Fen line</a></td></tr><tr><td>to <a href="/facts/King%2527s_Lynn_railway_station/Yffj1gHr">King's Lynn</a></td></tr></tbody></table> </td></tr><tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The Varsity Line was the main railway line that linked the English university cities of <a href="/facts/Oxford/kHvWDTXW">Oxford</a> and <a href="/facts/Cambridge/gNRdbmwK">Cambridge</a>, operated by the <a href="/facts/London_and_North_Western_Railway/6pmtfdwf">London and North Western Railway</a>. </p><p>In <a href="/facts/World_War_II/2efV5L1U">World War II</a>, the line became a strategic route for freight avoiding London, and additional connections were made to nearby lines to improve it, but it was not greatly used for its intended purpose. After the war, the line was again scheduled to be developed as a strategic route, but that scheme was never fully implemented either. </p><p>Passenger services were withdrawn from most of the line on 1 January 1968, and only the Bletchley–Bedford section remained open for passenger traffic. </p><p>In 1987, the section between Oxford and Bicester was reopened, followed in 2015 by a connection to the <a href="/facts/Chiltern_Main_Line/ErpNoeel">Chiltern Main Line</a> at Bicester, enabling <a href="/facts/Chiltern_Railways/F2tnGyVV">Chiltern Railways</a> to operate an Oxford to London passenger service. There are funded plans for the entire line to be re-established by the mid-2020s, partly on a new route and under a new name – <a href="/facts/East_West_Rail/MW3lgMUK">East West Rail</a>. </p>