Details on this page based on “Woodford Cum Membris and the Great Central Railway” by J.W. Anscomb
Woodford Halse was once a busy railway centre. Between 1891 before the railway came and 1901 the population of the Parish more than doubled from 527 to 1220. In 1941 the goods yards at Woodford had space for over 3000 wagons. Between 1942 and 1951 the yard handled almost 10 million wagons. The Great Central Railway ran trains from Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, York and Rugby through Woodford to London Marylebone.
Woodford Halse really was at the centre of railway services in the area. It was possible to get a train to London without having to change. Some idea of its significance can be seen in this map of railway connections between 1911 and 1914.
In 1910 there were 16 “down” passenger trains (away from London) and 17 “up” trains (towards London) stopping, starting or finishing at Woodford.
In 1920, a locomotive on the GCR was dedicated as a memorial to the employees of the GCR that lost their lives in the First World War.
There is a memorial for this in Woodford Memorial Glade
This map from 1954 shows how the railway cut through the village with the sidings extending to the north towards Charwelton.
Map used with acknowledgements to Disused Stations.org who have a page on Woodford Halse station, you can view it here
