The RCTS: Then and now
FOR the pre-Grouping railways, horse racing was big business. In the days before mass car ownership, the potential was considerable with a high proportion of First Class travel, and all the main line railways were out to cater for the traffic in a big way. During the time of the ‘Big Four’ railway companies, they each had famous race course names to serve. The LNER had Doncaster and Newmarket, the LMS had Aintree and Haydock Park, and the GWR served Newbury and Cheltenham. The Southern, on the other hand, had 18 race courses within 85 miles of the metropolis. One of the major problems in handling the large numbers of racegoers was the time they wished to leave the circuit at the end of an afternoon’s racing. This was usually between 16.30 and 18.00, requiring an intensive train service returning mainly to London and arriving in the middle of the evening commuter peak. Ascot race course was a typical example of this, needing the advance planning of a continuous train service to deal with the people. The facilities at Ascot consisted of the main station with five platforms, three for the Reading line and two for the Bagshot line. The following summary of the train service operated is based on the 1937 layout, which was altered in 1938 ready for electrification. Signalling was controlled by three signal boxes; Ascot East, West and South although Ascot South was reduced to a ground frame in 1928. Nearly one mile further on was Ascot West station, open to passengers on race days. In addition, there was a separate race platform serving the up Reading to Waterloo line. The service operated on race days during Royal Ascot week was so intensive it was necessary to virtually suspend the regular passenger timetable, once the morning peak period was completed. The race traffic began in earnest from around 10.30, with all down trains being run into platform 1 to minimise the use of the station subway thus allowing an easy flow of people from the station to the pathway at the side of the railway, which led to the racecourse. This arrangement applied until about 15.00, when the train plan was altered to cater for people making their way home. The morning service consisted of 13 First and Third Class specials from Waterloo, two of which were provided with dining cars. There was no Third Class departure from Waterloo between 10.34 and 12.23. Most of the empty stock returned to Sunningdale or Virginia Water and formed passenger trains to Waterloo. The first of the evening return workings departed Ascot at approximately 16.33. This and the following 12 departures conveyed only First Class passengers. Some of the services departed from the race platforms and some from the main station. Between 17.06 and 17.54, race specials departed from Ascot every four minutes. Services were sent to Waterloo via three separate routes. Most were via the direct route through Staines, but to help with congestion a number of specials were routed via Bagshot and Sturt Lane Junction/ Woking to Waterloo, or via the Virginia Water west curve and Weybridge to Waterloo. The latter two diversionary routes are no longer in existence. All different types of rolling stock appeared on race days, and home going commuters from Waterloo would be surprised to find themselves travelling home in a train composed entirely of First Class carriages. Others who travelled home on electrified suburban routes would be even more surprised to find their normal electric train replaced by a steam train.