Waterloo to Reading Line

The Waterloo to Reading Line is a suburban railway line in England operated by South West Trains (SWT) . With the connecting Hounslow Loop Line it forms the most northern line of the SWT franchise.
Other connecting lines of that franchise are:
* the Kingston Loop Line
* the Windsor Branch
* the Chertsey Branch
* the Ascot to Guildford Line

Opening Dates

* London to Richmond 27 July 1846: the Richmond Railway, purchased by London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) 1847
*Richmond to Staines 22 August 1848: the Windsor, Staines and South Western Railway under L&SWR auspices extended the line to Staines and Datchet (and further to Windsor 1 December 1849).
* Staines to Ascot 4 June 1856: the Staines, Wokingham and Woking Junction Railway (worked by the L&SWR).
* extension to Wokingham 9 July 1856: to join the South Eastern Railway line to Reading which opened in 1849.

The line was electrified (660v DC third rail) 30th January 1916 by LSWR.

The Waterloo to Reading line with its many stations and suburban nature is a slower line than the Great Western Main Line but fares are usually lower than those between Paddington and Reading. Many users are commuters to either London or Reading, and not travellers between the termini.