The link line, which ran for a distance of 8.25 miles, was opened without formality on 1 June 1900. The route had no intermediate stations but soon became an important freight route with 60,796 wagons exchanged between the MS&LR (now known as the Great Central) and the Great Western within the first six months of operation; by 1904 this figure had risen by 50%. Two passenger services each way were initially provided by the Great Western, with the Great Central later supplementing this service with three additional trains in each direction.[3] The link was subsequently used for cross-country services, including Aberdeen to Penzance, Oxford to Leicester and Newcastle to Bournemouth.[4]
In October 1913, a halt was opened on the line at Eydon Road near Culworth and was in fact closer to the village than the Culworth station on the Great Central's main line, which was nearer Moreton Pinkney.[5] Serving a rural area, the halt closed in April 1956, and the last services to use the line ran in September 1966.
Today nothing remains of the halt at its former site, but one of its wooden platform shelters was rescued and can be seen today on an allotment behind the Social Club at Woodford Halse.
