In an attempt to compete with the LNWR's London–Birmingham route and speed up goods traffic between London and the west-coast port at Birkenhead, the GWR took advantage of its partnership with the Great Central Railway (GCR) to build a new, direct Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway (the companies were already working together on a link between Woodford Halse station and Banbury). This enabled the GCR to run faster services than had been possible on the Metropolitan Railway route through Aylesbury and Amersham, which was congested with stopping trains.