Watford Junction railway station

Infobox UK station
name = Watford Junction


manager = London Midland
locale = Watford
borough = Watford
code = WFJ
platforms = 10 (4 DC Line (bays), 4 Main Line, 1 Southern (bay), 1 St. Albans Line)
usage0405 = 4.066
usage0506 = 4.244
usage0607 = 4.458
years = May 1858
events = Opened
years1 = 1909
events1 = Rebuilt
years2 = 1980s
events2 = Refurbished throughout
latitude = 51.6635
longitude = -0.3958

Watford Junction station is a railway station in Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. Located a short distance from the town centre, it is served by the West Coast Main Line (WCML), the local DC electric line to Euston, currently operated by London Overground services and a branch line to St Albans. Journeys to London take between sixteen and fifty-two minutes depending on the service used. Trains also run to Brighton and Gatwick Airport via the WCML and the West London Line through Kensington Olympia and Clapham Junction.

Major redevelopment work of the station and its surroundings is planned over the next 10 years.

History

The first station in Watford was north of Saint Albans Road, but Watford Junction opened with the line to St Albans on 5 May 1858. The station was rebuilt in 1909, and was extensively redeveloped in the 1980s.

Previous services also ran from the West side of the station to branches serving Croxley Green and Rickmansworth (Church Street), both eventually being electrified on the same system as the DC line to Euston, at one time using tube trains to mitigate the effect of the voltage-drop caused by the lack of a sub-station near Rickmansworth. The Rickmansworth branch pre-dated the DC line and was connected to the Main Line via two through platforms with a junction to the north; these platforms have since been partly obstructed by building over and the remaining Southern sections now form part of the DC line terminus.

The St Albans Branch Line originally terminated at a through platform adjacent to the Down Slow Main Line but was relocated further East to allow increased car parking; this was before the branch line was electrified.

The Bakerloo Line was extended to Watford Junction in 1917, providing shared services with mainline electric trains which served London Euston and Broad Street stations. However since 1982 [ [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/modesoftransport/tube/linefacts/?line=bakerloo Line facts | Transport for London ] ] the line north of Harrow & Wealdstone station has only been served by what is now the London Overground service from Euston station; this service uses these DC lines for its "all stations" local service.

Oyster Card capability was extended to this station on 11 November 2007 on both the London Overground Services and Southern services. It was further extended to London Midland services on the 18th November 2007. However, the station remains outside of the Oyster Travelcard Zones.

Future developments

The station will be overhauled and upgraded by 2009. A new multi storey car park will be built, a new access road to the station will be built from the A412 to platform 10, where there will be access to the station. The entrance, access roads and bus station by the station will be altered.Fact|date=July 2008

The proposed Croxley Rail Link, a scheme to divert the Metropolitan Line's Watford branch to Watford Junction via the disused Croxley Green branch, might also see the first appearance at the station in revenue service of LU surface stock, operating from Baker Street.cite web
url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/networkandservices/2053.aspx
title=Croxley Rail Link
publisher=Transport for London
accessdate=2008-07-24]
Transport for London had tentatively committed £18m towards the scheme's costs, but the agreement of the Department for Transport to provide the remaining funds is presently on hold. [cite news|url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/2153485.croxley_rail_link_hits_the_sidings/|title=Croxley Rail Link hits the Sidings|date=2008-03-29|publisher=Watford Observer|accessdate=2008-07-24] A completion date for this would be around 2013. The total cost is estimated to be £145 million and Hertfordshire County Council has revealed a support and funding plan while insisting that the long-delayed Croxley Rail Link will eventually be constructed. The proposed link has gained the support of the East of England Regional Planning Panel. This support could help the project receive £119.5 million from the Department for Transport. Watford Borough Council plans to contribute up to £26 million to the project which it hopes to get back through ticket sales and other London Underground revenue. [cite news|url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/localnews/3580845.Rail_link_plans_get_support/|title=Rail link plans get support|date=2008-08-09|publisher=Watford Observer|accessdate=2008-08-10]

Gallery

rail line two to one
next=London Euston
previous1=Crewe
previous2=Carlisle
route1=First ScotRail
Highland Caledonian Sleeper
(northbound only)
route2=First ScotRail
Lowland Caledonian Sleeper
col=ff80c0
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

See also

* Watford Underground station (Metropolitan Line)
* Watford High Street station (DC line)
* St Albans Branch Line

External links

* [http://www.watford.gov.uk/ccm/content/planning-and-development/watford-junction-development-brief.en Redevelopment plans]
* [http://www.abbeyline.org.uk Abbey Line Community Rail Partnership]
* [http://www.watford.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/transport-and-streets/public-transport/ Public transport in Watford ]