Watford West railway station

Closed London stations


name = Watford West
owner = LNWR
locale = Watford
platforms = 1
start = 1912
end = 1996 (not officially)
replace = none
coordinates= coord|51.648546|N|0.414315|W|display=title,inline

Watford West is a disused but "closed open" railway station in Watford, near London, United Kingdom. It is on the branch line from Watford Junction to Croxley Green, last operated by North London Railways, later renamed Silverlink.

History

The station opened in 1912 and was "temporarily" closed, along with the rest of the Croxley Green branch, in 1996. Since then at least one bridge on the route has been demolished. However, the station is not formally closed. This is because of legal regulations in officially closing a station. The minimum service required by law is a once-monthly service, in one direction, which in this case is provided by "temporary" replacement buses.

The station thus retains a live departure board active on the National Rail website [ [http://www.livedepartureboards.co.uk/ldb/sumdep.aspx?T=WFW&R=1&A=0 National Rail Enquiries - Watford West (Bus) Train Times ] ] .

Tickets may still be purchased to Watford West. In 2004-05, ten passengers purchased tickets for travel to the station [official Office for Rail Regulation statistics] , placing it higher than Gainsborough Central, a station currently open and in use.

Future

London Underground are planning to divert the Metropolitan Line service from the current terminus at Watford to a new one at Watford Junction via a proposed Croxley Rail Link, bringing the disused railway back into use.

Under these proposals the station would be completely rebuilt. The platforms will be below booking hall level in the cutting in which the line runs at this point, and accessed by stairs and lifts. The main entrance would remain to the east in Tolpits Lane. An additional exit from the east side of the station to facilitate football traffic to Watford FC has been mooted, but the plans for the station show no indication of this. [ [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/watford-west-station.pdf Design of the station] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.loveplums.co.uk/Tube/Croxley_Green_line_1.html Pictures of the Croxley Green branch in its disused state (including Watford West)]
* [http://www.nobodythere.co.uk/croxley.shtml More pictures of the line in its present state]
* [http://lostlines.fotopic.net/c821217.html View pictures of the Croxley Green branchline in its final years]
* [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/networkandservices/2053.aspx Croxley Rail Link]

###@@@KEYEND@@@###