St Albans Branch Line

Infobox rail line
name = St Albans Branch Line
color =

logo_width =


image_width =
caption =
type = Heavy rail
system =
status =
locale = Hertfordshire
start = Watford Junction
end = St Albans Abbey
stations =
routes =
ridership =
open =
close =
owner = Network Rail
operator = London Midland
character =
depot =
stock = British Rail Class 321
linelength = 6½ miles
tracklength =
notrack =
gauge = Standard gauge
el = 25 kV AC OHLE
speed =
elevation =


map_state = collapsedThe St Albans Abbey Branch Line is a railway line from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey. Its 6.5 miles go through town and countryside. [ [http://www.abbeyline.org.uk/routeguide.htm Abbey Line - Community Rail Partnership - Route Guide] ] The service is often referred to as the "Abbey Flyer", after St Albans Abbey.

History

The line was opened by the London and North Western Railway on 5 May1858. It was the first railway to reach the town of St Albans, [ [http://www.abbeyline.org.uk/routehistory.htm Abbey Line - Community Rail Partnership - Route History] ] which was conferred with city status in 1877. [city status - City status in the United Kingdom]

Originally, there were two intermediate stations:

* Bricket Wood
* Park Street

In 1910 a further station was opened, at Callowland. This was renamed Watford North.

In 1924, the terminus at St Albans had a name change to St Albans Abbey to distinguish it from the Midland Railway main line station St Albans City, which opened in 1868.

The LNWR station was also served by a branch of the Great Northern Railway from Hatfield.

In 1966 a sixth station was added at Garston.

In 1988 a seventh station was added at How Wood to coincide with the electrification of the 6.5-mile single-track route at 25 kV AC overhead.

The line today

Operations

Passenger services are operated by London Midland.

The stations between Watford North and St Albans Abbey are unstaffed, and tickets must be bought on the train.

Traction

The service is operated using 25 kV AC voltage EMU's.

A Class 321/4 EMU is in regular use, formerly operated by a Class 313 unit. On occasions a Class 150 diesel multiple unit has been substituted.

ignalling

Signalling is under "One Train Working" (without Train Staff) rules, where only one train is allowed at a time. Trains can be taken into Watford Junction yard by a manual Ground Frame in Watford Junction yard. Incorrect operation was the cause of an incident in October 2005 involving a train not in passenger service [http://www.raib.gov.uk/latest_news/news_archive/news_archive_2006/060328_pn_watfordjunctionyard.cfm] .

There is an automatic level crossing outside Watford North. This is operated by a manual plunger for trains towards St Albans, and by a treadle for trains towards Watford Junction.

Future trends

Since 1995, Abbey Flyers Users Group (ABFLY) [ [http://www.abfly.org.uk/ Abbey Flyer Users Group] ] has been campaigning to secure the future of the line and encourage its growth.

As the Abbey Line, it was designated as a community rail line in July 2005, one of seven pilots under the Community Rail Development Strategy [ [http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/983.aspx Network Rail - Community Railways] ] by the Strategic Rail Authority - see the Abbeyline Community Rail Partnership [ [http://www.abbeyline.org.uk/ Abbeyline Community Rail Partnership] ] website for more information.

A proposition was made for TfL had to take over the St Albans branch line. [ [http://www.alwaystouchout.com/project/66/ alwaystouchout.com - London Rail Authority] ]

References