Cardington Workmen's Platform railway station
Encyclopedia
Cardington Workmen's Platform was a railway station on the Bedford to Hitchin Line
which served the Royal Air Force
station near the village of Cardington
in Bedfordshire
, England. A short-lived halt, it opened during the First World War and closed in 1921.
station was established in Cardington which substantially increased passenger and freight traffic on the Bedford to Hitchin Line
. In order to provide easier access to the airbase, a halt was opened was opened beside the road bridge carrying the Southill Road over the line. After the halt closed to passenger traffic in 1921, numerous sidings
were constructed on the site to serve the camp and these were used to receive materials needed for the construction of the R100
and R101
airships. The site was also used during the Second World War for troop specials which enabled conscripts to return home from the RAF camp.
Bedford to Hitchin Line
The Bedford to Hitchin Line was a branch of the Midland Railway which served stations at Cardington, Southill, Shefford and Henlow in Bedfordshire, England. It opened in 1857, but was largely made redundant as a through-route to London by the extension of the Midland Main Line to St Pancras...
which served the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
station near the village of Cardington
Cardington, Bedfordshire
Cardington is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, EnglandPart of the ancient hundred of Wixamtree, the settlement is best known in connection with the Cardington airship works founded by Short Brothers during World War I, which later became an RAF training station...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, England. A short-lived halt, it opened during the First World War and closed in 1921.
History
During the First World War a Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
station was established in Cardington which substantially increased passenger and freight traffic on the Bedford to Hitchin Line
Bedford to Hitchin Line
The Bedford to Hitchin Line was a branch of the Midland Railway which served stations at Cardington, Southill, Shefford and Henlow in Bedfordshire, England. It opened in 1857, but was largely made redundant as a through-route to London by the extension of the Midland Main Line to St Pancras...
. In order to provide easier access to the airbase, a halt was opened was opened beside the road bridge carrying the Southill Road over the line. After the halt closed to passenger traffic in 1921, numerous sidings
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
were constructed on the site to serve the camp and these were used to receive materials needed for the construction of the R100
R100
HM Airship R100 was a privately designed and built rigid airship made as part of a two-ship competition to develop new techniques for a projected larger commercial airship for use on British empire routes...
and R101
R101
R101 was one of a pair of British rigid airship completed in 1929 as part of a British government programme to develop civil airships capable of service on long-distance routes within the British Empire. It was designed and built by an Air Ministry-appointed team and was effectively in competition...
airships. The site was also used during the Second World War for troop specials which enabled conscripts to return home from the RAF camp.