Hertford Loop Line
Encyclopedia
The Hertford Loop Line is a branch of the East Coast Main Line
, providing a commuter route to London
for Hertford
and other Hertfordshire towns. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 8 , SRS 08.03 and is classified as a London and South East Commuter line.
operates suburban services along the Hertford Loop Line between London King's Cross or Moorgate
, and Letchworth, Stevenage
or Hertford North
. Occasionally, East Coast
, First Hull Trains, Grand Central and other faster First Capital Connect
services operate non-stop along the route when diverted off the main section of the East Coast Main Line, due to engineering work. There is a reversing siding to the north of Bowes Park
which is occasionally used to turn around East Coast
trains heading for the Bounds Green Depot
. There are also bay platforms at Hertford North
and Gordon Hill
, the latter acting as a terminus during peak hours only.
throughout and is electrified
at 25 kV AC
using overhead line equipment. It has a loading gauge of W9 and a maximum line speed of 75 mph.
Grade-separated
junctions connect each end of the northbound track with the main line. All stations are long enough to accept two, 3-car (20m) EMU
s.
to Enfield
. In 1898, a plan was approved to extend the line north to Hertford
and Stevenage
, in order to relieve congestion on the main line
without having to widen the Welwyn Viaduct
. Work started in 1905 and Cuffley
was reached on 4 April 1910. The construction of two major viaducts and the Ponsbourne Tunnel (at 2,648 yards, the longest in the eastern counties of England and the last to be built by traditional methods), combined with World War I
shortages of men and materials, delayed the opening of the route to Stevenage
until 4 March 1918. Then it was single track and for goods services only. The line finally opened to passengers on 2 June 1924 when a new Hertford North Station
was opened. The line was electrified in 1977.
at Langley South junction, just south of Stevenage
.
It rejoins the East Coast Main Line
at Wood Green North junction, north of Alexandra Palace railway station
.
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
, providing a commuter route to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
and other Hertfordshire towns. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 8 , SRS 08.03 and is classified as a London and South East Commuter line.
Operations
First Capital ConnectFirst Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
operates suburban services along the Hertford Loop Line between London King's Cross or Moorgate
Moorgate station
Moorgate station is a central London railway terminus and London Underground station on Moorgate in the City of London; it provides National Rail services by First Capital Connect for Hertford, Welwyn Garden City and Letchworth and also serves the Circle, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan Lines and...
, and Letchworth, Stevenage
Stevenage railway station
Stevenage railway station serves the town of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England. The station is 27¼ miles north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line. Stevenage is managed and served by First Capital Connect...
or Hertford North
Hertford North railway station
Hertford North railway station is one of two stations serving the town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England with the other being Hertford East railway station....
. Occasionally, East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
, First Hull Trains, Grand Central and other faster First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect is a passenger train operating company in England that began operations on the National Rail network on 1 April 2006...
services operate non-stop along the route when diverted off the main section of the East Coast Main Line, due to engineering work. There is a reversing siding to the north of Bowes Park
Bowes Park railway station
Bowes Park railway station is in the London Borough of Haringey in north London, and is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 3 and Travelcard Zone 4. The station and all trains serving it are operated by First Capital Connect, on the Hertford Loop Line...
which is occasionally used to turn around East Coast
East Coast (train operating company)
East Coast is a British train operating company running high-speed passenger services on the East Coast Main Line between London, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland...
trains heading for the Bounds Green Depot
Bounds Green TMD
Bounds Green TMD is situated in North London. The depot is operated by East Coast. The depot code is BN.-Allocation:*Class 08*Class 91*HSTs may also, be seen, However rarely-References:...
. There are also bay platforms at Hertford North
Hertford North railway station
Hertford North railway station is one of two stations serving the town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England with the other being Hertford East railway station....
and Gordon Hill
Gordon Hill railway station
Gordon Hill railway station is in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It was opened in April 1910. The station and the trains serving it are currently operated by First Capital Connect, on the Hertford Loop Line....
, the latter acting as a terminus during peak hours only.
Infrastructure
The line is about 24 miles long, is double trackDouble track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
throughout and is electrified
Railway electrification in Great Britain
Railway electrification in Great Britain started towards of the 19th century. A great range of voltages have been used in the intervening period using both overhead lines and third rails, however the most common standard for mainline services is now 25 kV AC using overhead lines and the...
at 25 kV AC
25 kV AC
The 25 kV Alternating current railway electrification system is commonly used in railways worldwide, especially for high-speed rail.-Overview:This electrification system is ideal for railways that cover long distances and/or carry heavy traffic...
using overhead line equipment. It has a loading gauge of W9 and a maximum line speed of 75 mph.
Grade-separated
Grade separation
Grade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
junctions connect each end of the northbound track with the main line. All stations are long enough to accept two, 3-car (20m) EMU
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s.
European Rail Traffic Management System trials on the Hertford Loop
Network Rail plans to use Eversholt Rail owned unit 313121 as a test vehicle for ERTMS on the Hertford Loop, where it hopes to have the facility running by 2014 or earlier. The plan involves resignalling a 5.5 mile section of the double track route to allow existing services to use only one line, freeing the other for ERTMS tests.History
The line was opened in three stages between 1871 and 1924. The first section called the Enfield Branch Railway was developed by the London and York Railway and went from Wood GreenAlexandra Palace railway station
Alexandra Palace railway station is in the London Borough of Haringey in north London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by First Capital Connect...
to Enfield
Enfield Chase railway station
Enfield Chase railway station is located in Windmill Hill, Enfield, in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by First Capital Connect. It is directly west of Enfield Town centre...
. In 1898, a plan was approved to extend the line north to Hertford
Hertford
Hertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
and Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
, in order to relieve congestion on the main line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
without having to widen the Welwyn Viaduct
Welwyn Viaduct
The Welwyn Viaduct, also called Digswell Viaduct is a railway viaduct that carries the East Coast Main Line over the River Mimram and a locally important landmark. It is located between Welwyn Garden City and Digswell...
. Work started in 1905 and Cuffley
Cuffley
Cuffley is a village in the Welwyn Hatfield district of south-east Hertfordshire located between Cheshunt and Potters Bar. It has a population of just over 4,000 people. Politically, Cuffley is part of Broxbourne Constituency in the House of Commons, and sends a Councillor to Hertfordshire County...
was reached on 4 April 1910. The construction of two major viaducts and the Ponsbourne Tunnel (at 2,648 yards, the longest in the eastern counties of England and the last to be built by traditional methods), combined with World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
shortages of men and materials, delayed the opening of the route to Stevenage
Stevenage railway station
Stevenage railway station serves the town of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England. The station is 27¼ miles north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line. Stevenage is managed and served by First Capital Connect...
until 4 March 1918. Then it was single track and for goods services only. The line finally opened to passengers on 2 June 1924 when a new Hertford North Station
Hertford North railway station
Hertford North railway station is one of two stations serving the town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England with the other being Hertford East railway station....
was opened. The line was electrified in 1977.
Route and settlements served
The Hertford Loop Line leaves the East Coast Main LineEast Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
at Langley South junction, just south of Stevenage
Stevenage railway station
Stevenage railway station serves the town of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England. The station is 27¼ miles north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line. Stevenage is managed and served by First Capital Connect...
.
- Watton-at-StoneWatton-at-Stone railway stationWatton-at-Stone railway station serves the village of Watton-at-Stone in Hertfordshire, England. It is on the Hertford Loop branch line between Hertford North and Stevenage and is served by trains operated by First Capital Connect.- History :...
, serving the village of Watton-at-StoneWatton-at-StoneWatton-at-Stone is a village in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated midway between the towns of Stevenage and Hertford in the valley of the River Beane. The 2001 census showed a population of 2,272, living in 921 households... - Hertford NorthHertford North railway stationHertford North railway station is one of two stations serving the town of Hertford in Hertfordshire, England with the other being Hertford East railway station....
, serving the town of HertfordHertfordHertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000... - BayfordBayford railway stationBayford railway station serves the villages of Bayford and Brickendon in Hertfordshire, England. The station is on the Hertford Loop Line 30 km north of London Kings Cross.-Services:...
, serving the villages of BayfordBayfordBayford, as a person, may refer to:*Baron Bayford, a title in the Peerage of the United KingdomBayford, as a place, may refer to:*Bayford, Hertfordshire, a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England...
and BrickendonBrickendonBrickendon is a village in the civil parish of Brickendon Liberty in the district of East Hertfordshire about 3 miles south of the county town Hertford, and is served by Bayford railway station.... - CuffleyCuffley railway stationCuffley railway station serves the village Cuffley in the Welwyn Hatfield district in Hertfordshire. It also serves other surrounding settlements, namely Goffs Oak, Northaw and the west of Cheshunt. The station opened in 1910 on the Hertford Loop Line between Enfield Chase and Hertford North as...
, serving the villages of CuffleyCuffleyCuffley is a village in the Welwyn Hatfield district of south-east Hertfordshire located between Cheshunt and Potters Bar. It has a population of just over 4,000 people. Politically, Cuffley is part of Broxbourne Constituency in the House of Commons, and sends a Councillor to Hertfordshire County...
, NorthawNorthawNorthaw is a village in the Welwyn Hatfield district of Hertfordshire, England. It is part of the civil parish of Northaw and Cuffley, which was originally known as Northaw....
and Goffs OakGoff's OakGoffs Oak is a large village in the borough of Broxbourne in Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. It is situated between Cuffley and Cheshunt, just north of the M25 motorway in a slightly more rural section of the London commuter belt.... - Crews HillCrews Hill railway stationCrews Hill railway station is in Crews Hill in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, in Travelcard Zone 6. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by First Capital Connect. The station was opened on 4 April 1910.-Geography:...
, serving the village of Crews HillCrews HillCrews Hill is a village located in the northern outskirts of Greater London and 12 miles north of Charing Cross. It forms part of the London Borough of Enfield and is probably best known for its large number of garden centres and nursuries which, at summer weekends, give it almost a "resort"... - Gordon HillGordon Hill railway stationGordon Hill railway station is in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It was opened in April 1910. The station and the trains serving it are currently operated by First Capital Connect, on the Hertford Loop Line....
, serving the northern area of EnfieldEnfield TownEnfield Town is the historic town centre of Enfield, formerly in the county of Middlesex and now in the London Borough of Enfield. It is north north-east of Charing Cross...
and Forty HillForty HillForty Hill is a largely residential suburb in the north of the London Borough of Enfield, England. To the north is Bulls Cross, to the south Enfield Town, to the west Clay Hill, and to the east Enfield Highway.- Etymology :...
, also close to Chase Farm HospitalChase Farm HospitalChase Farm Hospital is a hospital in Enfield, north London, run by Barnet and Chase Farm NHS Hospitals Trust as part of the British National Health Service.The oldest part of the hospital was formerly part of a children's home...
. - Enfield ChaseEnfield Chase railway stationEnfield Chase railway station is located in Windmill Hill, Enfield, in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, and is in Travelcard Zone 5. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by First Capital Connect. It is directly west of Enfield Town centre...
, serving Enfield TownEnfield TownEnfield Town is the historic town centre of Enfield, formerly in the county of Middlesex and now in the London Borough of Enfield. It is north north-east of Charing Cross... - Grange ParkGrange Park railway stationGrange Park railway station is situated just off The Grangeway, Grange Park in the London Borough of Enfield North London, in Travelcard Zone 5. It is 15 km north of Moorgate on the Hertford Loop Line...
, serving Grange ParkGrange Park, EnfieldGrange Park is a suburban part of Greater London in the London Borough of Enfield, United Kingdom. It is served by Grange Park railway station. Grange Park is located between Enfield Town to the north Bush Hill to the east, Southgate and World's End to the west, and Winchmore Hill to the south. It... - Winchmore HillWinchmore Hill railway stationWinchmore Hill railway station is in Station Road , Winchmore Hill in the London Borough of Enfield in North London, England, in Travelcard Zone 4. It is 14 km north of Moorgate on the Hertford Loop Line. The station, and all trains serving it are operated by First Capital Connect...
, serving Winchmore HillWinchmore HillWinchmore Hill is a district in the Borough of Enfield, North London, in the N21 postal district.- Location :With the Winchmore Hill conservation area as a focal point, Winchmore Hill is a ward of Enfield borough, bounded on the east by Green Lanes , Barrowell Green, Firs Lane and Fords Grove, and... - Palmers GreenPalmers Green railway stationPalmers Green railway station, in Aldermans Hill, is in the London Borough of Enfield in north London, in Travelcard Zone 4. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by First Capital Connect....
, serving Palmers GreenPalmers GreenPalmers Green is a place in the London Borough of Enfield. It is a suburban area situated 7.6 miles north of Charing Cross. Postally, it is in London N13... - Bowes ParkBowes Park railway stationBowes Park railway station is in the London Borough of Haringey in north London, and is on the boundary of Travelcard Zone 3 and Travelcard Zone 4. The station and all trains serving it are operated by First Capital Connect, on the Hertford Loop Line...
, serving Bowes ParkBowes ParkBowes Park is situated on the borders of Wood Green, Palmers Green and Bounds Green in London, England. The postcode for Bowes Park is N22. The border between the London boroughs of Enfield and Haringey goes through the area.- History :...
, Bounds GreenBounds GreenBounds Green is an area in the north of London, in the London Borough of Haringey. Parts of Bounds Green are also known as New Southgate, but most of New Southgate lies in the London Borough of Enfield to the north west....
and Wood GreenWood GreenWood Green is a district in north London, England, located in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated north of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London.-History:...
It rejoins the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
at Wood Green North junction, north of Alexandra Palace railway station
Alexandra Palace railway station
Alexandra Palace railway station is in the London Borough of Haringey in north London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by First Capital Connect...
.