Watton-at-Stone railway station
Encyclopedia
Watton-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
.
.
The station saw its first passenger train run through on 6 February 1920, but did so only when a train was diverted from the East Coast Main Line
as the result of an accident. Scheduled passenger services of four trains per day started on 2 June 1924, stopping on request at Watton-at-Stone.
The station's life as a passenger service was short-lived however, and it closed just 15 years later on 11 September 1939, despite the famed locomotive engineer Nigel Gresley
's residency in the village.
The nationalised British Railways considered reopening the station in the 1960s, but it was not until 1981 that a campaign to reopen the station gathered momentum. The bulk of the £120,000 costs were paid for by Hertfordshire County Council
and British Rail, but villagers and the Parish Council responded to a public appeal for funds, and together contributed £8,000. On 17 May 1982, a small crowd gathered to board the 06:23 service from Watton-at-Stone to Moorgate
, the first passenger train to serve the village in almost 43 years.
, Bayford
, Cuffley
, Crews Hill
, Gordon Hill
, Enfield Chase
, Grange Park
, Winchmore Hill
, Palmers Green
, Bowes Park
, Alexandra Palace
, Hornsey
and Harringay
before arriving at Finsbury Park
. Then on Mondays-Fridays (departing Watton-at-Stone before 2040) trains continue up the Northern City Line (calling at Drayton Park
, Highbury and Islington, Essex Road and Old Street
) before terminating at Moorgate
, but at other times they go to London King's Cross.
Down (away from London) trains call at Stevenage
and Hitchin
before terminating at Letchworth Garden City
.
as a set to film the notorious public information film
The Finishing Line
. Using shock tactics to deter children from playing near railway lines, the film was staged as a dream sequence
of a parody school sports day
with 'events' on and around the track. Local schoolchildren were drafted as actors. The film was broadcast on the nightly Nationwide
TV show, and the liberal quantities of stage blood and graphic depiction of injuries became a matter of some controversy.
Watton-at-Stone
Watton-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...
in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is on the Hertford Loop branch line
Hertford Loop Line
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...
between 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 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...
and is served by trains operated by 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...
.
History
According to the Watton-at-Stone Parish Council, a proposal for a rail route between London and Stevenage was approved Parliament in 1898, though construction did not begin until 1906. A single-track section through Watton-at-Stone opened on 4 March 1918, with the track later being dualledDouble 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 :...
.
The station saw its first passenger train run through on 6 February 1920, but did so only when a train was diverted from 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...
as the result of an accident. Scheduled passenger services of four trains per day started on 2 June 1924, stopping on request at Watton-at-Stone.
The station's life as a passenger service was short-lived however, and it closed just 15 years later on 11 September 1939, despite the famed locomotive engineer Nigel Gresley
Nigel Gresley
Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley was one of Britain's most famous steam locomotive engineers, who rose to become Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London and North Eastern Railway . He was the designer of some of the most famous steam locomotives in Britain, including the LNER Class A1 and LNER Class A4...
's residency in the village.
The nationalised British Railways considered reopening the station in the 1960s, but it was not until 1981 that a campaign to reopen the station gathered momentum. The bulk of the £120,000 costs were paid for by Hertfordshire County Council
Hertfordshire County Council
Hertfordshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hertfordshire, in England, the United Kingdom. It currently consists of 77 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, which has 55 councillors, 17 Liberal Democrats, versus 3 Labour...
and British Rail, but villagers and the Parish Council responded to a public appeal for funds, and together contributed £8,000. On 17 May 1982, a small crowd gathered to board the 06:23 service from Watton-at-Stone to 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...
, the first passenger train to serve the village in almost 43 years.
Services
The station is served by one train per hour in each direction. Up (London) trains call at Hertford NorthHertford 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....
, Bayford
Bayford railway station
Bayford 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:...
, Cuffley
Cuffley railway station
Cuffley 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...
, Crews Hill
Crews Hill railway station
Crews 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:...
, 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....
, Enfield Chase
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...
, Grange Park
Grange Park railway station
Grange 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...
, Winchmore Hill
Winchmore Hill railway station
Winchmore 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...
, Palmers Green
Palmers Green railway station
Palmers 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....
, 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...
, Alexandra Palace
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...
, Hornsey
Hornsey railway station
Hornsey railway station is a suburban railway station located in Haringey, north London. It is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station is operated by First Capital Connect on behalf of Network Rail, and is situated next to the Hornsey train depot....
and Harringay
Harringay railway station
Harringay railway station is a railway station located off Wightman Road in Harringay, North London. It is on the East Coast Main Line between Finsbury Park and Hornsey and opened on 1 May 1885...
before arriving at Finsbury Park
Finsbury Park station
Finsbury Park Station is a busy transport interchange in North London. The interchange consists of an interconnected National Rail station, London Underground station and two bus stations. The main entrances are by the eastern bus station on Station Place...
. Then on Mondays-Fridays (departing Watton-at-Stone before 2040) trains continue up the Northern City Line (calling at Drayton Park
Drayton Park railway station
Drayton Park railway station is on the Network Rail Northern City Line which carries First Capital Connect services between Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City or Hertford via Finsbury Park...
, Highbury and Islington, Essex Road and Old Street
Old Street station
Old Street station is a central London National Rail and London Underground station located at the junction of Old Street and City Road just north of the City of London. It lies close to the border between the boroughs of Islington and Hackney...
) before terminating at 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...
, but at other times they go to London King's Cross.
Down (away from London) trains call at 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...
and Hitchin
Hitchin railway station
Hitchin Railway Station serves the town of Hitchin in Hertfordshire. It is located approximately north east of the town centre and north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line....
before terminating at Letchworth Garden City
Letchworth Garden City railway station
Letchworth Garden City station serves the town of Letchworth in Hertfordshire, England. The station is on the Hitchin-Cambridge Line north of London Kings Cross, and is a stop for services between Kings Cross and Cambridge...
.
The Finishing Line
In 1977, track in the vicinity of the then closed station was used by British Transport FilmsBritish Transport Films
British Transport Films was an organisation set up in 1949 to make documentary films on the general subject of British transport. Its work included internal training films, travelogues , and "industrial films" promoting the progress of Britain's railway...
as a set to film the notorious public information film
Public information film
Public Information Films are a series of government commissioned short films, shown during television advertising breaks in the UK. The US equivalent is the Public Service Announcement .-Subjects:...
The Finishing Line
The Finishing Line
The Finishing Line is a short film produced in 1977 by British Transport Films, warning about the dangers children face on railway lines. Although it is not strictly a public information film, it is often considered to be so by fans of the genre...
. Using shock tactics to deter children from playing near railway lines, the film was staged as a dream sequence
Dream sequence
A dream sequence is a technique used in storytelling, particularly in television and film, to set apart a brief interlude from the main story. The interlude may consist of a flashback, a flashforward, a fantasy, a vision, a dream, or some other element. Commonly, dream sequences appear in many...
of a parody school sports day
Sports day
Sports days, sometimes referred to as Field Day, are events staged by many schools and offices in which people take part in competitive sporting activities, often with the aim of winning trophies or prizes...
with 'events' on and around the track. Local schoolchildren were drafted as actors. The film was broadcast on the nightly Nationwide
Nationwide (TV series)
Nationwide was a BBC News and Current affairs television programme broadcast on BBC One each weekday following the early evening news. It followed a magazine format, combining political analysis and discussion with consumer affairs, light entertainment and sports reporting...
TV show, and the liberal quantities of stage blood and graphic depiction of injuries became a matter of some controversy.
External links
- Other map sources for (coordinates 51.8566°N 0.1192°W)
- Movie of steam train Duke of Gloucester passing through Watton-at-Stone