Welwyn North railway station
Encyclopedia
Welwyn North railway station serves the villages of Digswell
and Welwyn
in Hertfordshire
, England
. The station is located approximately 22 miles (35.4 km) north of London Kings Cross, on the East Coast Main Line
.
, there is the actual village of Welwyn
about a mile west. Furthermore, the station is actually located in the village of Digswell
. Also, just to the south the line passes over the Welwyn Viaduct
.
. It was called Welwyn Station until 1926 when it was renamed following the opening of . It was built by contractor Thomas Brassey
out of locally produced red brick.
In its heyday the station served local agriculture and industry as well as passenger traffic and there was a goods yard and goods shed on the west side and sidings to the north and south. The complex included three railway worker's cottages on the west (down) side and two on the east (up). Much of the land to build the station was purchased from local landowner George Augustus 6th Earl Cowper
, who built the Cowper Arms Hotel on land adjoining to the west. This is contemporary with the station and built in the same red brick, reputedly by the same navvies (who went on to frequent it).
Today the goods yard has made way for a car park but the main station building, the worker's cottages and the Cowper Arms remain.
The station is a rare survival of architecture from the early days of the GNR and this is now recognised with listed building status. The main station building, the footbridge, the tunnel portal to the north and Welwyn Viaduct
to the south are all Grade 2 listed.
and Cambridge
Mondays to Saturdays, respectively. There is an hourly service in each direction on Sundays, although there are no services direct to Peterborough, only Cambridge.
Timetables for Welwyn North can be seen and downloaded here.
Digswell
Digswell is an ancient village in the English county of Hertfordshire which is recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book.Digswell's name may be derived from Deacon's Well. There were two Manors, with 2 water Mills, much land under plough, and a large area of woodland...
and Welwyn
Welwyn
Welwyn is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The parish also includes the villages of Digswell and Oaklands. It is sometimes called Old Welwyn to distinguish it from the newer settlement of Welwyn Garden City, about a mile to the south.-History:Situated in the valley of the...
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...
. The station is located approximately 22 miles (35.4 km) north of London Kings Cross, on 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...
.
Location
Although the station is north of Welwyn Garden CityWelwyn Garden City
-Economy:Ever since its inception as garden city, Welwyn Garden City has attracted a strong commercial base with several designated employment areas. Among the companies trading in the town are:*Air Link Systems*Baxter*British Lead Mills*Carl Zeiss...
, there is the actual village of Welwyn
Welwyn
Welwyn is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The parish also includes the villages of Digswell and Oaklands. It is sometimes called Old Welwyn to distinguish it from the newer settlement of Welwyn Garden City, about a mile to the south.-History:Situated in the valley of the...
about a mile west. Furthermore, the station is actually located in the village of Digswell
Digswell
Digswell is an ancient village in the English county of Hertfordshire which is recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book.Digswell's name may be derived from Deacon's Well. There were two Manors, with 2 water Mills, much land under plough, and a large area of woodland...
. Also, just to the south the line passes over 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...
.
History
The Station was opened in 1850 as part of the Great Northern RailwayGreat Northern Railway (Great Britain)
The Great Northern Railway was a British railway company established by the Great Northern Railway Act of 1846. On 1 January 1923 the company lost its identity as a constituent of the newly formed London and North Eastern Railway....
. It was called Welwyn Station until 1926 when it was renamed following the opening of . It was built by contractor Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey was an English civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible for building much of the world's railways in the 19th century. By 1847, he had built about one-third of the railways in Britain, and by time of his death in 1870 he had built one...
out of locally produced red brick.
In its heyday the station served local agriculture and industry as well as passenger traffic and there was a goods yard and goods shed on the west side and sidings to the north and south. The complex included three railway worker's cottages on the west (down) side and two on the east (up). Much of the land to build the station was purchased from local landowner George Augustus 6th Earl Cowper
Earl Cowper
Earl Cowper was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1718 by George I for William Cowper, 1st Baron Cowper, his first Lord Chancellor, with remainder in default of male issue of his own to his younger brother, Spencer Cowper...
, who built the Cowper Arms Hotel on land adjoining to the west. This is contemporary with the station and built in the same red brick, reputedly by the same navvies (who went on to frequent it).
Today the goods yard has made way for a car park but the main station building, the worker's cottages and the Cowper Arms remain.
The station is a rare survival of architecture from the early days of the GNR and this is now recognised with listed building status. The main station building, the footbridge, the tunnel portal to the north and 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...
to the south are all Grade 2 listed.
Ticket Office Opening Times & Station Staffing Hours
Below are the current opening and staffing times for Welwyn North, as of 2010.| Ticket Office Hours | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | Opens | Closes |
| Monday to Friday AM | 06:50 | 13:15 |
| Monday to Friday PM | 15:30 | 19:00 |
| Saturday | 07:20 | 13:55 |
| Sunday | - | - |
| Station Staffing Hours | ||
|---|---|---|
| Day | From | Until |
| Monday to Friday AM | 06:35 | 13:30 |
| Monday to Friday PM | 15:15 | 19:15 |
| Saturday | 07:05 | 14:10 |
| Sunday | - | - |
Services
Welwyn North station is served by a half-hourly service southbound to London Kings Cross and northbound to PeterboroughPeterborough railway station
Peterborough railway station serves the city of Peterborough, England. It is located approximately north of London Kings Cross on the East Coast Main Line...
and Cambridge
Cambridge railway station
Cambridge railway station is a railway station serving the city of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located at the end of Station Road, off Hills Road, 1 mile south-east of the city centre...
Mondays to Saturdays, respectively. There is an hourly service in each direction on Sundays, although there are no services direct to Peterborough, only Cambridge.
Timetables for Welwyn North can be seen and downloaded here.