St Albans Branch Line

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St Albans Abbey Branch Line

		St Albans Abbey
		Closed line To Hatfield
		A414 road
		Park Street
		How Wood
		M25 motorway
		Bricket Wood
		M1 motorway
		Garston
		A41 road

		Level Crossing
		Watford North
		WCML North
		Watford Junction


		WCML, WLL and Watford DC Line South to Euston

The St Albans Abbey Branch Line is a railway line from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey. In its short 6.5 miles, the route goes through town and countryside^[1]. The service on the line is often referred to as the "Abbey Flyer", after St Albans Abbey.

1 History
2 The line today
3 Future trends
4 References

[edit] History

The branch line, single throughout, was opened from Watford Junction by the London and North Western Railway on 5 May 1858, the first railway to reach the town^[2]. There were originally just two stations: at Park Street and Bricket Wood. In 1910 a further station was opened, at Callowland. The terminus at St Albans had a name change to St Albans Abbey in 1924 to distinguish it from the Midland Railway main line station (known as St Albans City), opened in 1868. The LNWR station was also served by a branch of the Great Northern Railway from Hatfield.

The 6.5-mile route was electrified at 25 kV AC overhead in 1987-1988^[3]

[edit] The line today

[edit] Operations

Passenger services are currently operated by Silverlink under the Silverlink County brand^[4].

The service is a pay train and all stations between Watford North and St Albans Abbey are unstaffed, so any ticket can be bought on the train. If joining at Watford Junction, you will require a ticket before you join the train, otherwise you will have to pay full fare.

[edit] Traction

The service is operated using a 25kV AC voltage Class 321/4 electric multiple unit, or a 25kV Class 313 if a 321/4 is not available. On rare occasions a Class 150 diesel multiple unit has been substituted.

[edit] Signalling

Signalling on the line is simple - the line is operated under "One Train Working" (without Train Staff) rules, where only one train is allowed on the line at a time. Trains can be taken off the line into Watford Junction yard when required using a manual process, which takes some time.

There is an ABCL (automatic barrier crossing - locally monitored) level crossing outside Watford North. This crossing is operated by a manual plunger for trains towards St Albans, and by a treadle for trains towards Watford Junction.

[edit] Future trends

Since 1995, the Abbey Flyers Users Group (ABFLY)^[5] has been campaigning to secure the future of the line and encourage its growth as an important transport link.

The line has been selected as one of Britain's first "Community Railways" ^[6] by the Strategic Rail Authority - see the Abbeyline Community Rail Partnership^[7] website for more information.

The line will not come under the control of London Overground^[8], but TfL have plans to take over the St Albans branch line in the future ^[9].

[edit] References

v • d • e Railway lines in London:
North London:		Dudding Hill Line Hertford Loop Line Gospel Oak-Barking Line North London Line Northern City Line Lea Valley Lines St Albans Branch Line Thameslink Watford DC Line
East London:		Romford-Upminster Line
South London:		Bexleyheath Line Bromley North Line Catford Loop Line Greenwich Line Dartford Loop Line Hayes Line Hounslow Loop Line Kingston Loop Line Nunhead to Lewisham link South London Lines Tattenham Corner Line Thameslink
West London:		West London Line
Proposed network:		London Overground