St Albans Abbey to Watford Junction *Drivers Eye View* | London Midland Class 321
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ค. 2014
- This video is property of Train_PlaneHub, "RachaelMatt" and must NOT be illegally re-uploaded!
The Abbey Line is a very short single track branch line between Watford Junction & St Albans Abbey. The line is currently served by a single London Midland Class 321 EMU and serves all 7 stations end to end.
St Albans Abbey
Park Street
How Wood
Bricket Wood
Garston
Watford North
Watford Junction
Although not a fast high speed busy line, I thought its one many people may not have ventured down or even heard of so couldn't resist sharing it with you! Hope you like it, its not much but that adds to quality of the branch.
Thanks for watching
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Living in St Albans in the1950s I often rode this line to Watford Jnctn for trainspotting. In those days it was steam haul and terminated right in the junction not an island in the middle of nowhere!
Great memories. Grew up in Garston and went to school in St Albans. Also swam at Westminster Lodge. Thanks for sharing The Abbey Flyer X
That jointed track sound sent shivers through my spine epic sound, grew up listening to that daily living alongside the Hertford east branch.
Loved this because I was born and raised near one of the stops before Watford North . Until I was nearly 18 I woke up hearing it chug along . Trivia time ! How Wood only became a station in the late eighties . I used to dream about the train ,it was such a fixture in my life .
I grew up catching this little train at Garston , so many memories ! It is featured in the film My Brother Tom starring Ben Wishaw .
I used to ride this line ...and walk it..ALOT..Bck when it was the old carriages( 84-90) Live in australia now..great to see..Wow..trip down memory lane.
Looking at it too, it's quite astonishing that this branch was electrified at all!
I was just thinking that.
I first put this video on and saw the overhead lines and thought it was crazy also did beeching fall asleep when this line came up?
It was the case that electrifying the line in the late 1980s didn't cost too much and would allow for common fleet usage with other services in the Watford area (initially it was the 313s used on the Watford DC line, then the 321/319/350s used on the southern WCML slow services) instead of having to maintain a diesel microfleet for the line.
The Marston Vale was meant to be electrified for much the same reason but privatisation put a stop to that.
I use live in Bricket Wood (1957-72) when the steam trains were eventually replaced by DMUs - travelled weekdays to St Albans to school/back, and often to Watford Junction where I'm sure the train stopped at the main line station and not a halt outside? Also Bricket Wood had two platforms for passing trains and of course a footbridge - shame that's gone, but really enjoyed the trip reminiscing about the past gone-by. Happy times!
What a fascinating branch line. Another one for my must do list. many thanks for sharing.
Such timing. Just as Watford get's released as a Simsig signalling simulation, you come up with this!
Very helpful reference. Thank you.
A sad journey from when I remember it from the 1940's. No passing loop that once served a second platform at Bricket Wood. And the approach to Watford Junction just sad, sad, sad.
I was praying that when I go to Watford Junction that I would see one of these, but I have worked out that I won't... Thanks for uploading this! Another brilliant video.
Great vid. I often wandered why they never connected The Abbey with St Albans main station - it would've opened endless possibilities when travelling from the East coat train line or Thameslink etc.. Instead of having to go into London and then out again one could have changed at St Albans!
+telemachus53 maybe they're close together (i.e. walking distance apart)
+Ayman Ilham Its about 15 mins walk - okay unless you have luggage or are in a hurry. Mind you it takes that long to get from St Pancras to Euston. Maybe I'll try it next time!
There may be a bus link between the two stations
Once upon a time there was a link to St.Albans City station via Napsbury. When this was removed they had little thought for the needs of the future. When the line was originally built they wanted it to continue on-wards to Luton and Welwyn Garden City but this was opposed by the St. Albans City Council at the time.
what a load of crap stupid shitty electrics should have been steam [ steam is king has been and all ways will be ]
Great video, thanks for posting.
Enjoyed the ride, Thank you
Living at Bricket Wood 1957-71, I use to travel to school in St Albans by steam train - brilliant fun, until DMU's arrived but they did their job and were more reliable.
Another awesome video mate! Still haven't used that line yet
great branch I travel on it once a fortnight lovely little line
That's a very good cab view Rachaelmatt im being serious that was a good video. I still go to the abbey station to do filming sometimes Southernrailwayfans goes there.
But now Class 350 Desiro are operating on the Abbey branch line. The Class 319 were also used on that route.
Nice to see the driver acting very skillfully in this Abbey to Junction clip. Unlike 10/09/2018, when it was a different story of neck-breaking speed on an early afternoon train from Bricket Wood to Watford Junction. (LNWR and Network Rail now aware).
Great Vid Matt :)
Good video quality. How the hell did Beeching miss this?
I was thinking that and the electrification is crazy! I expected a small diesel chugging up and down that line.
Of course in my days there were two platforms at Bricket Wood with a footpath leading down from the housing estate side to a metal footbridge or was it there?
I want to live on that train...
Let me guess - your next video will be on the Marston Vale Line :)
Thanks for this. Its one of those lines I always wanted to go on. Curious it never got absorbed into LU as it would have complemented their services or why London Overground haven't take it over?
I am disappointed that this line was electrified when many lines in West Yorkshire are crying out for electrification and good EMU stock and carry 6 times a s many passengers - perhaps it reflects the power of the MP for St Albans at one time? Anyway great video
Yes I think London Overground would be perfect for the route. Make a crossover and run direct from Euston to St. Albans Abbey with alternate services terminating at Watford. That would be an idea!
rachaelmatt
We had a Silverlink Class 313 on the branch line before it got replaced by a Class 321.
It's funny as LO take over more services they don't need like the lea valley lines when they could be extended in their current lines!
Z-TeamProject Should it take over London Bridge - Beckenham?
So far I've heard that this line is going to be a guided busway (wich is disappointing) because of the lack of people using this service! Why don't London overground take over this route and connect to the D.C route at Watford junction and then more people will travel on this route to London instead of switching trains! Please reply if this s a good idea, thanks.
I'm the BOSS that's a very good point and yes a lot more people would use it!
that's not possible, the overground is on the other side of 4 track mainlines
+Jordan Kinely Put in a flyover. Or an underpass.
+I'm the BOSS from what ive heard they've scrapped the guided bus way idea and its not low passenger numbers it because the service frequency is not good enough apparently
I remember it as Steam and we use to watch the Engine turned round on the turntable.
Will there be an updated version of this video?
Very great video but how often do these services run to/from?
There's only 1 train based on the route at any given time. It takes about 15mins each way. So they're about every 50mins or so.
Also can I ask, is the line speed 45mph I guess? Is that correct?
rescuelad4 Nope, it's 75 mph (120 km/h).
You're both wrong it's 55 MPH
Wow great vid! Is that the M25 between How Wood and Bricket Wood, that also goes under Kings Langley. If no, what road is it?
Mabye the m1 cos that goes past near watford
The M1 & M25 cross the line on that route, so it could be either I dont know :/
If rachaelmatt actually did an eye view from St Albans Abbey to Euston, he would see the M25 twice. Over it at How Wood and under at Kings Langley.
Peter Young I've been under that M25 bridge
The St Albans Abbey to Watford line goes under the A414, over the top of the M25 between J22-J21a then passes under the M1 between J6-J5, hope that helps.
Nowadays, a single class 319 provides the service
train driver left his braking till the last min nearly over shooting the platform
A Straight Way Route
Nearly all this route is surrounded by forest
Ends at a platform in the middle of nowhere?!!
The old coal yard,sidings all gone!!
Is your dad driving?
Scotrail170414 I
Must be boring being the driver of that train just going up and down that line all day running an almost empty train. Wouldnt be going very far if a tree shorted out that line either!