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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2011 0:05:36 GMT
Been meaning to ask for a while:
Was the Watford branch originally planned to be extended east of Watford station? None of the books I've read seem to say one way or the other.
There appears to be physical evidence as on the other side of the road from the station and in line with the existing track alignment there are four (I think) similar houses which look to be considerably younger than their neighbours as if to suggest a gap was left originally to allow extension.
If there's anything in my theory what form would an extension have taken? Staying on the surface would involve going through Cassiobury Park. Maybe cut and cover?
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metman
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Post by metman on Apr 28, 2011 7:32:32 GMT
Basically yes! A site was bought in the High Street, but the route was never started. I would direct you to the ideas thread at the bottom section where there was a debate going on yesterday!
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Post by bassmike on Apr 28, 2011 10:55:33 GMT
the building on the proposed site for the extension to watford was occupied by Grange furnishing.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2011 12:07:32 GMT
The West of Watford Book by Goudie & Douglas Stuckey has a section about it and a photo. I will dig it out later and post a copy
re - copyright I know Douglas and will check with him first before posting
Got the OK from Douglas this evening and will post the photo and info tomorrow.
Xerces Fobe
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2011 9:29:29 GMT
Reproduced here with permission from Douglas Stuckey. the co-author of the West of Watford book.THE PREMISES AT 44 WATFORD HIGH STREET The Metropolitan station at Watford was not well sited; it was about a mile from the town centre in an area which, in the early years of the branch, had little housing development. Early in 1927an opportunity for remedying this appeared, when some premises at 44 Watford High Street came on the market. These had been in use since 1916 as the Empress Tea Rooms; they were inspected by the Metropolitan in May 1927, and a memorandum to the Board, signed by J. Martin Clark, suggested that this site, together with a strip of land belonging to it, would be suitable for extending the railway to the High Street. The land available, about 21/2 acres, would be sufficient for a station with shops, flats etc. and it adjoined the Watford Cattle Market, which might be a lucrative source of additional rail traffic. Two alternative routes were suggested, both in tunnel; these are shown superimposed on a photograph, the first one extending from the existing terminus, passing under Cassiobury Park and Cassio Road, then under the West Herts Sports Ground to the new station. Route 2 left the railway a little to the south-west of the existing station and continued in a straight line under the Grammar School Playing Fields, Cassio Road, and the West Herts Sports Ground to reach the new terminus; the latter would have been in an open cutting about 11 chains long. A plan in the General Manager's papers, which has no accompanying comment, shows another line, also leaving the railway south-west of the existing station, and then proceeding under Cassiobury Park Avenue itself and the West Herts Sports Ground to the High Street.  The Projected Watford High Street termimus for The Metropolitan line taken in 1986 F.W Goudie Cover of West Of Watford Book - The best book you will ever find on railways in this area. Xerces Fobe
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2011 19:01:48 GMT
xercesfobe, thanks for posting that, tantalising, there doesn't seem to be a lot of easily found information on the subject. Was the existing Watford station built in the same way as Edgware (and maybe some others) on a concrete raft to allow excavating under it? Not been to Watford for a while, but it looks like there is enough height to extend off the ends of the existing platforms and through the headwall under the station building. I need check the routes described on a map to understand the possible routes. Any ideas what sort of tunnelling was proposed? I would think at least some of it would have needed full bored tubes - 16' diameter similar to the Great Northern to Moorgate - can't imagine that being cheap even in 1927 prices! No doubt that's why it never happened. Is Watford still on clay or are you into chalk then?
Great shame it never happened!
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Ben
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Post by Ben on May 1, 2011 20:22:57 GMT
Both Watford and Stanmore stations were built to allow the further projection of track beyond.
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Post by norbitonflyer on May 1, 2011 22:30:46 GMT
I would think at least some of it would have needed full bored tubes - 16' diameter similar to the Great Northern to Moorgate - can't imagine that being cheap even in 1927 prices! No doubt that's why it never happened. I'm sure i read somewhere that the short tunnel on the watford branch (presumably that on the Rickmansworth/Croxley spur) was bullt by bored tube, and certainly the "new" Hadley Wood tunnels for the widening of the ECML were built that way in the 1950s. |
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2011 22:44:11 GMT
The Stanmore station building is very similar in style is it not? Not somewhere I visit often, if ever. Hopefully without going too much off topic, where might the Stanmore branch have been extended to? Not sure I've ever heard any mention of it before.
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Ben
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Post by Ben on May 1, 2011 23:29:39 GMT
Bushey? Later on, one of the plans for the Aldenham extension of the Northern would instead have seen the line continue from Stanmore.
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2011 10:38:32 GMT
The building in Watford High Street that was bought by the Met. Rly. (and shown in the photograph above) is now the local Wetherspoon pub.
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Post by mrjrt on May 2, 2011 20:29:30 GMT
Bushey? Later on, one of the plans for the Aldenham extension of the Northern would instead have seen the line continue from Stanmore. Indeed. the scale of the depot at Aldenham would have made the attractiveness of an extension from Stanmore a no-brainer, even without stations. Essentially, Aldenham would have been the north London equivalent of Acton. They'd have been able to give over all the siding space at Stanmore to the car park too. |
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Post by Deleted on May 2, 2011 22:35:42 GMT
Bushey? Later on, one of the plans for the Aldenham extension of the Northern would instead have seen the line continue from Stanmore. Indeed. the scale of the depot at Aldenham would have made the attractiveness of an extension from Stanmore a no-brainer, even without stations. Essentially, Aldenham would have been the north London equivalent of Acton. They'd have been able to give over all the siding space at Stanmore to the car park too. A possible extension to St Albans would have been the next logical step. Xerces Fobe |
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Post by mrjrt on May 3, 2011 9:34:32 GMT
We're veering sharply off into RIPAs territory here...but I agree. That said, the Midland always intended to extend it's goods lines form Hendon to St. Albans, and I think it's a shame that both these things didn't come to pass, as the MML desperately needs a metro service to St. Albans to free up capacity for Thameslink, and those goods lines would have been perfect (a-la the WCML's New Lines).
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