The Abbey Line, also known as the St Albans Abbey branch line, is a railway line from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey. The 6.5-mile (10.5 km) route passes through town and countryside in the county of Hertfordshire, just outside the boundaries of the Oyster Card and London fare zones. Its northern terminus, St Albans Abbey, is located in the south of the city, around 0.75 miles (1.21 km) away from the larger St Albans City station on the Midland Main Line. It is a semi-rural line and, due to its single-track operation, service frequencies are limited. The service is sometimes referred to locally as the Abbey Flyer.
A London Midland EMU at St Albans Abbey in 2017
A postcard view of Bricket Wood station
The Busway in Cambridgeshire, an example of a guided busway proposed for the Abbey line
The old passing loop at Bricket Wood, proposed for re-opening to increase services
Watford Junction railway station
Watford Junction is a railway station that serves Watford, Hertfordshire. The station is on the West Coast Main Line (WCML), 17 miles 34 chains (28 km) from London Euston and the Abbey Line, a branch line to St Albans. Journeys to London take between 16 and 52 minutes, depending on the service. Trains also run to Clapham Junction and East Croydon, via the West London line. The station is a major hub for local bus services and the connecting station for buses to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. The station is located north of a viaduct over the Colne valley and immediately south of Watford Tunnel.
Watford Junction railway station
The original 1837 Watford railway station
The new railway line, opened in 1837, approached Watford over the River Colne on a viaduct (Thomas Roscoe, 1839)
Watford Locomotive Depot on 27 January 1951.
