Place Harpenden Station code HPD DfT category D Opened 1868 | Grid reference TL137142 Managed by Thameslink 2011/12 3.000 million Number of platforms 4 | |
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Address Station Rd, Harpenden AL5 4ST, UK Similar Radlett railway station, West Hampstead Thamesli, Flitwick railway station, Luton Airport Parkway r, St Albans City railway station | ||
Harpenden railway station is on the Midland Main Line in England, serving the town of Harpenden, Hertfordshire. It is 24 miles 51 chains (39.7 km) down-line from London St Pancras and is situated between St Albans City to the south and Luton Airport Parkway to the north. Its three-letter station code is HPD.
Contents
The station is served by Thameslink-operated trains on the Thameslink route.
History
The second station in Harpenden, it was built by the Midland Railway in 1868 on its extension to St. Pancras, however nothing remains of the original station buildings. Although located on Station Road, the road is actually named after the first station, Harpenden East, now closed.
A branch line, built by the Hemel Hempstead Railway Company in 1877, known as the Nickey Line but operated by the Midland, formerly diverged from the main line north of the station. The intention had been to meet the LNWR at Boxmoor but the section from Hemel Hempstead never had a passenger service. In 1886 a south curve was added to the junction allowing passengers to join the London trains at Harpenden rather than Luton. The branch was closed in 1979. The route remains in use as a cycleway, passing under the M1 in a tunnel.
A row of five brick built former coal merchant's offices along the station approach are now used as small retail and office units.
Facilities
The station has facilities toilets, a newsagent, dry cleaner, taxi office and rank, and a coffee shop.
The station also has ticket machines on both sides of the station.
The station has a PlusBus scheme where train and bus tickets can be bought together for a cheaper price.
All four platforms have been extended to support 12-carriage trains as part of the Thameslink programme. This also required widening a road bridge. Work on these started on 21 November 2010 and was completed in May 2011. The construction of a new footbridge with lifts for disabled access has been completed and links up all four platforms. and The east side of the station (platform 1 side) has two entrances both with ticket gates to ease congestion during peak times. The west side entrance is where the ticket office is located, but it also has ticket machines.
An extra deck of parking spaces is planned to be built on top of the existing east side car park. When completed, it will add an extra 200 parking spaces.
2006/07 services
The typical off-peak service pattern saw six trains per hour in each direction operated by First Capital Connect. Four of these were fast trains between Bedford and Brighton, via Kings Cross Thameslink station in central London and Gatwick Airport. The remaining two trains called at all stations between Luton and Sutton (in South London).
December 2007
Following the closure of Kings Cross Thameslink, trains on the Thameslink route now operate between Bedford, Luton, Sutton and Brighton calling at the new low level platforms at St Pancras.
East Midlands Trains operate trains on the Midland Main Line route from St Pancras International to/from Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and Leicester through the station, but do not stop. Interchange with these trains can be made one or two stops to the north, either at Luton or Luton Airport Parkway, dependent on the service.
2009
From March 2009, First Capital Connect, in partnership with Southeastern began running a new Luton-Sevenoaks service. These trains call at Harpenden.
Thameslink
The following off-peak services will be in operation after the Thameslink Programme is completed in 2018: