Place Digswell Managed by Great Northern 2011/12 0.509 million Number of platforms 2 Station code WLW | Grid reference TL247154 DfT category E 2012/13 0.525 million | |
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Address Welwyn AL6 0DY, United Kingdom Similar Knebworth railway station, Welwyn Garden City railw, Welham Green railway st, Letchworth Garden City railw, Hertford North railway st | ||
Trains at welwyn north railway station 25 5 16
Welwyn North railway station serves the villages of Digswell and Welwyn in Hertfordshire, England. The station is located approximately 22 miles (35 km) north of London Kings Cross, on the East Coast Main Line.
Contents
Location
Although the station is north of Welwyn Garden City, there is the actual village of Welwyn about 1 mile (1.6 km) west. Furthermore, the station is actually located in the district of Digswell. Also, just to the south the line passes over the Welwyn Viaduct and to the north through two tunnels. This section (between Digswell and Woolmer Green Junctions) is a significant capacity bottleneck, being the only double track portion on what is otherwise a four track main line all the way from London to Hitchin & beyond.
History
The Station was opened in 1850 as part of the Great Northern Railway. It was called Welwyn Station until 1926 when it was renamed following the opening of Welwyn Garden City. It was built by contractor Thomas Brassey out of locally produced red brick.
The Welwyn Tunnel rail crash occurred in the tunnels to the north of the station in 1866.
In its heyday the station served local agriculture as well as passenger traffic. There was a goods yard and goods shed on the west side and sidings to the north and south. These included an impressive set of coal drops and, from 1884, a private siding for the adjacent beehive works (E. H. Taylor Ltd. from 1900). The complex included three railway worker's cottages on the west (down) side and two on the east (up). Much of the land to build the station was purchased from local landowner George Augustus 6th Earl Cowper, who built the Cowper Arms Hotel on land adjoining to the west. This is contemporary with the station and built in the same red brick, reputedly by the same navvies (who went on to frequent it).
Today the goods yard has made way for a car park but the main station building, the worker's cottages and the Cowper Arms remain.
The station is a rare survival of architecture from the early days of the GNR and this is now recognised with listed building status. The main station building, the footbridge, the tunnel portal to the north and Welwyn Viaduct to the south are all Grade 2 listed.
Services
Welwyn North station is served by a half-hourly service southbound to London Kings Cross and northbound to Peterborough or Cambridge Mondays to Saturdays, respectively. There is an hourly service in each direction on Sundays, although there are no services direct to Peterborough, only Cambridge.
Route
Below are the routes that Welwyn North is, or has been on since it was built.