Station code WHP Accessible Yes | DfT category E Number of platforms 4 | |
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Local authority Similar Elstree & Borehamwood railway st, Radlett railway station, Harpenden railway station, Luton Airport Parkway r, St Albans City railway station | ||
West Hampstead Thameslink is a National Rail station on the Midland Main Line and is served by Thameslink trains as part of the Thameslink route between Kentish Town and Cricklewood. The station is in Travelcard Zone 2. East Midlands Trains InterCity services from Leeds, Sheffield and Leicester run through at high speed, but do not stop. Interchange with InterCity services can be made at Luton and St Pancras International.
Contents
History
The station was built by the Midland Railway on its extension to St. Pancras, to serve the newly developed area around the hamlet of West End. It opened on 1 March 1871, and was originally named West End for Kilburn and Hampstead.
For a short period from 1878 the station formed part of the Super Outer Circle, Midland trains running through from St Pancras to Earl's Court via Acton Central and Turnham Green.
It was renamed several times: to West End on 1 July 1903; to West End and Brondesbury on 1 April 1904; to West Hampstead on 1 September 1905; West Hampstead Midland on 25 September 1950; and finally West Hampstead Thameslink on 16 May 1988. It was popular for many years for people taking a day out on Hampstead Heath and those visiting the chalybeate springs in Hampstead itself.
Oyster Pay as you go was introduced in late 2007.
From March 2009, Southeastern and Thameslink began running some peak hour trains from Sevenoaks to Luton, though in the off-peak these services turn back at Kentish Town.
West Hampstead station linkage
The present arrangement of three separate stations (Thameslink, Overground and Jubilee line) means that passengers wishing to change lines must walk along or cross West End Lane, a busy main road. A redevelopment proposal was put forward in 2004 by Chiltern Railways which would link the three West Hampstead stations with subterranean walkways. New platforms would be built for the Chiltern Main Line, and possibly also for the Metropolitan line, and the Thameslink and London Overground (formerly Silverlink) stations would be relocated on the east side of West End Lane. The redevelopment would involve demolishing existing buildings and the redevelopment of West End Lane as "a tree-lined boulevard". The plans were put on hold in 2007 due to uncertainty over the North London Line rail franchise.
Additional Thameslink services
Additional trains from destinations across the larger Thameslink network may call at the station from 2018.
Connections
London Buses routes 139, 328 and C11 serve the station.
Services
As its name suggest, West Hampstead Thameslink is on the Thameslink route, operated by Thameslink. The station is served at all times of the day with an hourly service at night between Bedford and Three Bridges. Off peak, six trains per hour calls, four running between Luton/St Albans to Sutton plus a half-hourly Bedford to Brighton service. At peak hours some Sevenoaks, Rochester and Ashford International trains also serves the station operated jointly by Thameslink. There is also an hourly service to Sevenoaks during the off peak starting from West Hampstead Thameslink.