Hertford loop line

The line was opened in three stages between 1871 and 1924. The first section called the Enfield Branch Railway was developed by the London and York Railway and went from Wood Green to Enfield.A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain (Vol. 3 Greater London), H P White, David & Charles Ltd 1971 (Pages 166-7) In 1898, a plan was approved to extend the line north to Hertford and Stevenage, in order to relieve congestion on the main line without having to widen the Welwyn Viaduct. Work started in 1905 and Cuffley was reached on 4 April 1910. The construction of two major viaducts and the Ponsbourne Tunnel (at {{convert|2684|yd|disp=or}}, the longest in the eastern counties of England and the last to be built by traditional methods), combined with World War I shortages of men and materials, delayed the opening of the route to Stevenage until 4 March 1918. Then it was single track and for goods services only. The line finally opened to passengers on 2 June 1924 when a new station at Hertford North was opened.A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain (Vol. 5 The Eastern Counties), D I Gordon, David & Charles Ltd 1977 {{ISBN|0-7153-4321-1}} (Pages 123-4) The line was electrified in 1977.{{Cite web |url=http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=1368854&search=all&criteria=Haringey&p=4 |title=English Heritage Pastscape: Hertford Loop Line |access-date=20 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406211818/http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=1368854&search=all&criteria=Haringey&p=4#aSt |archive-date=6 April 2012 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}

The line was also used frequently during the Second World War as the Welwyn/Digswell Viaduct was at high risk from bombs.

The Hertford Line leaves the East Coast Main Line at Langley Junction, just south of Stevenage.

• Watton-at-Stone, serving the village of Watton-at-Stone
• Hertford North, serving the town of Hertford
• Bayford, serving the villages of Bayford and Brickendon
• Cuffley, serving the villages of Cuffley, Northaw and Goffs Oak
• Crews Hill, serving the village of Crews Hill
• Gordon Hill, serving Gordon Hill and Forty Hill, also close to Chase Farm Hospital.
• Enfield Chase, serving Enfield Town
• Grange Park, serving Grange Park
• Winchmore Hill, serving Winchmore Hill
• Palmers Green, serving Palmers Green
• Bowes Park, serving Bowes Park, Bounds Green and Wood Green

It rejoins the East Coast Main Line at Wood Green South Junction,{{cite book |author=Network Rail |author-link=Network Rail |title=London North East Route Sectional Appendix

|volume=Module LNE1 |date=2006-12-02 |id=NR30018/01a |page=44}} north of Alexandra Palace.

Great Northern operates suburban services along the Hertford Line between London King's Cross or Moorgate, and Stevenage, Watton-at-Stone or Hertford North. Occasionally, London North Eastern Railway, Hull Trains, Grand Central, Lumo, Thameslink and other faster Great Northern services operate non-stop along the route when diverted off the main section of the East Coast Main Line, due to incidents or planned engineering work. There is a reversing siding to the north of Bowes Park which is occasionally used to reverse London North Eastern Railway trains heading for Bounds Green Depot. There are also bay platforms at Hertford North, Stevenage, and Gordon Hill, the latter acting as a terminus during peak hours and night only.

The line is about {{convert|24|mi}} long, is double track throughout and is electrified at 25 kV AC using overhead line equipment. It has a loading gauge of W9 and a maximum line speed of {{convert|75|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.

Grade-separated junctions connect each end of the northbound track with the main line. All stations are long enough to accept two three-car (20m) EMUs. Not all stations are long enough for newly introduced 6-car EMUs, but their walk-through design allows for access.

Major civil engineering structures on the Hertford Line include the following.{{Cite book|title=Railway Track Diagrams Book 2: Eastern|last=Brailsford|first=Martyn|publisher=Trackmaps|year=2016|isbn=978-0-9549866-8-1|location=Frome|pages=14, 24}}

Network Rail used Beacon Rail owned Class 313 unit 313121 as a test vehicle for ERTMS on the Hertford Line.{{cite web|url=http://www.riagb.org.uk/files/update/RIA%20Update%2052.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218125727/https://www.riagb.org.uk//files/update/RIA%20Update%2052.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=18 December 2024 |title=Railway Industry Association: Update #52 page 6 |access-date=4 March 2011 }} The plan involved resignalling a {{convert|5+1/2|mi|adj=on}} section of the double track route to allow existing passenger and freight services to work bi-directionally over the up Hertford loop line, freeing the down line for ERTMS tests and evaluation.{{cite magazine |magazine= Rail Magazine|volume= 664|title=The signal for change|url=http://www.railmagazine.com/infrastructure/signalling/the-signal-for-change|date=22 February – 8 March 2011|access-date=29 March 2015}}

{{Reflist}}

Hornby, Frank (1995) London Commuter Lines. Volume 1: Main lines north of the Thames. Kettering: Silver Link Publishing Ltd.

{{Great Northern Route}}

{{Railway lines in the East of England}}

{{Railway lines in London}}

Category:Rail transport in Hertfordshire

Category:Railway lines opened in 1871

Category:Railway lines in London

Category:Railway loop lines

Category:Railway lines in the East of England

Category:Standard gauge railways in England

Category:Transport in the London Borough of Enfield

Category:Transport in the London Borough of Haringey