Letchworth Garden City railway station
{{Short description|Railway station in Hertfordshire, England}}
{{redirect|Letchworth railway station|the closed railway station in New South Wales, Australia|Letchworth railway station, New South Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2010}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Letchworth Garden City
| symbol_location = gb
| symbol = rail
| image = Letchworthentry.jpg
| caption = The entrance to the station
| borough = Letchworth, District of North Hertfordshire
| country = England
| grid_name = Grid reference
| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|TL217327|25|TL217327}}
| owned = Network Rail
| manager = Great Northern
| platforms = 2
| code = LET
| classification = DfT category D
| years = 1903
| events = Opened (restricted service)
| years1 = 15 April 1905
| events1 = Opened (full service)
| years2 = 18 May 1913
| events2 = Station relocated
| years3 = October 1937
| events3 = Renamed Letchworth
| years4 = 11 June 1999
| events4 = Renamed Letchworth Garden City
| mpassengers =
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{decrease}} 1.835 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 0.458 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 1.189 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 1.471 million}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 1.598 million}}
| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
}}
File:Letchworth Garden City railway station, October 2020.jpg
Letchworth Garden City station serves the town of Letchworth in Hertfordshire, England. The station is on the Cambridge Line {{convert|34|mi|50|chain|km|lk=on}} north of London King's Cross,{{cite book |last=Yonge |first=John |editor-last=Jacobs |editor-first=Gerald |title=2: Eastern |edition=3rd |series=Railway Track Diagrams |date=September 2006 |orig-year=1994 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Bradford on Avon |isbn=0-9549866-2-8 |at=map 24C }} and is a stop for services between King's Cross and Cambridge. Trains which serve the station are operated by Great Northern.
History
The first station known as Letchworth Garden City was opened in 1903, with a restricted service; it gained a full passenger service on 15 April 1905.{{cite book |last=Butt |first=R.V.J. |title=The Directory of Railway Stations |year=1995 |publisher=Patrick Stephens Ltd |location=Yeovil |isbn=1-85260-508-1 |id=R508 |page=142 }} On 18 May 1913, this station was replaced by a new station on a different site. The new station was built in 1912, in the Arts and Crafts style, and has since been Grade II listed.{{cite web|url=http://www.north-herts.gov.uk/item_12_-_letchworth_railway_station__station_place__letchworth_garden_city.pdf |title=Planning Committee Referral |access-date=2008-06-15 |date=July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716182553/https://www.north-herts.gov.uk/item_12_-_letchworth_railway_station__station_place__letchworth_garden_city.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-16 }}
The station was originally intended to have two island platforms, giving a total of four platforms. However, since its opening only two platforms have been used. It was known from October 1937 as Letchworth, until it regained its current name on 11 June 1999 following a refurbishment scheme.{{cite book |last=Mitchell |first=Vic |title=Eastern Main Lines: Potters Bar to Cambridge |year=2006 |publisher=Middleton Press |location=Midhurst |isbn=1-904474-70-5 |page=64 }} Electric operation at the station was inaugurated in 1978, as part of the Kings Cross Outer Suburban scheme, though the wires initially ended at Royston. Through electric services to Cambridge began in May 1988.[http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/cambridge/index19.shtml "Cambridge - Its Railways & Station"]Disused Stations Site Record; Retrieved 23 August 2016
The platforms were extended initially for eight carriages, and further extended in December 2011 for 12-carriage trains.
Passenger lifts were installed in two new towers in March 2014.{{cite news|work=The Comet|date=25 October 2013|url=http://www.thecomet.net/news/letchworth_train_station_car_park_closed_as_work_starts_on_lifts_1_2926936|title=Letchworth train station car park closed as work starts on lifts|first=Julie|last=Lucas|access-date=30 April 2014}}
To the north of the station are the sidings where trains starting or terminating at Letchworth are cleaned and stabled.
Ticket barriers are in operation.
The station was used as a filming location for the 2013 film The World's End; it was converted into a pub named "The Hole in the Wall".{{cite news|last1=Davies|first1=Alan|title=The World's End pub crawl locations revealed|url=http://www.whtimes.co.uk/what-s-on/the_world_s_end_pub_crawl_locations_revealed_1_2289823|access-date=23 March 2016|work=Welwyn & Hatfield Times|date=21 July 2013}}
Services
Services at Letchworth Garden City are operated by Thameslink and Great Northern using {{brc|379}}, {{Cite web |date=2025-02-11 |title=Govia Thameslink Railway brings in extra trains in readiness for improved December timetable |url=https://www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/govia-thameslink-railway/pressreleases/govia-thameslink-railway-brings-in-extra-trains-in-readiness-for-improved-december-timetable-3369224 |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=Mynewsdesk |language=en}}{{brc|387}} and {{brc|700|n}} EMUs.
The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is:{{NRtimes|May 2023|25, 52}}
- 2 tph to {{stnlnk|London King's Cross}} (stopping)
- 2 tph to {{stnlnk|Brighton}} via {{stn|London Bridge}} and {{stnlnk|Gatwick Airport}} (semi-fast)
- 3 tph to {{stnlnk|Cambridge}} (2 of these run semi-fast and 1 calls at all stations)
During the peak hours, the all stations service to Cambridge is increased to 2 tph, and the station is served by an additional half-hourly service between London King's Cross and {{stnlnk|King's Lynn}} via {{stnlnk|Ely}} which runs non-stop to and from London King's Cross.
On Sundays, the stopping services to and from London King's Cross, and the services between Brighton and Cambridge are reduced to hourly.
{{rail start}}
{{s-rail-national|rows1=2|previous=Hitchin|next=Baldock|toc=Thameslink|route={{smalldiv|Hitchin to Cambridge Line}}}}
{{rail line|hide1=yes|previous={{stnlnk|Hitchin}}|next={{stnlnk|Baldock}} or Terminus|route=Great Northern
{{smalldiv|Hitchin to Cambridge Line}}|col={{GN colour}} }}
{{s-rail-national|previous=London King's Cross|next=Royston|toc=Great Northern|route={{smalldiv|Fen Line}}|notemid={{smalldiv|Peak Hours Only}}}}
{{end}}
In popular culture
Letchworth Station (Oil on canvas, 1911) by Spencer Gore is notable as an early depiction of rail commuters. From the collection of J. Peter W. Cochrane.J.B. Priestley, The Edwardians (1970), p 208. SBN 434 60332 5.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
{{stn art lnk|LET|SG63AN}}
{{coord|51.980721|N|0.227677|W|display=title|type:railwaystation_region:GB}}
{{Great Northern Route}}
{{Hertfordshire railway stations}}
{{TSGN and SE Stations|Peterborough=y|Northern City=y|SN None=y|SE None=y}}
{{Listed buildings in Hertfordshire}}
Category:Grade II listed buildings in Hertfordshire
Category:Railway stations in Hertfordshire
Category:DfT Category D stations
Category:Former Great Northern Railway stations
Category:Railway stations served by Govia Thameslink Railway
Category:Grade II listed railway stations