St Albans City railway station

St Albans City railway station, also shortened to St Albans, is one of five railway stations in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, the others being St Albans Abbey, Park Street, How Wood and Bricket Wood. City station is the largest and most used of the stations. It is located 0.5 miles (0.80 km) east of the city centre, on the Midland Main Line and served by First Capital Connect on the Thameslink service.

The station was built by the Midland Railway in 1868 on its extension to St Pancras. Formerly, St Albans was famous for producing watercress which was sent in 56-pound (25 kg) lots to London and Manchester.

The other station, St Albans Abbey, was built by the London and North Western Railway in 1858. There was originally a further station called London Road, built by the Hatfield and St Albans Railway in 1863 to connect with the Great Northern Railway.^[1]

Description

The station has four platforms, two for each direction: one "fast" and one "slow". The main entrance, ticket office, multi-storey car park, taxi rank and bus connections are on Station Way, east of the station. There is a second exit to the west, to a small surface car park off Ridgmont Road and Victoria Street, located at the original entrance to the station. Somewhat controversially, a larger surface car park to the east of the railway lines gained planning permission in 2003, in connection with a large residential development. [1]

There are ticket barriers at both entrances.

The station has a PlusBus scheme where combined train and bus tickets can be bought at a reduced price.

There is also a WH Smith, a Pumpkin food stall, a newsagent and an AMT coffee stand. There is also an AMT Coffee stand on platforms 2 and 3. Just outside the station there is a flower stall. There are also several metro newspaper containers in the main station building.

St Albans South signal box has been restored at the station and has been opened as a visitor attraction by the St Albans Signal Box Preservation Trust.^[2]

Services

Monday to Friday

• The services below are operated by Class 319 or Class 377/5 Electrostar, and usually formed of four or eight coaches.

• xx:18 & xx:48 to Brighton, calling at St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, London Bridge, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Haywards Heath and Brighton.
• xx:02 & xx:32 to Brighton, calling at St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, London Bridge, East Croydon, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Balcombe (1tph), Haywards Heath, Wivelsfield, Burgess Hill, Hassocks, Preston Park and Brighton.
• xx:10, xx:25, xx:40 & xx:55 to Bedford, calling at Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Leagrave, Harlington, Flitwick and Bedford.

• The services below are operated by Class 319s, and are usually formed of four or eight coaches.

• xx:29 & xx:59 to Sutton, calling at Radlett, Elstree & Borehamwood, Mill Hill Broadway, Hendon, Cricklewood, West Hampstead Thameslink, Kentish Town, St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, Elephant & Castle, Loughborough Junction, Herne Hill, Tulse Hill, Streatham, Tooting, Haydons Road, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Chase, South Merton, Morden South, Sutton Common, West Sutton and Sutton.
• xx:14 & xx:44 to Wimbledon, calling at Radlett, Elstree & Borehamwood, Mill Hill Broadway, Hendon, Cricklewood, West Hampstead, Kentish Town, St Pancras International, Farringdon, City Thameslink, Blackfriars, Elephant & Castle, Loughborough Junction, Herne Hill, Tulse Hill, Streatham, Mitcham Eastfields, Mitcham Junction, Hackbridge, Carshalton, Sutton, West Sutton, Sutton Common, Morden South, South Merton, Wimbledon Chase and Wimbledon.
• xx:16 & xx:44 to Luton, calling at Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway and Luton.

• At peak times, First Capital Connect operate a joint service with Southeastern north of Kentish Town between Bedford and Sevenoaks.
  • In the mornings these depart at 06:26, 06:40, 06:50, 07:08, 07:12, 07:18, 07:32, 07:44, 07:55, 08:00, 08:06, 08:34 & 08:56. The 07:08 & 07:32 terminate at Bromley South, while the 07:18 runs to Orpington and the 06:50 to Beckenham Junction.
  • In the evenings Sevenoaks trains depart at 16:18, 16:34, 16:54, 17:16, 17:24, 17:36, 17:42, 18:26, 18:58 & 19:28. The 16:18 goes to Beckenham Junction, the 16:54 to Rochester, the 17:16 to Ashford International, the 17:24 to Kent House and the 17:36 to Rochester.

InterCity services

East Midlands Trains InterCity services from Leeds, Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield and Leicester run through at high speed, but do not stop. Interchange with InterCity services can be made at Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and St Pancras International.

During British Railways days, Intercity services from St Pancras stopped at St Albans.

Post Thameslink Programme

After the Thameslink Programme is finished in 2018, the indicated service pattern is as follows:

• Off Peak:
  • 4tph Bedford - Brighton semi-fast 12-car
  • 2tph St Albans - Caterham slow 8-car
  • 2tph St Albans - Bellingham slow 8-car
  • 2tph Luton - Sevenoaks slow 8-car
• Peak (in addition to above):
  • Bedford - East Grinstead semi-fast 12-car
  • Bedford - Tumbridge Wells semi-fast 12-car
  • Luton - Ashford International semi-fast 12-car

Service patterns

Gallery

See also

• St Albans railway station, Melbourne

References

Sources

• Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199. 

External links

• Train times and station information for St Albans City railway station from National Rail