Bushey railway station
Encyclopedia
Bushey railway station serves the towns of Bushey
and Oxhey
and is situated on the Watford DC Line
, 8 km (5 mi) north of Harrow & Wealdstone. The station was renamed from "Bushey & Oxhey" to "Bushey" on 6 May 1974, even though it is actually sited in the neighbouring town of Oxhey, and the nearest part of Bushey (Bushey Village) is over a mile away. Even so it was late in the 1980s before signage at the station reflected this change.
The London and Birmingham Railway
, the first mainline railway in the United Kingdom
, first ran (non-stop) through here on 20 July 1837.
London Underground
's Bakerloo Line
trains served the station from 16 April 1917 until 24 September 1982.
On 16 Feb 1980, faulty trackwork caused nine coaches of an express Euston to Manchester passenger train to derail as it passed through the station. Three coaches were overturned and 19 passengers were seriously injured. The track required extensive repairs and did not reopen fully until 25 Feb 1980.
On 20 April 1980, a passenger train heading for Bletchley derailed immediately before Bushey station after hitting track maintenance machinery. The leading bogie of the Class 310
EMU
derailed, but the train remained upright and damage was slight. One member of the track maintenance team sustained a broken pelvis.
More recently the high-speed rail link to London for the Virgin Trains
network trains has been the only source of building work to the station, where a storage yard and redundant buildings were converted into a high-voltage substation to supply the significantly higher current required for the new trains.
The high speed trains' last stop before London is either Watford Junction or Milton Keynes
.
began upgrading and updating the station.
The current phase seems to be re-painting the doors and windows. The signs have been changed to London Overground standards (allegedly "temporary" (see Gallery), as at other Overgound stations), the underpass has been repainted and the old green and blue railings have been repainted orange.
In addition, the alleyway linking the entrance of the station to Kingsfield Road has been upgraded, replacing the repeatedly vandalised wooden fences with new metal fencing. The bicycle shed at the front of the station has been recently converted (Dec 2007) into a shop and newsagents. Also as of 2009 London Overground are operating their new trains on this service which led to much excitement among rail enthusiasts.
Recent work includes new CCTV and lighting, which is being placed inside the underpass, which itself again is being upgraded with new plasterboard walls and ceiling. A camera system monitoring the platform is now in use for train drivers on platform 2. This is due to the curvature of the platform prevents the driver seeing the whole train from the cabin window or the previous mirror.
"DC lines" between London Euston and Watford Junction and the London Midland
services between London and Tring
. The platforms for the local DC service are curved away and apart from the mainline route. There are three mainline platforms; two forming an island platform between the up fast and the down slow lines, the other serving the up slow line. The platform serving the down fast line has been out of use and overgrown for many years, but Network Rail have stated that they plan to reopen it in December 2011.
For London Overground services, Monday to Sunday daytimes there is a train every 20 minutes calling at all stations to London Euston (southbound) and Watford Junction (northbound). Early morning and late night sees a half-hourly service in each direction. A more frequent service was introduced by London Overground from the 22nd May 2011.
For London Midland services, Monday to Saturday daytimes the half-hourly service to London Euston and Tring stops at Bushey. Evenings the hourly "all stations" Euston
- Milton Keynes Central services stop here.
, 258
and other routes.
Bushey
Bushey is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire in the East of England. Bushey Heath is situated to the south east of Bushey on the boundary with the London Borough of Harrow.-History:...
and Oxhey
Oxhey
Oxhey is a suburb of the borough of Watford in the county of Hertfordshire, England. It is located at and forms part of the Watford post town....
and is situated on the Watford DC Line
Watford DC Line
The Watford DC Line is a commuter railway line from London Euston to Watford Junction. Services on the line are operated by London Overground....
, 8 km (5 mi) north of Harrow & Wealdstone. The station was renamed from "Bushey & Oxhey" to "Bushey" on 6 May 1974, even though it is actually sited in the neighbouring town of Oxhey, and the nearest part of Bushey (Bushey Village) is over a mile away. Even so it was late in the 1980s before signage at the station reflected this change.
History
During the war years of 1939-1945 the station was often known as "Ampersand railway station" - this was due to a typically bureaucratic application of emergency regulations. To hinder enemy troops in the event of an invasion it was ordered that all station names should be painted out on station name-boards, and this was interpreted at Bushey & Oxhey to mean the words 'Bushey' and 'Oxhey' but not the '&'. For the duration of the war, therefore, the station proudly bore the designation '&' - a tribute to official thinking everywhere!The London and Birmingham Railway
London and Birmingham Railway
The London and Birmingham Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom from 1833 to 1846, when it became part of the London and North Western Railway ....
, the first mainline railway in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, first ran (non-stop) through here on 20 July 1837.
London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
's Bakerloo Line
Bakerloo Line
The Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
trains served the station from 16 April 1917 until 24 September 1982.
On 16 Feb 1980, faulty trackwork caused nine coaches of an express Euston to Manchester passenger train to derail as it passed through the station. Three coaches were overturned and 19 passengers were seriously injured. The track required extensive repairs and did not reopen fully until 25 Feb 1980.
On 20 April 1980, a passenger train heading for Bletchley derailed immediately before Bushey station after hitting track maintenance machinery. The leading bogie of the Class 310
British Rail Class 310
The British Rail Class 310 is a slam-door, alternating current electric multiple unit introduced in 1963 as part of the West Coast Main Line electrification project. They were initially classified as Class AM10 units before the introduction of the TOPS classification system. Constructed at BR's...
EMU
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
derailed, but the train remained upright and damage was slight. One member of the track maintenance team sustained a broken pelvis.
More recently the high-speed rail link to London for the Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains
Virgin Trains is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. It operates long-distance passenger services on the West Coast Main Line between London, the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland...
network trains has been the only source of building work to the station, where a storage yard and redundant buildings were converted into a high-voltage substation to supply the significantly higher current required for the new trains.
The high speed trains' last stop before London is either Watford Junction or Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes Central railway station
Milton Keynes Central railway station serves Central Milton Keynes and the surrounding area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The station is located on the West Coast Main Line between the stations of Bletchley and Wolverton, both of which are also within Milton Keynes. The station is served by...
.
Upgrade
Starting at the end of November 2007, Transport for LondonTransport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
began upgrading and updating the station.
The current phase seems to be re-painting the doors and windows. The signs have been changed to London Overground standards (allegedly "temporary" (see Gallery), as at other Overgound stations), the underpass has been repainted and the old green and blue railings have been repainted orange.
In addition, the alleyway linking the entrance of the station to Kingsfield Road has been upgraded, replacing the repeatedly vandalised wooden fences with new metal fencing. The bicycle shed at the front of the station has been recently converted (Dec 2007) into a shop and newsagents. Also as of 2009 London Overground are operating their new trains on this service which led to much excitement among rail enthusiasts.
Recent work includes new CCTV and lighting, which is being placed inside the underpass, which itself again is being upgraded with new plasterboard walls and ceiling. A camera system monitoring the platform is now in use for train drivers on platform 2. This is due to the curvature of the platform prevents the driver seeing the whole train from the cabin window or the previous mirror.
Reintroduction of Derelict Platforms
It has been announced by Network Rail that platforms 3 (derelict) and 4 will be brought back into use before the December 2011 timetable, to allow an improved late evening and weekend connections with London. Weekend engineering works have meant that platforms were not available for later evening London Midland services to call at Bushey on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday morning services were also affected. The work scheduled to be completed before December 2011 should alleviate this problem.Services
Bushey is on the London OvergroundLondon Overground
London Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
"DC lines" between London Euston and Watford Junction and the London Midland
London Midland
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd, it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands franchise since 11 November 2007....
services between London and Tring
Tring railway station
Tring railway station is 1.5 miles outside the small town of Tring, close to the Grand Union Canal and actually nearer the village of Aldbury in Hertfordshire, England. The former Royal Station Hotel and Restaurant has been converted into residential accommodation and beyond that is a small...
. The platforms for the local DC service are curved away and apart from the mainline route. There are three mainline platforms; two forming an island platform between the up fast and the down slow lines, the other serving the up slow line. The platform serving the down fast line has been out of use and overgrown for many years, but Network Rail have stated that they plan to reopen it in December 2011.
For London Overground services, Monday to Sunday daytimes there is a train every 20 minutes calling at all stations to London Euston (southbound) and Watford Junction (northbound). Early morning and late night sees a half-hourly service in each direction. A more frequent service was introduced by London Overground from the 22nd May 2011.
For London Midland services, Monday to Saturday daytimes the half-hourly service to London Euston and Tring stops at Bushey. Evenings the hourly "all stations" Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
- Milton Keynes Central services stop here.
Transport links
London buses route 142London Buses route 142
London Buses route 142 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Arriva Shires & Essex.-History:...
, 258
London Buses route 258
London Buses route 258 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, UK. The service is currently contracted to Arriva Shires & Essex.-History:...
and other routes.