The Midland Main Line – Bedford to St Pancras

The subject of today’s meeting at Hitchin was The Midland Main Line from the Peter Bland Collection, presented by Bryan Cross.  This was the fifth instalment of Bryan’s work with Peter’s photographs.

Bryan has combined Peter’s collection with signal box diagrams and old Ordnance Survey maps, together with his own research at the Public Record Office, Kew.

Our journey was illustrated with photographs of the line and stations from Bedford, through Luton and St Albans, terminating at Napsbury.  Bryan concentrated on the late 1950’s to early 1960s period, covering the end of steam and the introduction of the dieselised “commuter service”.

The line from Bedford to Luton was quadrupled in the 1890s with the installation of goods lines.  In the late 1950s, these lines were upgraded for passenger use and some stations were expanded with an extra platform.  A few stations were closed as they were deemed to be “too close” to others.  Bryan covered these track and station alterations in great detail.

Junctions were described, including those with the Hitchin and Bletchley lines at Bedford, the Great Northern line at Luton and the Hemel Hempstead branch at Harpenden.  Bryan illustrated other features, such as Bedford and St Albans steam sheds, the Royal Ordnance Factory sidings and station at Wilshampstead and the connections to Park Street and the former Asylum at Napsbury.

Bryan’s selection of photographs reflected the wide variety of steam and diesel traction at that time, and the survival of steam into the early 1960s to cover for failed diesel multiple units.

Bryan gave us an interesting, detailed and personal view of the line and its features.  We look forward to Bryan’s next presentation, continuing towards St Pancras.

Hugh Driscoll.