Rickmansworth station
Encyclopedia
Rickmansworth is a London Underground
and National Rail
station in the town of Rickmansworth
, in the Three Rivers
district of Hertfordshire
to the north-west of London
. It is one of the few stations beyond Greater London
served by the London Underground, and as a consequence is in Travelcard Zone 7, previously Zone A.
trains from Aylesbury (and ) to London. The electrification was then extended north to Amersham and Chesham, leaving Aylesbury services to be served by British Rail Class 115
diesel multiple unit trains (since replaced by Chiltern Railways
Class 165
and Class 168
units). Locomotive hauled trains (steam and electric) on the Metropolitan Line were then replaced by the new trains of A60 and A62 Stock
.
However, Rickmansworth is still the changeover point for drivers on the Metropolitan Line. The majority of LU trains heading north to Amersham are timetabled to stop at Rickmansworth for about five minutes to change train staff. It is also the headquarters of the operational side of the northern section of the Met: It controls signals on the line from Northwood in the south to Watford/Chorleywood in the north and is one of the few locations on the Met where train drivers are based.
Many evening running Metropolitan Line trains terminate at Rickmansworth due to the various sidings around the station. Ticket Barriers are in operation.
, where it is located between and stations. There are also occasional services between Rickmansworth and early in the morning.
On the National Rail network, the station is served by Chiltern Railways
trains between and Aylesbury
whose next stopping points in each direction are and stations. However, during peak time, Chiltern trains do not stop at Rickmansworth as a result of the short platforms making it unsafe to board or alight from 6 car or longer trains.
There are two tracks through the station, shared in both directions by London Underground and National Rail trains.
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...
and National Rail
National Rail
National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...
station in the town of Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England, 4¼ miles west of Watford.The town has a population of around 15,000 people and lies on the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, at the northern end of the Colne Valley regional park.Rickmansworth is a small town in...
, in the Three Rivers
Three Rivers (district)
Three Rivers is a local government district in Hertfordshire in the East of England. Its council is based in Rickmansworth.It was formed on 1 April 1974 by the merger of Rickmansworth Urban District and Chorleywood Urban District with part of Watford Rural District...
district of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
to the north-west of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It is one of the few stations beyond Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
served by the London Underground, and as a consequence is in Travelcard Zone 7, previously Zone A.
History
Until 1961, Rickmansworth station was the changeover point from steam to electric locomotives for Metropolitan LineMetropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
trains from Aylesbury (and ) to London. The electrification was then extended north to Amersham and Chesham, leaving Aylesbury services to be served by British Rail Class 115
British Rail Class 115
The British Rail Class 115 diesel multiple units were 41 high density sets which operated the outer-suburban services from Marylebone usually to destinations such as High Wycombe, Aylesbury and Banbury which are on the Chiltern Main Line and Great Central Main Line...
diesel multiple unit trains (since replaced by Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
Class 165
British Rail Class 165
The British Rail Class 165 Turbo is a fleet of suburban diesel multiple units , originally specified by and built for British Rail, the then United Kingdom state owned railway operator. They were built by BREL at York Works between 1990 and 1992...
and Class 168
British Rail Class 168
The Class 168 Clubman is a diesel multiple-unit train used on services between London and the Midlands.-Description:The units were built in several batches from 1997 onwards. The first batch of units was classified 168/0 under TOPS and resembled the Class 165 units previously built by BREL at York...
units). Locomotive hauled trains (steam and electric) on the Metropolitan Line were then replaced by the new trains of A60 and A62 Stock
London Underground A60 Stock
The A Stock is the type of train used on the Metropolitan Line of the London Underground. It was built in two batches by Cravens of Sheffield in the early 1960s. The trains replaced all the previous stock then used on the Metropolitan Line...
.
However, Rickmansworth is still the changeover point for drivers on the Metropolitan Line. The majority of LU trains heading north to Amersham are timetabled to stop at Rickmansworth for about five minutes to change train staff. It is also the headquarters of the operational side of the northern section of the Met: It controls signals on the line from Northwood in the south to Watford/Chorleywood in the north and is one of the few locations on the Met where train drivers are based.
Many evening running Metropolitan Line trains terminate at Rickmansworth due to the various sidings around the station. Ticket Barriers are in operation.
- 1 September 1887: station opened by the Metropolitan RailwayMetropolitan railwayMetropolitan Railway can refer to:* Metropolitan line, part of the London Underground* Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway to be built in London...
, from the previous terminus at PinnerPinner tube stationPinner tube station is a London Underground station on the Metropolitan Line in zone 5. The station was opened in 1885 as part of the Victorian expansion of dormitory suburbs, and was one of the stations included in the Metro-land project in the early 20th century... - 8 July 1889: extension to opened
- 15 March 1899(?): Great Central RailwayGreat Central RailwayThe Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
services began - 2 November 1925: extension to opened from both and ; extension of electric train services as far as Rickmansworth
- 3 January 1960: line closed between Rickmansworth and
- 12 September 1960: electric train services extended from Rickmansworth to Chesham and
- 10 September 1961: last regular steam services withdrawn
- 14 November 1966: Goods yard closed
- 11 May 1987: early morning services to Croxley and Watford reinstated
Services
On the London Underground, the station is served by trains on the branch of the Metropolitan LineMetropolitan Line
The Metropolitan line is part of the London Underground. It is coloured in Transport for London's Corporate Magenta on the Tube map and in other branding. It was the first underground railway in the world, opening as the Metropolitan Railway on 10 January 1863...
, where it is located between and stations. There are also occasional services between Rickmansworth and early in the morning.
On the National Rail network, the station is served by Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways
Chiltern Railways is a British train operating company. It was set up at the privatisation of British Rail in 1996, and operates local passenger trains from Marylebone station in London to Aylesbury and main-line trains on the Chiltern Main Line to Birmingham Snow Hill with its associated branches...
trains between and Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
whose next stopping points in each direction are and stations. However, during peak time, Chiltern trains do not stop at Rickmansworth as a result of the short platforms making it unsafe to board or alight from 6 car or longer trains.
There are two tracks through the station, shared in both directions by London Underground and National Rail trains.