Rickmansworth station explained

Rickmansworth
Railcode:RIC
Manager:London Underground
Fare Zone:7
Locale:Rickmansworth
Borough:District of Three Rivers
Events1:Opened
Years1:1887
Events2:Goods yard closed
Years2:14 November 1966
Symbol:underground
Symbol2:rail
Platforms:2
Tubeexits06:1.654
Tubeexits07: 1.869
Tubeexits08: 1.900
Tubeexits09: 1.904 -->
Railexits0607:0.277
Railexits0708: 0.203
Railexits0809: 0.152
Railexits0910: 0.286
Railexits1011: 0.664
Railexits1112: 0.735
Railexits1213: 0.734
Railexits1314: 0.807
Railexits1415: 0.931
Railexits1516: 1.124
Railexits1617: 1.162
Railexits1718: 1.171 -->
Railexits1819: 1.205
Railexits1920: 1.175
Railexits2021: 0.338
Railexits2122: 0.763
Railexits2223: 0.983
Coordinates:51.6403°N -0.4733°W
Map Type:Hertfordshire
Access:yes
Access Note: (Southbound only)

Rickmansworth is an interchange railway station in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, northwest of central London, served by the London Underground Metropolitan line and by Chiltern Railways. It is one of the few London Underground stations beyond Greater London and as a consequence is in Travelcard Zone 7. The station is a good location to alight from to explore the Chess Valley.

History

The line to Rickmansworth was authorised in 1880[1] and the station opened on 1 September 1887 as the terminus of the Metropolitan Railway's extension from Pinner. In 1889, the line was extended from Rickmansworth to Chesham. Rickmansworth was shared with the Great Central Railway which reached Quainton Road in 1898. The extension of Metropolitan Line electrification brought electric services out to Rickmansworth on 5 January 1925, allowing the locomotive change point to be moved (north of Rickmansworth steam traction was provided by the LNER).

In 1925 another platform was constructed at the south end of the station for the Watford branch shuttle. There was a proposal in the New Works Programme to extend electrification to Aylesbury, but this was postponed at the outbreak of the Second World War. Afterwards, electrification reached Amersham with British Rail trains completing the journey to Aylesbury. The Rickmansworth-Watford shuttle ceased and the final steam train ran on 10 September 1961.

Electric locomotive-hauled trains on the Metropolitan were replaced with A60 and A62 Stock. In 1987 the shuttle to Watford resumed, but only one each way, early morning and late evening. This was later extended to Amersham when the new S8 Stock was introduced.

Rickmansworth is still one of few locations on the Met where train drivers are based and remains a changeover point for drivers on the Metropolitan line. The majority of LU trains heading north are timetabled to stop at Rickmansworth for about five minutes to change train staff. Rickmansworth hosts the headquarters of the operational side of the northern section of the Met, controlling signals on the line from Northwood to Watford and Chorleywood. Many evening-running Metropolitan trains terminate at Rickmansworth due to the number of sidings near the station.

In 2018, it was announced that the station would gain step free access by 2022, as part of a £200m investment to increase the number of accessible stations on London Underground.[2]

Services

On London Underground, the station is served by trains on the Metropolitan line to Amersham and to Chesham from Baker Street and at peak times from Aldgate.

On National Rail, Rickmansworth is served by Chiltern Railways between and Aylesbury via . During peak-times, some Chiltern Line trains do not stop at Rickmansworth.

There are two tracks through the station, shared in both directions by London Underground and National Rail trains. A short third bay platform (now severed) is no longer used, but used to be the terminus for shuttles to Watford. There are occasional services between Rickmansworth and which use the 'North Curve' of track, in the 2021 timetable there are two early in the morning plus one late in the evening.

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pinto . A. . Evans . M. . Corporate Criminal Liability . Sweet & Maxwell . 2021 . 978-0-414-07528-3 . 329.
  2. Web site: Huge boost for accessibility as further 13 stations to go step-free. London City Hall. en. 2 February 2018.