Those were the day’s, proper railway staff with uniform and to get on the platform you bought a platform ticket witch was clipped to pass the gate. All under control and Knebworth was the same too and they really ruined that station by removing the building with the waiting room. But good memories are everything.
Steam trains to Kings Cross- escape from a 1954 new town with no shops or public transport. Thursday bus to Hitchin market excepted. Later used to meet my girlfriend here or travel to Hitchin station where she would meet me. Remember the Station master with his uniform including peaked cap waistcoat and watch chain?
As a child, with friends in the 60s I used to train spot on the southern end of the platform of this lovely station (indeed the spot as on the photo). And yes it was virtually all steam. Happy days and fond memories. As for the new concrete station and soulless modern trains of today I long have had no interest whatsoever.
We could hear the trains from Broadwater Crescent. You could probably see them from Broad Oak Way,I could see them and A1 traffic from window at school Shephalbury sec mod. We lived in Stevenage from 1955 to 1983 lots of changes over the years.
I remember the open fire in the waiting room, had many a happy day with my platform ticket trainspotting. Also back in the 60s my friends dad drove for british rail parcels and would go down to the goods yard to collect his truck, then would go of round the town delivering parcels. The old enamel signs for the yard are now on an allotment site in Fairview rd.
Our next door neighbour was the sister of the Flying Scotsman’s fireman, she would inform us when ever the train was due. I clearly remember standing terrified on the little footbridge inside the station as it thundered through. It was a lovely place, as most victorian stations are, of course they needed to replace it with a lump of soulless concrete in the new town.
Is this a false memory? I seem to remember being able to see steam trains from my bedroom window. This would have been from Broad Oak Way. I was young and I lived there from 1955 to 1974. Can anyone confirm this?
There are quite a few photos of the old railway station in the museum collection, but I also know that there are many local railway enthusiasts who may have even more photos stashed away! Hopefully some may appear on here one day?….
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Those were the day’s, proper railway staff with uniform and to get on the platform you bought a platform ticket witch was clipped to pass the gate. All under control and Knebworth was the same too and they really ruined that station by removing the building with the waiting room. But good memories are everything.
No False Memory Terri, you could indeed see the train’s from Broad Oak Way.
Steam trains to Kings Cross- escape from a 1954 new town with no shops or public transport. Thursday bus to Hitchin market excepted.
Later used to meet my girlfriend here or travel to Hitchin station where she would meet me. Remember the Station master with his uniform including peaked cap waistcoat and watch chain?
As a child, with friends in the 60s I used to train spot on the southern end of the platform of this lovely station (indeed the spot as on the photo). And yes it was virtually all steam. Happy days and fond memories. As for the new concrete station and soulless modern trains of today I long have had no interest whatsoever.
We could hear the trains from Broadwater Crescent. You could probably see them from Broad Oak Way,I could see them and A1 traffic from window at school Shephalbury sec mod. We lived in Stevenage from 1955 to 1983 lots of changes over the years.
I remember the open fire in the waiting room, had many a happy day with my platform ticket trainspotting. Also back in the 60s my friends dad drove for british rail parcels and would go down to the goods yard to collect his truck, then would go of round the town delivering parcels. The old enamel signs for the yard are now on an allotment site in Fairview rd.
Quite agree, the town station is cold and uninviting. Julians road was always interesting with an open fire in the waiting room and a big clock.
Our next door neighbour was the sister of the Flying Scotsman’s fireman, she would inform us when ever the train was due. I clearly remember standing terrified on the little footbridge inside the station as it thundered through. It was a lovely place, as most victorian stations are, of course they needed to replace it with a lump of soulless concrete in the new town.
Is this a false memory? I seem to remember being able to see steam trains from my bedroom window. This would have been from Broad Oak Way. I was young and I lived there from 1955 to 1974. Can anyone confirm this?
There are quite a few photos of the old railway station in the museum collection, but I also know that there are many local railway enthusiasts who may have even more photos stashed away! Hopefully some may appear on here one day?….
I remember the old railway station. It was on Julians Road in the old town. Perhaps there are more photos out there?