Watford High Street railway station

Watford High Street railway station is a railway station in Watford, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. It is served by the Watford DC Line on the London Overground network.

Location


Watford High Street station is located in the Lower High Street in Watford Town Centre, very close to the Harlequin Shopping Centre, the largest in Hertfordshire, attracting more than 17 million customers each year. Also close to the station is a large Tesco superstore, Waterfields Shopping Park (containing large stores such as Sports Direct and Next). Various other shopping parks are located in close vicinity, as well as many stores situated on the High Street and those which surround.

Watford Town Centre has many popular bars and clubs, such as Oceana; the only producing theatre in Hertfordshire, the Watford Palace Theatre; as well as numerous restaurants and cafes, both chain and independent.

History
The station was opened by the Watford and Rickmansworth Railway (W&RR) on 1 October 1862.

The Bakerloo Line was extended through this station to Watford Junction in 1917, but in 1982 it was cut back to leaving the section north of there served only by British Rail's Watford DC Line (from Euston to Watford Junction) which is now part of the London Overground network; this service uses the 750 V DC lines for its "all stations" local service with the 4th (600 Volts DC) rail now redundant.

Services
All services to this station are operated by London Overground. It is on the Watford DC Line of the network and receives trains every 20 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes; northbound and southbound. In evenings and on Sundays there is a half-hourly service in each direction.

Transport links
Directly served by buses W20, W19, 8, 2, 602, W1, W9, W7 and London bus routes 142, 258. Other services to alternate destinations operate from Watford Town Centre bus stops, which are a short distance from the station.

Future


The Croxley Rail Link to divert the Metropolitan Line's branch to Watford Junction via the disused Croxley Green branch has been heavily supported and would see the return of London Underground trains, albeit formed of the Metropolitan Line's surface stock rather than the deep level stock of the Bakerloo Line.

There has also been plans, however, to re-extend the Bakerloo Line back to Watford Junction. This would result in another London Underground line servicing the station. If this was to happen it has been stated that London Overground services will be withdrawn from the Watford DC Line completely.