East Coast Main Line Trains at Hitchin on September 21st 2019

1st time filming at Hitchin station on the East Coast Main Line which is also the junction for services to Cambridge, Cambridge North, Ely and Kings Lynn via Royston featuring London North Eastern Railway, Great Northern and Thameslink under Govia Thameslink Railway and Hull Trains.

Hitchin first opened on August 7th 1850 which became a junction two months later on October 21st a junction for the Royston and Hitchin railway as far as Royston which was extended a year later to Shepreth.

In 1858 the Midland Railway opened a line from Leicester via Bedford however service status was gradually reduced after 1868 when the MR opened the midland mainline to St Pancras.

The branch line lost its passenger services in 1961 before closing for good in 1964.

Up until 1973 Hitchin was served by intercity services before Stevenage station opened.

In June 2013 a new embankment was built as part of the Hitchin Flyover Project which is now used by tservices to Royston, Cambridge, Ely and Kings Lynn served by Great Northern and Thameslink services. It eliminates the original flat junction which caused numerous delays to fast services.

Step access to both platforms was added in September 2014 eventhough it was 2 months late.

Intercity services now run by LNER (London North Eastern Railway) which took over from Virgin East Coast in June 2018. At the time of filming the 91s and HSTs days in service on LNER were on borrowed time and gradually being replaced by new Class 800/1s and 801s dubbed Azumas which is due to replace the entire intercity fleet by June 2020.

Hull Trains running 5 car Class 180 Adelantes are due to be replaced by Class 802/3s nicknamed Paragons after the station name Hull Paragon Interchange with the Class 180s being moved temporary to East Midlands Railway.

Featuring
AlexTrainspotter

Filmed on Saturday September 21st 2019 on iPhone 8 and edited on iMovie