book list
This most excellently-produced book is a history of the Great Northern line
focussing on the section from Welwyn Garden City to Woolmer Green, and particularly
on Welwyn North station. The dust-jacket shows a painting Digswell Viaduct by
Ronald Maddox.
The book is illustrated by 79 photographs, 8 in colour, including a wonderful full-page aerial shot of the viaduct taken in 1986, which I dare not reproduce since the book is very much still in print and readily available. There are also a number of maps and plans, and an unattached insert of construction plans for the Viaduct measuring 20" by 14".
Although the book focuses on Welwyn North station, there is also a lot of interesting information on the railway at Welwyn Garden City. The book tells how, in 1920, a platform was constructed at the halt just north of Hunter's bridge in the woods on the eastern side of the campus near where the Cherry Tree was later built. The main line Welwyn Garden City station was opened in 1926 by Neville Chamberlain.
I lived in Digswell Road from 1945 until 1963, about 100 yards from the White Bridge which went over the Luton and Dunstable single track branch line. I spent a lot of time with small friends in Sherrards Park Woods, and the most exciting thing was when we heard a train coming. We always ran as fast as possible through the woods towards the line in order not to miss it. The noise got louder and louder but the line was curved and you couldn't see anything until the train was right on top of you. The noise was incredible - choo-choo-choo - and we were often engulfed in smoke and steam which smelt lovely - sulphurous but tinged with hydrogen sulphide not sulphur dioxide. I also recall being in a pram on Hunter's bridge which I remember as being like a Bailey bridge constructed of criss-cross iron. You could look straight down on the track. When a fast train went underneath the effect was overwhelming and it gave me the willies - screaming with delight. It was even worse when, one train having gone past, completely unexpectedly another one followed in the opposite direction - double willies. The other vantage point for watching trains was on the bridge referred to in the book as Lyle's Bridge which I knew as Black Fan Bridge a little north of Hunter's, and very close to where I lived.
This book is a serious work for railway buffs, but has great interest also for others - excellent in detail and pictures.
(click on the image for a better view)
Original WGC station on Luton branch in 1921