Luton Hoo railway station

Luton Hoo
The station in the 1980s
General information
LocationLuton Hoo
England
Platforms1
Other information
StatusDisused
History
Original companyHertford, Luton & Dunstable Railway
Pre-groupingGreat Northern Railway
Post-groupingLondon and North Eastern Railway
Key dates
1 September 1860Opened as New Mill End
1 December 1891Renamed Luton Hoo
26 April 1965Station closed
Railways around Luton
Leagrave
Luton
Luton Bute Street
Luton Airport Parkway
Luton Hoo
Chiltern Green

Luton Hoo railway station was built by the Hertford, Luton and Dunstable Railway on the branch line between Hatfield and Dunstable. It opened in 1860 and was originally called New Mill End. In 1861 the station and line was taken over by the Great Northern Railway. The Prince of Wales, the future George V, who had travelled by special train from King's Cross alighted at the station on 5 December 1878 on a visit to Luton Hoo. A crowd cheered the Prince on his arrival. A carpet was laid along the station platform over which a wooden roof decorated with evergreens and scarlet cloth was erected.[1] The station's name was changed to Luton Hoo in 1891.[2] It was closed in 1965.[3] The last passenger train, packed with enthusiasts, was hauled by Brush Type 2 (later Class 31) D5589 on 24 April 1965.

It served Luton Hoo house and the village of New Mill End. It was close to the Midland Railway station of Chiltern Green and the GNR line took a parallel course to the Midland north to Luton Bute Street.

The station building and platform still exist, sited next to a sewage works.

  1. ^ "The Visit of the Prince of Wales to Luton - The Arrival at New Mill End". The Luton Reporter and Beds and Herts News. No. 236. 7 December 1878. p. 4. Retrieved 24 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 170. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
  3. ^ Quick, M. E. (2002). Railway passenger stations in England, Scotland and Wales – a chronology. Richmond: Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 281. OCLC 931112387.