Visiting smaller stations on southern WCML

[Starmill]

So, I'm looking for recommendations of where to visit on the West Coast Main Line as a tack-on to part of another day out in the area. These would be Bletchley to Watford Junction exclusive, so basically I'm asking which of the following would be the most interesting to visit:

Leighton Buzzard
Cheddington
Tring
Berkhamsted
Hemel Hempstead
Apsley
King's Langley

Criteria would be what the station is like in terms of interesting buildings, location or design, but hoping not to spend more than 20-30 minutes an any one. Also a bit of 125mph running would be pretty good to see

I guess the better served (though I imagine they are all similar?) and the closer to Bletchley the better and if any have shop(s) nearby that might be useful, but isn't really important.

Very grateful for any info anyone who knows the area can give.

Thanks a lot

K.

 

[Crossover]

Berkhamsted is good for seeing the Pendos at full tilt, though I'm not sure they do it at 125

 

[Bald Rick]

Berkhamsted is good for seeing the Pendos at full tilt, though I'm not sure they do it at 125

They do.

 

[asylumxl]

Berkhamstead has the remains of a castle. It would be my choice certainly. The others are almost torturous to visit.

 

[Daimler]

I would echo the above - architecturally, Berkhamsted is by far the most interesting station on your list, being the only one that retains its 19th Century buildings (all the others are, quite frankly, horrid). It's also on a fairly tight bend, and the section of line just south of the station is on a raised brick bridge/embankment - standing by the station's main entrance while seeing a northbound Pendolino fly by overhead is quite impressive.

As asylumxl has mentioned, the castle (of which relatively little remains, tbh) is very close to the station, and was William the Conqueror's headquarters for a time. The town itself is worth a visit too, with a number of interesting buildings and shops, including a gorgeous art deco cinema. Compared to the others on your list, Berkhamsted station is also a lot closer to the centre of town - it's a five minute walk at most.

As for the others on the list, none are really worth visiting, except perhaps Cheddington, which is nicely located in a very quiet, rural area (you can see the Chiltern hills rising in the distance), and is quite good for photography. It's really only worth getting off at to take railway photos, though, as there is very little else around!

 

[NSE]

Kings Langley is very boring. I've used it a fair few times due to its proximity to the M25, but eh, Berkhamsted sounds better.

 

[PeterY]

Living in Watford and knowing this stretch of the WCML very well, Berkhamsted is the best place for watching trains. The town is nice with a nice varity of cafes etc. There are no ticket gates either. Cheddington althought remote is nice but the village is very spread out. Tring is 2 miles from the station.

 

[NickBucks]

Echo the above. Tring station is actually approx 2 miles from the town with a very irregular bus if any. Surrounded by a few houses only although the Grand Union canal is close by. The Tring stoppers terminate there so if Class 350 interest you will see a few of those.

 

[DarloRich]

Berkhamstead will be the best - The castle is nice and the canal is right next to the station. You get a nice view from the top of the motte. The remains are actually quite decent: http://www.flickr.com/photos/darlo2009/9329848352/in/set-72157631984523790 and scroll along

Cheddington is peaceful and in the middle of no where as on a weekend you might have the lace to yourself!

The others are dull little dormitory towns!

 

[IanD]

Berkhamstead will be the best - The castle is nice and the canal is right next to the station. You get a nice view from the top of the motte. The remains are actually quite decent: http://www.flickr.com/photos/darlo2009/9329848352/in/set-72157631984523790 and scroll along

Cheddington is peaceful and in the middle of no where as on a weekend you might have the lace to yourself!

And it's free to enter

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/berkhamsted-castle/prices-and-opening-times

 

[DarloRich]

And it's free to enter

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/berkhamsted-castle/prices-and-opening-times

it is quite a nice example of a Norman motte & bailey castle. It looks really nice if the moat is full. Well worth a visit even if just for half an hour

 

[southern442]

Cheddington is my favorite.

 

[hst43053]

Berkhamstead will be the best - The castle is nice and the canal is right next to the station. You get a nice view from the top of the motte. The remains are actually quite decent: http://www.flickr.com/photos/darlo2009/9329848352/in/set-72157631984523790 and scroll along

Cheddington is peaceful and in the middle of no where as on a weekend you might have the lace to yourself!

The others are dull little dormitory towns!

I would have to agree. I have never been on the station but I have travelled through it plenty of times. It is surrounded by fields - it has a lovely outlook really and comes across as a very odd location to stick a station. It is accessed only by a lane and the pendos by far will be the noisiest thing around! There's a good clear straight view up and down the line IIRC.

 

[MK Tom]

Berkhamsted is the obvious choice, given how beautiful the station is. Unique on the line for its original buildings, and set in beautiful scenery with the castle and one of Britain's most stunning towns. The tight bend makes for awesome speed passes from Voyagers and Pendos and you have an extra two LM services an hour coming through too.

Cheddington second. It's peaceful and on a clear straight and almost everything passes non-stop, including 377s. Plus you always get the place to yourself.

 

[DarloRich]

Berkhamsted is the obvious choice, given how beautiful the station is. Unique on the line for its original buildings, and set in beautiful scenery with the castle and one of Britain's most stunning towns. The tight bend makes for awesome speed passes from Voyagers and Pendos and you have an extra two LM services an hour coming through too.

Cheddington second. It's peaceful and on a clear straight and almost everything passes non-stop, including 377s. Plus you always get the place to yourself.

Eh? One of Britains most stunning towns? Don't think so! Well i guess compared to MK it is but i could think of many more stunning towns!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

"Berko" as the local it is a winner - nice walk down the canal (south) to the second pub which specialises in snuff and cider .....

 

[Class172]

I would agree with the other's comments; although I have never been in the station itself, I have waited outside a few times and the old buildings do look very nice (I was surprised they hadn't been replaced by some 1960s utilitarian waste!). A walk through the park just north of the canal/Waitrose is also very nice to do.

 

[tsr]

I might pay Berkhamsted a visit, too, if I have a spare morning in the next couple of weeks. I've visited quite a few stations in the area as I have friends who live locally - but not that one. A nice station + castle combination is well worth a little bit of my time!

But there is of course the perilous WCML to negotiate in time to get to London or wherever I need to be in the afternoon...

 

[gordonthemoron]

I concur with Chiefplanner, Rising Sun on the canal in Berko was on the cover of the 2013 Good Beer guide. However it has to be said that none of the other pubs is anything better than OK.