Carpenders Park Station

Watford Junction to Euston train circa 1925

By Barry Austin

Watford Junction to Euston train circa 1925
courtesy of the National Railway Museum - York, imag.e No. 1691/85

The photo is of a Watford Junction to Euston train circa 1925. It consists of two “Oerlikon” 3 car sets, two of the cars are painted London Midland & Scottish Railway maroon (crimson lake) while the remaining four are still in their original livery of London and North Western Railway “plum and spilt milk”. As the L&NWR was absorbed into the LMS in 1923 the date of 1925 should be reasonably accurate. The DC “new” line was built during the first world war by the L&NWR from Watford Junction to Euston.

Photo courtesy of the National Railway Museum – York, image No. 1691/85

One of these sets is preserved at the National Railway Museum, painted maroon. The destination board is changed frequently to show:- Watford Junction, Euston, Croxley Green.

I remember travelling in them in the fifties, wonderfully smooth and quiet thanks to their heavy ashfelt floors. The trips to Euston were to see family still living in Shepherds Bush or simply to watch steam trains………

This page was added on 04/12/2010.

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  • I was interested to learn that Barry Austin travelled regularly to Euston during the 1950s and 1960s. For the past 10 years I have been working on a project about the old Euston station, and would be most grateful if Barry could offer any further information. My name and email address is below. Kind regards, Colin Wardrop.

    By Colin Wardrop (13/09/2018)
  • The Oerlikon units were well furnished and fairly luxurious when compared to today’s Class 378 units- progress? I lived in Carpenders Park as a child in the 1960’s and remember the regular Saturday trip to Watford High Street by train on the Class 501 units which had replaced the Oerlikon and LMS units. As a railway enthusiast and modeller I have constructed and exhibit a model railway layout based on the Croxley Green branch which features of Oerlikon, LMS Compartment Stock and Class 501 EMU’s as well as working 1938 Underground stock. More details can be found on my website http://www.croxleywiggenhallroaddepot.co.uk/myblog/

    By Nigel Spate (27/10/2011)
  • Further to my previous comment, I should have pointed out an interesting item about the station sign which is not very clear, it read Carpenders Park, and underneath For Oxhey Golf Course. This sign was removed when the building of South Oxhey commenced, & Oxhey Golf Course was sold to the LCC. Note the old semaphore signals

    By Arthur Hall (02/06/2011)
  • The most interesting section of the train was the second coach which was divided into 3 sections, 1st class smoking, 1st class non-smoking, & 3rd class smoking. The 1st class had opulent fittings Picture plush seating, with veneered & bevelled glass dividing doors. The 1st class was designated 3rd class during world war 2, so I enjoyed travelling to Willesden in the ex 1st class section sitting in the single arm chair style seats.

    By Arthur Hall (01/06/2011)