Disused Stations: Dunstable North Station

[Source: Nick Catford]

Dunstable North Station Gallery 2:
30 June 1962 - December 2010

8.25 am train from Luton Bute Street - Leighton Buzzard at Dunstable North station on 30th June 1962, the last day of passenger service between Dunstable North and Leighton Buzzard.
Photo by David Pearson

2MT-A 41222 41222 in the bay platform at Dunstable North with the 6. 0 p.m. to Leighton Buzzard on 30 June 1962. This was the last timetabled passenger train over this section.
Photo by David Pearson

Dunstable North looking east in July 1963. The station livery and signage leaves no doubting this is a London Midland Region station although by this date the only passenger services were those operated by the Eastern Region. Below the 'Gentlemen' sign is a poster depicting a train hauled by a BR/Sulzer Type 2 (later Class 24) but what the poster is advertising is not known. In the foreground is the turntable installed for the Great Northern Railway and which likely saw only infrequent use during the final decades of steam. The gas lamp, a Sugg Windsor, appears to be disused as part of the burner is missing. The shunt signal, on the shorter dolly, will control the exit from the turntable road. In the left background can be seen part of the bridge taking the line over the A5 road; this had been intended as a level crossing but would have necessitated raising the road by several feet. Permission was refused so a bridge was provided, with the station built at a slightly higher level than intended as a result. The site of the original terminus station is out of view to the right.
Photo by Ron Fisher from his Flickr photostream

Dunstable North looking east in July 1963. Neither station serving Dunstable was particularly conveniently sited and North could be a bleak, windswept spot during the winter as this view might suggest. The goods yard, right, was on the site of the original station. In front of the goods shed is an XP rated van and a Conflat wagon. To the left of the shed is a tank wagon, beyond which are more vans. The remainder of the wagons are for coal traffic. The signal arms are to a rather odd design, the origin of which is not known. The Leighton Buzzard bay can be seen to the left of the coal wagons and although the passenger service had been withdrawn by this date the rails into the bay appear to be still in use. Dunstable North had three platforms; up main, down main and the bay. The remains of the up platform can be seen on the left and this platform is shrouded in mystery in that it is believed seldom, if ever, used for its intended purpose while the track serving it appears to have been mainly used as a runround loop. It should be remembered that Dunstable North was effectively the terminus of two companies lines which made an end-on connection. The station was also the point where single track (from Luton and Welwyn) became double track (to Leighton Buzzard) and this was the reason of the original and rather pointless, as it turned out, provision of two through platforms. Behind and left of the camera was the modern and short lived signal box which came into use on 16 August 1958 while to the right of the camera, but out of view, stood Dunstable gasworks. The gasworks was served by a siding of which the bufferstop can be seen at extreme right,
Photo by Ron Fisher from his Flickr photostream

Dunstable North in March 1965 with a Cravens two car DMU preparing for departure to Hatfield.
Photo by David Pearson

Dunstable North station looking east in April 1965. By this time the Leighton Buzzard service had been withdrawn and the bay platform on the right was out of use.
Copyright photo from John Alsop collection

A DMU bound for Welwyn Garden City waits at Dunstable North station on 3rd April 1965.
Photo by Bevan Price

Dunstable North station forecourt in April 1965.
Photo by Bevan Price

Looking east at Dunstable North station in January 1968. The station buildings were demolished in 1967 and the track was lifted in late 1968.
Photo by Nick Catford

Looking east at the site of Dunstable North station from the site of the turntable in December 2010. The council have built a half circular wall on the site of the turntable but there's no interpretation board to explain its significance. The bridge over the A5 is beyond the trees.
Photo by Nick Catford

Recent aerial view showing the site of Dunstable North station and goods yard. The line came in from the left following the road and curved to the north where the cars are parked. It passed in front of the turntable which can be clearly seen as a circular area of grass, curving to the right through the trees and across the road. The course is clearly visible as a line of trees on the east side of the A5. The council offices towards the bottom of the picture occupy the site of the goods yard and the first Dunstable station. Click here to see this picture with the line superimposed

Click on thumbnail to enlarge

[Source: Nick Catford]

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Station Name: DUNSTABLE NORTH