Carpenders Park Station (CPK)

Address: Prestwick Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD19 7DT
Opened: 1 April 1914 (relocated 17 November 1952)
Station Code: CPK
Fare Zone: 7

London Overground Line(s) Served:

Watford DC Lines

Service Pattern(s):

4 trains per hour to London Euston
4 trains per hour to Watford Junction

Interchange(s)

None

Station History

Although the London and Northwestern Railway had built their new line from London Euston to Watford Junction through the area in 1912, it was not until 1 April 1914 that a station was provided here. However, due to the First World War, and a lack of patronage, the station closed on 1 January 1917.

Two years later on 5th May 1919, the station reopened, but was only served at the time by London Underground’s Bakerloo Line. The London & North Western Railways recommenced their services through the station on 10 July 1922.

Grouping of the railways due to the Railways Act 1921 saw the L&NWR absorbed by the London, Midland, and Scottish Railway in 1923. This was followed by Nationalisation in 1948 with the LMS being amalgamated into British Railways Midland Region.

Under British Railways the station was found to be falling into disrepair with the original wooden platforms beginning to decay and become unsafe. To better serve the local area, and also due to land constraints, a new station was constructed 210 metres (230 yards) south of the existing one, opening on 17 November 1952 with the original station closing on the same day.

On the 24th September 1982, London Underground’s Bakerloo Line services were cut back to Stonebridge Park, leaving the station to only be served by Local Watford services.

With sectorisation of the railways in 1982, management of the line and station passed to the London & Southeastern business unit, being relaunched as Network Southeast on 10 June 1986. Privatisation followed in March 1997 with the station passing to National Express under their Silverlink Metro brand, before in November 2007 the final change of ownership occurred with Transport for London assuming control under their London Overground service.