Some more older photos from 1964

Five more photos of the Bedford branch from 1964

View back towards Hitchin over the E and S Metals Bridge.  On the right are the buffers marking the end of the headshunt from the old Midland goods yard.  This was originally the down line to Bedford when the line double track

View closer to Hitchin station over the Grove Road bridge. The branch line embankment has started to descend away from the main line.  Ransom's recreation ground can be seen middle right.  Today this part of the embankment is completely overgrown by trees.  It will be interesting to see what it looks like when they are cleared.  I work opposite and should have a good view of the work as it progresses.  When I first started work the embankment was relatively clear of vegetation and the descending branch line could clearly be seen.  My father was a firefighter and said that steam trains regularly started fires on the embankment which prevented anything growing.  Forty odd years later the unchecked growth has all but blocked the view of the main line.

Stop sign on the running line to Bedford preventing any train movements in that direction.  The line between Hitchin and Shefford had been closed and lifting was imminent.

An interesting view of the Grove Road Bridge.  Note the absence of any electrification gantries and traffic lights on the junction.  After crossing this bridge, the new line will have to start ascending rather than descending to gain height to cross the main line.

Finally a view from the branch line bridge by E and S metals towards the main line bridge.  Not particularly interesting but it shows the gap between the two lines at this point.