Aerial photos

Marcus Dawson has very generously shared some aerial pictures that he has taken of the work and of the first two trains to use the line.

First shot shows the whole of the viaduct.  Hitchin North Junction is to the right.  

This shot is taken from the west.  This was taken after the viaduct was completed but before the track and overheads were installed.  The mountain of spoil is still there as are the concrete pads that supported the crane.  The quarry is top left and the former Bedford line trackbed runs across the bottom.

Now at the east end of the viaduct where the embankment starts. The end of Wilbury Way is top left, one of several locations I used to take my pictures.  The haul road is at the bottom of the picture.

Same area from the other side of the embankment. A digger is working on reinstating the former sewage treatment works.

Here is a shot I hoped to be able to take at some stage.  Marcus was lucky enough to get this on the first day!  An East Coast service not held up by a Letchworth bound train or more likely vice versa.  This is the reason the line was built.

The train is now moving on to the embankment.  The settlement beds have been reinstated and the new fencing is in place.  A narrow strip wide enough for vehicle access has been left by the embankment.

This looks east towards the junction with the existing Cambridge branch.  Top centre is the temporary haul road from the quarry where all the chalk for the embankment came from.

Now approaching the left hand curve before passing over the accommodation bridge.  Hillgate is on the right, another vantage point for picture taking.

This picture shows Hitchin East Junction before commissioning.  The train is passing on the original down line.  Bottom left are the permanent access steps.  Again a big thank you to Marcus for providing these.  If anybody is interested in his work, please contact me and I will provide his contact details.