Letchworth Garden City railway station

The first station known as Letchworth Garden City was opened in 1903, with a restricted service; it gained a full passenger service on 15 April 1905. On 18 May 1913, this station was replaced by a new station on a different site. The station was originally intended to have two island platforms, giving a total of four platforms. However, since its opening only two platforms have been used. It was known from October 1937 Electric operation at the station was inaugurated in 1978, as part of the Kings Cross Outer Suburban scheme, though the wires initially ended at Royston. Through electric services to Cambridge began in May 1988. The platforms were extended initially for eight carriages, and further extended in December 2011 for 12-carriage trains. Passenger lifts were installed in two new towers in March 2014. To the north of the station are the sidings where trains starting or terminating at Letchworth are cleaned and stabled. Ticket barriers are in operation. The station was used as a filming location for the 2013 film The World's End; it was converted into a pub named "The Hole in the Wall". ==Services==

Services at Letchworth Garden City are operated by Thameslink and Great Northern using , and EMUs. The typical off-peak service in trains per hour is: • 2 tph to (stopping) • 2 tph to via and (semi-fast) • 3 tph to (2 of these run semi-fast and 1 calls at all stations) During the peak hours, the all stations service to Cambridge is increased to 2 tph, and the station is served by an additional half-hourly service between London King's Cross and via which runs non-stop to and from London King's Cross. On Sundays, the stopping services to and from London King's Cross, and the services between Brighton and Cambridge are reduced to hourly. ==In popular culture==

Letchworth Station (Oil on canvas, 1911) by Spencer Gore is notable as an early depiction of rail commuters. From the collection of J. Peter W. Cochrane. ==References==