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First train to Cuffley
The first train arrived into Cuffley & Goffs Oak Station on 4th April 1910 and to commemorate this event which so caused the development of Cuffley an exhibition will be held in Cuffley Library from 6th to 16th April.
The exhibition willbe opened at 11am by Marjorie Reeve Chair of Northaw & Cuffley Parish Council. Beforehand a plaque, donated by the Parish Council will be unveiled in Cuffley Station booking office.
The extension of the Great Northern Railway line from Grange Park to Cuffley is the subject of The Cuffley Industrial Heritage Society at their monthly meeting on Tuesday 13th April in Northaw Village Hall at 8pm.
Between 1871 and 1910 the line (nowadays known as ‘The Hertford Loop) had terminated at Windmill Hill in Enfield, a short distance from the Station we now know as Enfield Chase.
When the line was extended to Cuffley & Goffs Oak (name changed to Cuffley 18th March 1971) new stations were also opened at Grange Park, Enfield Chase, Gordon Hill and Crews Hill.
Whilst there was little demand for services to and from Cuffley in the years following the opening, our Station was certainly put on the map with huge crowds travelling from London to see the remains of the German Airship shot down on 3rd September 1916 by Leefe Robinson VC.
In August 1912 construction work started to create a single line some 15 miles from Cuffley via Hertford to Langley Junction (with connection to the main line south of Stevenage). This section included the 2,684 yards long Ponsbourne Tunnel between Cuffley and Bayford. However the advent of World War 1 meant the work ceased abruptly but was resumed in 1917 and the line was opened for goods traffic on 4th March 1918.
In December 1920 double tracking of the line was achieved and passenger services opened on 2nd June 1924 with stations at Bayford, Hertford North, Stapleford and Watton-at-Stone.
After the Exhibition ends in Cuffley Library, an enlarged display to include details of Stations in the Enfield Area will be transferred to Forty Hall EN2 9HA where the opening will be at 5pm on Tuesday 27th April preceded by a plaque unveiling in Gordon Hill Station.
For further information or if you have any pictures of railways in the Cuffley area please contact Mr Peter Dace 01707 873772 |
