Symington Hoo Railway

The Symington Hoo estate in Hertfordshire is owned by the Highfield family and consist of Symington House and gardens, ancient woodlands, arable, cattle and sheep farms. A number of watercress beds have been established along the banks of Leigh Brook a small river that runs through the estate. Since mediaeval times gravel quarrying has taken place on the estate, and in recent years Blackbridge Quarry has become a major source of income for the estate, supplying gravel for the road and building industries.

With the development of the quarry business, Lord Highfield, looked for ways to transport the gravel across the estate and was struck by the idea of a railway, because of the lie of the land and financial restraint he opted for a narrow gauge railway running across the estate and reaching out to Welham in the south east to connect with the main line train service and Dunston in the north west to connect with the canal system at Linton Busar.

Not only would the railway be used to transport gravel, but Lord Highfield would use it for transporting agricultural produce and watercress to Dunstan and Welham, he was also interested in providing a passenger service between the two, to help pay for the railway.

The railway would be 9 ½ miles long with a passing loop at the mid-way point which was Hazel Markham, engine stabling and maintenance would be centred at Welham where there was more room to accommodate the buildings.

Lord Highfield used his contacts with the Great Northern Railway to obtain the help of their engineering department to construct the railway, bespoke rolling stock was ordered in from various suppliers and the locomotives were ordered from Beyer, Peacock & Co. Tram locos were required as the railway would run along or at the side of a number of roads in Dunston to reach the already established industries, brewery, bakery etc. and the cattle and agricultural produce markets.  

The Symington Hoo Railway opened on the 1^st September 1860

Facts

The route of the railway is based on the GNR/ LNER running from Welwyn (Welham) to Luton then Dunstable (Dunston) where it joined with the  LMS / LNWR and onto Leighton Buzzard - Linslade & Leighton (Linton Busar) where sand from the Leighton Buzzard sand quarries was load onto narrow boats on the Grand Union Canal.

Hazel Markham – is Harpenden (later Harpenden East) station

Symington Hoo – I was brought up in Harpenden, Hertfordshire and lived in Park Mount. Park Mount was a 1930s extension of what was then Symington Street, the whole road is now called Park Mount. Luton Hoo was only a few miles up the road.

The Highfield Family – Highfield Oval was the local National Children’s’ Home.

Leigh Brook – The River Lee runs through Batford to the east of Harpenden and within yards of Harpenden East Station – Watercress beds used to exist along its banks.

Blackbridge Quarry – actually existed to the south of Wheathampstead on the prototype line.

Linton Busar - Linslade & Leighton

1^st September 1860 – was the date Harpenden East station opened.