• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Good spots on the MML between Bedford and North London?

Status
Not open for further replies.

trainmania100

Established Member
Joined
8 Nov 2015
Messages
2,566
Location
Newhaven
Seen on Facebook by EMR that St Pancras are not letting people on the platform for the HST unless they have a ticket to travel and the train is ready to board. Not taking my chances with a platform ticket...

...soooo...

What spots would you recommend between North London (Luton area) and North Bedford (as far as Sharnbrook) ?

Trainspots and google maps are making it difficult. Trainspots doesnt have many decent places by the looks of it, and Google Maps streetside does not have the OHLE.

New Road nr Radwell looks ok on streetside but there are wires on the satelite version...

- so does anyone have any recommendations? I'll be driving , so ideally looking outside of the main london area.

Pics would also be appreciated.

(I take it the EMR 43 is out saturday, if not then i can just keep this post for reference)
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Sm5

Member
Joined
21 Oct 2016
Messages
1,013
A bit late for the last HST, but I use a bridge at Radlett Junction by an industrial estate, good view both directions.
Benningfield Drive, London Colney


produces videos like this (2minutes in)

very quiet, occasional dog walker or angler going to the pond.
 

John Webb

Established Member
Joined
5 Jun 2010
Messages
3,048
Location
St Albans
A bit late for the last HST, but I use a bridge at Radlett Junction by an industrial estate, good view both directions.
Benningfield Drive, London Colney


produces videos like this (2minutes in)

very quiet, occasional dog walker or angler going to the pond.
Did you access this bridge from the industrial estate at Colney Street on the A5183 (old A5) or use the bridleway from London Colney, which is rather further?
 

Peter Sarf

Established Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
5,642
Location
Croydon
Talking of spotting difficulties also be careful where you park your car. There is more and more Automatic Number Plate Recognition being used. My local station at South Croydon now has it and so the largely empty car park is no use for a bit of spotting while protected from the weather. You might find the same happens if you are in an out-of-town store car park for too long (I think Tesco is 4 hours). Also an industrial estate might start enforcing private parking that way. First you know is when a letter arrives through your door.

If there are a lot of replies to this then mods feel free to split off.
 

Kite159

Veteran Member
Joined
27 Jan 2014
Messages
19,157
Location
West of Andover
Talking of spotting difficulties also be careful where you park your car. There is more and more Automatic Number Plate Recognition being used. My local station at South Croydon now has it and so the largely empty car park is no use for a bit of spotting while protected from the weather. You might find the same happens if you are in an out-of-town store car park for too long (I think Tesco is 4 hours). Also an industrial estate might start enforcing private parking that way. First you know is when a letter arrives through your door.

If there are a lot of replies to this then mods feel free to split off.

Parking "Mismanagement", whatever you do don't ask someone to come pick you up and the train you were catching gets delayed en-route so they go over the "free" time allowed to sit in the car when waiting for the delayed train to arrive.

Makes it more a hassle for people to pay for parking, so they might decide not to bother.

(I.e. having to install the correct App, hoping you have mobile signal [and data] to process the payment, and hoping that the parking parasite doesn't have a systems issue and fails to log your payment correctly, for those stations which have gone away with P&D machines and the ability to buy via the TVM)
 
Last edited:

Peter Sarf

Established Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
5,642
Location
Croydon
Parking "Mismanagement", whatever you do don't ask someone to come pick you up and the train you were catching gets delayed en-route so they go over the "free" time allowed to sit in the car when waiting for the delayed train to arrive.

Makes it more a hassle for people to pay for parking, so they might decide not to bother.
Makes the car driver consider taking the passenger to & from wherever they wanted to go as it is less risk !.
 

Sm5

Member
Joined
21 Oct 2016
Messages
1,013
Did you access this bridge from the industrial estate at Colney Street on the A5183 (old A5) or use the bridleway from London Colney, which is rather further?
If you enter the industrial estate (public road), the bridge is a gravel road (but neither private nor restricted access), you can drive over the bridge, and park just down the side of it.
 

Sm5

Member
Joined
21 Oct 2016
Messages
1,013
Talking of spotting difficulties also be careful where you park your car. There is more and more Automatic Number Plate Recognition being used. My local station at South Croydon now has it and so the largely empty car park is no use for a bit of spotting while protected from the weather. You might find the same happens if you are in an out-of-town store car park for too long (I think Tesco is 4 hours). Also an industrial estate might start enforcing private parking that way. First you know is when a letter arrives through your door.

If there are a lot of replies to this then mods feel free to split off.
I park on hurst road, stand on the footbridge.
No ANPR there.

I do recommend two bridges on this line, at Star Lane, Hooley (uphill from London).. you can drive in / turn around, again its a gravel road, mainly used by walkers going to the forest, the other being Jolliffe rd, Merstham (Uphill towards London).

Both are above views, Hooley is probably a candidate for one of the steepest railway cuttings in the country.

no problems with parking at either, and both are quite solitary locations.
 

Peter Sarf

Established Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
5,642
Location
Croydon
I park on hurst road, stand on the footbridge.
No ANPR there.

I do recommend two bridges on this line, at Star Lane, Hooley (uphill from London).. you can drive in / turn around, again its a gravel road, mainly used by walkers going to the forest, the other being Jolliffe rd, Merstham (Uphill towards London).

Both are above views, Hooley is probably a candidate for one of the steepest railway cuttings in the country.

no problems with parking at either, and both are quite solitary locations.
Oh yes I have been to Hooley - it is deep ans steep !.

Yes, I have parked in Hurst Road. My residents "W" permit even covers this far South and Central !. Trouble is the foot bridge is a bit draughty in the winter !.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top