Peterborough/Huntingdon to Hitchin/Hertford North DMU shuttle

[peterborough31]

How regular was these services in the late 1970s/Early 1980s before electrification to Peterborough. I'm guessing nowhere near as the service level before Covid 19?

 

[deltic14]

I lived in Peterborough at this time and spent many hours spotting either on the station or in the station car Park. In the late 70's /early 80's the service to Hitchen was worked by two car Cambridge based 101 sets. I am fairly sure the service was hourly and I certainly didn't record more than two sets per day although there used to be a third stabled at Hitchen possibly for rush hour services.

 

[StephenHunter]

The 1981 ABC Guide on Timetable World should be able to help you.

 

[nw1]

The 1981 ABC Guide on Timetable World should be able to help you.

Indeed, have been looking at that recently.

In 1981 it appeared to be a regular, clockface hourly service from Hitchin to Huntingdon calling at all stations off peak. (In the peak some through Kings Cross to Peterborough services ran, presumably loco-hauled).

It was timed to connect at Hitchin with a Kings Cross-Royston limited stop.

That said, I am fairly sure that a bit later (1984/5) the DMU shuttle became less clockface and less regular, though don't quote me on that. Maybe they took it down to a single DMU. (I did have plans to visit somewhere like Stevenage around that time, to get a taste of the ECML - and got as far as examining the timetables in the area - though it never actually happened)

 

[RT4038]

Indeed, have been looking at that recently.

In 1981 it appeared to be a regular, clockface hourly service from Hitchin to Huntingdon calling at all stations off peak. (In the peak some through Kings Cross to Peterborough services ran, presumably loco-hauled).

It was timed to connect at Hitchin with a Kings Cross-Royston limited stop.

That said, I am fairly sure that a bit later (1984/5) the DMU shuttle became less clockface and less regular, though don't quote me on that. Maybe they took it down to a single DMU. (I did have plans to visit somewhere like Stevenage around that time, to get a taste of the ECML - and got as far as examining the timetables in the area - though it never actually happened)

In 1986 the weekday service ran about hourly from Peterborough to Hitchin stopping at all stations 02h50, 05h30, 06h27*, 06h47*,08h36*, 10h08, 10h54, 12h05, 12h53, 14h01, 14h53, 17h29, 21h02 [*fast through to KX], with short workings from Huntingdon to Hitchin stopping at all stations at 07h53 (through to Hertford), 09h13, 16h09, 16h45, 18h25, 19h52, 22h32. Also shown marked '125' is 07h55 Huntingdon to King's Cross; all stations to Biggleswade then King's Cross.
Note: The 06h47 & 08h36 from Peterborough did not stop at Hitchin, but stopped instead at Stevenage. Some main line trains (marked '125') from Peterborough and further afield also stopped at Huntingdon.

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

Slightly earlier than the dates specified by @peterborough31, from the mid 60's to the mid 70's when I left St. Neot's I recall that the dmu sat in the siding south of Hitchin station and on arrival from Kings X on a 31 hauled Cambridge train would pull into the platform rather smartly and set off northwards. I seem to recall it was hourly, then there were four(I think) rush hour trains to Peterborough calling at Stevenage (when the new station was built) Hitchin and the rest. Connections at Hitchin seemed very straightforward.