Watford

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The station is in Cassiobury Park Avenue, at the junction with Metropolitan Station Approach, in the Cassiobury area of Watford.

It is close to two of the entrances to Cassiobury Park. Despite the name suggesting a central location, it is some distance from Watford town centre compared with the town’s other stations, Watford High Street and Watford Junction. It is known locally as “Watford Met” to distinguish it from these and the other Watford stations, which are all operated by National Rail. The station building is typical red-brick and was designed by C. W. Clark.

History

Watford station opened on 4 November 1925, as part of the extension of the line from Moor Park, with electrical supply from the Metropolitan Railway, and a train service from the Great Central Railway to London Marylebone operating in the first few months.

Although it is the terminus of the branch, it was not planned as such, with an extension to the town centre (Watford Central station) envisaged but never constructed. The original Watford Central station building was in Watford High Street, opposite the junction with Clarendon Road, and has known many guises.

In the 1950s this was the Grange Furniture Store and the original underground station canopy was still in evidence. A restaurant called Revolution now occupies the site. For many years, a bus service ran from Watford station to the High Street.

When travelcard zones were introduced Watford was in Zone B. From 2004 it moved to Zone A and in 2008 became part of Travelcard Zone 7.