Bedford railway station
Bedford 
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|---|---|
| Bedford Midland | |
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| Location | |
| Place | Bedford |
| Local authority | Borough of Bedford |
| Coordinates | 52°08′11″N 00°28′46″W / 52.13639°N 0.47944°WCoordinates: 52°08′11″N 00°28′46″W / 52.13639°N 0.47944°W |
| Grid reference | TL041497 |
| Operations | |
| Station code | BDM |
| Managed by | Thameslink |
| Number of platforms | 5 |
| DfT category | C1 |
| Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries |
|
| Annual rail passenger usage* | |
| 2011/12 |
 3.314 million |
| – Interchange |
53,767 |
| 2012/13 |
 3.303 million |
| – Interchange |
50,718 |
| 2013/14 |
3.472 million |
| – Interchange |
42,514 |
| 2014/15 |
3.713 million |
| – Interchange |
48,198 |
| 2015/16 |
3.830 million |
| – Interchange |
49,460 |
| History | |
| Original company | Midland Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Midland Railway |
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway |
| 1 February 1859 | Opened as Bedford |
| 1890 | Avoiding lines built |
| 2 June 1924 | Renamed Bedford Midland Road |
| 8 May 1978 | Renamed Bedford Midland |
| 5 May 1988 | Renamed Bedford |
| National Rail – UK railway stations | |
| * Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Bedford from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year. | |
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Bedford railway station (formerly Bedford Midland Road) is the larger of two railway stations in the town of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England. It is on the Midland Main Line from London St Pancras to the East Midlands and the terminus of the Marston Vale line from Bletchley through Bedford St Johns.
The original station was built by the Midland Railway in 1859 on its line to the Great Northern at Hitchin. It was on land known as "Freemen's Common" approximately 200 yards (180 m) south of the current station on Ashburnham Road.
The LNWR also had a station on its line between Bletchley and Cambridge. The Midland crossed it on the level and there was a serious collision when an LNWR train passed a red signal. (Curiously, both drivers were named John Perkins.) Following this accident, the Midland built a flyover in 1885.
The extension to St Pancras opened in 1868. The connection to Hitchin is long gone, but the line north of Bedford to Wigston Junction is still officially referred to as the Leicester to Hitchin line. At this time the station was substantially altered, with the replacement of a level crossing by the Queen's Park overbridge. In 1890 fast lines were added to the west to allow expresses to bypass the station.
Serious damage occurred during World War II when a bomb destroyed the booking hall's glass ceiling. The current station was built to replace it and was opened by Sir Peter Parker (chairman of BR) on 9 October 1978. The station was moved about 110 yards (100 m) north, the slow lines were realigned to the west next to the 1890 fast lines, to which platforms were added.
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