Watford and Rickmansworth Railway

Watford & Rickmansworth Railway

Map of the Watford and Rickmansworth Railway
LNWR steam locomotives in the depot at Watford Junction, the northern terminus
Locale	Three Rivers District & Watford South-west Hertfordshire, UK
Dates of operation	1862 (1862)–1881 (1881)
Successor	LNWR (1881-1922) LMS (1923-1948) British Rail (1948-1996)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	1917
Headquarters	Watford

The Watford and Rickmansworth Railway Company (W&RR) was a short-lived company that ran services between Watford and Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire, England. It was incorporated in 1860 and the line opened in 1862. One branch was closed in 1952, and the remaining line was gradually run down and eventually closed in 1996. A scheme is now underway to re-open one of the branches as part of a London Underground extension.

The Watford and Rickmansworth Railway was a business venture of the Whig politician, Robert Grosvenor, 1st Baron Ebury (1801–1893), at a time of great competition among railway companies vying to construct new, lucrative passenger routes. In July 1860, Lord Ebury obtained powers to construct a 4.5 mile single track line between Watford and Rickmansworth which opened in October 1862. It was nicknamed "Ebury Line" after the railway company's founder and first chairman. The Rickmansworth terminus was located opposite the church to the south of the town where interchange sidings were provided with the nearby Grand Union Canal. The line had two other stations at Watford Junction and Watford High Street and its depot was situated on Wiggenhall Road in Watford.

Lord Ebury's ultimate vision was to construct a railway running 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) southbound from Watford to Uxbridge Vine Street on the Great Western Railway's Uxbridge branch, eventually providing a new route from Watford to London Paddington via Uxbridge and West Drayton. The GWR offered to put up £20,000 towards the project and in 1863, Parliamentary authorisation was obtained to construct an extension from Rickmansworth to Uxbridge. The GWR later withdrew its offer of funding and the scheme foundered. Lord Ebury's ambition to link Watford and Uxbridge was never realised, and the W&RR was to remain a short branch line for its entire operation.