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Location notes
Opened in July 2013 this is the embankment part of the Hitchin Grade Separation. A new section of single line taking Cambridge bound trains over the East Coast Main Line and connecting to the Royston branch.
Railway type and traffic
Predominantly Great Northern units; 313/317/321/365.
There are also engineers trains to or from March Whitemoor yards, these tend to run in the mornings or evenings to or from possessions.
There are also engineers trains to or from March Whitemoor yards, these tend to run in the mornings or evenings to or from possessions.
Link to Real Time Trains
RTT Link Poppy Bank, Hitchin
This link should be close to the location, but may not be the actual location so please check the page. This link will take you to what is happening 'around now'. Dates and times can be changed at the top of the page.
This link should be close to the location, but may not be the actual location so please check the page. This link will take you to what is happening 'around now'. Dates and times can be changed at the top of the page.
Environment
An open fields between the location and the original route to and from Cambridge.
Road directions
From the A1(M) Junction 9:
Follow the signs into Letchworth and then take the first left signed to Willian/Lordship Farm. Follow this road into Hitchin and at the traffic lights, after about 2 1/2 miles, continue across. Continue along this road and after passing under the railway turn right at the lights and continue to then end of the road to reach the location parking. You will see the line in front of you. Enter the field and turn right and walk parallel to the line to reach the location.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Poppy Bank, Hitchin map co-ordinates
Follow the signs into Letchworth and then take the first left signed to Willian/Lordship Farm. Follow this road into Hitchin and at the traffic lights, after about 2 1/2 miles, continue across. Continue along this road and after passing under the railway turn right at the lights and continue to then end of the road to reach the location parking. You will see the line in front of you. Enter the field and turn right and walk parallel to the line to reach the location.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Poppy Bank, Hitchin map co-ordinates
Parking
Currently you can park at the end of Wilbury Way. The office at the end of the road is now occupied.
Public transport
There is no useful public transport to the location. It is around a 1 1/4 miles walk from Hitchin Station which is served by FCC services from London Kings Cross, Peterborough and Cambridge.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
Nothing in the immediate area. There are a couple of transport type cafes on the trading estate and a small Tesco near the station as well as plenty of food shops in Hitchin.
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Poppy Bank, Hitchin
Streetmap links
Poppy Bank, Hitchin general view map
Poppy Bank, Hitchin close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Poppy Bank, Hitchin
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Poppy Bank, Hitchin
Googly map
Poppy Bank, Hitchin general view map
Poppy Bank, Hitchin close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Poppy Bank, Hitchin
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
This is a single line with traffic only flowing towards Letchworth and beyond - northbound. All of the angles on the line will favour morning lighting for 'sun on the nose' but as the line runs in a generally east to west direction there will be illumination all day. There is little in the way of vegetation growing on the bank, aside from Poppies (hence the name) and grass.
Line speed is 50mph maximum.
The area is open fields and wind noise might be a problem from videographers.
Line speed is 50mph maximum.
The area is open fields and wind noise might be a problem from videographers.
General views - All photographs © Marcus Dawson unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 - Looking west
Stirring up the dust from the new ballast, this was only the 5th train to use the route, a 313 heads for Letchworth.
Fig 2 - Looking west
Earlier than fig 1 showing the curve on the line
Fig 3 - Looking east
The same unit 'going away', and the Poppies that give the bank it's name.
Fig 4 - Looking south east
A southbound 365 on the way to Hitchin. The northbound line here will be the unusual line for use after December 2013.
Location Video
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
