Luton Bute Street railway station

Railways around Luton
Legend Midland Main Line Luton North Parkway (proposed) Leagrave Branch to Dunstable Luton Luton Bute Street Luton Airport Parkway Luton Hoo Chiltern Green To Welwyn Midland Main Line

Luton Bute Street railway station was the first to be built in Luton. It was opened by the Luton, Dunstable and Welwyn Junction Railway Company in 1858, which was an extension of the Welwyn and Hertford Railway. The track to Welwyn was completed in 1860 and taken over by the Great Northern the following year.

It was valuable to Luton people not only for passengers but also for facilitating the London market for the town's trade in plaited straw goods. The station, and the line to Welwyn, closed in 1965.

Following closure to passengers in 1965, the station buildings were quickly demolished despite the line remaining open for freight until 1989/1990. The site of the station was later used as a car park for Luton railway station. Throughout the years, various local pressure groups have been supportive of reopening the station as part of a viable branch line between Dunstable and Luton. In the mid-1990s, there was a debate about reopening it with either the operation of Diesel Class 158's or electric Class 319's.

The site is currently undertaking extensive redevelopment as the new Luton Gateway transport interchange as work progresses on the building of the Luton Dunstable guided busway scheme.

Routes

Preceding station	Disused railways			Following station
Chaul End Line and station closed		Great Northern Railway Dunstable Branch Line		Luton Hoo Line and station closed

See also

• List of closed railway stations in Britain

External links

• Station history and photos
• Luton Borough Council guided busway plans