THIS CACHE IS NOT AT THE PUBLISHED COORDINATES NOR AT THE REFERENCE POINT FOR THE STATION BUILDING. IT IS NOT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. IT CAN BE FOUND WITHOUT LEAVING THE ROAD
Southill station was opened by the Midland Railway in 1862 as part of its new line from Bedford to Hitchin, part of a larger scheme to allow its Midland Main Line a direct route to London without using rival Great Northern Railway metals. Passenger traffic over the Bedford to Hitchin section was minimal and services were reduced to a shuttle by 1880. The section between Southill and Shefford was the only part to remain double-tracked after 1911.
The station was convenient for Southill Park, the seat of the Whitbread family who had supported and brought their influence to bear on the realisation of the line. On 3 June 1890 a new signal box was opened at Southill as part of the introduction of block telegraph working between the station and the Midland Goods Yard at Hitchin.
The inter-war years saw a decline in traffic with the introduction of buses between Bedford and Hitchin. Traffic picked up again during the Second World War when troop specials were run to enable conscripts to return home from the RAF camps at Cardington and Henlow. The introduction of railbuses after the war did little to improve traffic, and the line closed in 1962.
The station building has been converted into a private residence. The ticket window remains, as does the platform area, sidings and cattle pen which have been incorporated into the garden. Not far from the station in Southill Park is a stone obelisk erected in 1864 in honour of William Henry Whitbread whose influence and energy helped bring about the Bedford to Hitchin line.
THIS CACHE IS NOT AT THE PUBLISHED COORDINATES NOR AT THE REFERENCE POINT FOR THE STATION BUILDING. IT IS NOT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. IT CAN BE FOUND WITHOUT LEAVING THE ROAD
To locate the cache:
Opened: ab/cd/1857
Closed to passengers:ef/gh/1962
The cache is a 2ml tube located at N 52 04.(a-c)(b-d)(d-f) W 000 21.(h-e)g(b-f)
THIS CACHE IS NOT AT THE PUBLISHED COORDINATES NOR AT THE REFERENCE POINT FOR THE STATION BUILDING. IT IS NOT ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. IT CAN BE FOUND WITHOUT LEAVING THE ROAD