Location Reviews: Bedford
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Just to update the previous report by JoeW
A walk by the river (eastwards from County Bridge on Prebend Street) takes you past the stabling point and can help you if you need to get numbers of 319s. The bushes are grown up now but you can still get all the lines of stationary units.
The depot (accessed from the south end of Ashburnham Road) used to be open access but now there's a barrier and a security guard so binoculars from the FOCUS car park is really the only way. One or two of the guards will let you have a sneak look from the barrier. This is still the same and allows you to view the other end of the stored units as they stable two sets on the same track. No problem was encountered with the security staff who, for a change were very helpful and let me in. Just keep within the confines of the inner car park so as not to spoil it for others. Did not try the platforms so can't comment. Sunday morning is best for units as all storage lines are full. Allow yourself about 40 minutes to cover this location.
Having been born and brought up in Bedford, the station holds particularly fond memories for me! Unfortunately the days of Peaks on services out of St Pancras are long gone but there's still a decent mix of stock to be seen. Most of the staff will let you on to the platform for half an hour or so and you will see no end of 319s (and 317s when the Thameslink tunnel is closed!) as well as Midland MainLine HSTs, 170s and 222s. There's plenty of freight to keep you busy and there's the Bletchley branch worked by a Silverlink 150.
The station is not far at all from the town centre so there's all the amenities near by and even some decent shops. Cafe Bliss is worth a trip to for a sandwich or there's plenty of Chinese and Indian places thanks to Bedford's sound multicultural mix.
A walk by the river (eastwards from County Bridge on Prebend Street) takes you past the stabling point and can help you if you need to get numbers of 317s and 319s.
The depot (accessed from the south end of Ashburnham Road) used to be open access but now there's a barrier and a security guard so binoculars from the FOCUS car park is really the only way. One or two of the guards will let you have a sneak look from the barrier.