A couple of stories from 1966 to close our look at past Februaries.

It was in February that year the new station at Garston, on the reprieved Abbey line, from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey station, was opened by then mayor, Councillor L.C.Wright.

As the Watford Observer reported on February 11, 1966: “The little ceremony was performed from a blue-covered dais by the Mayor, in between stepping from the outward-bound train at 11.53am and waving it off with a green flag, a ticket collector’s peaked cap on his head, a few moments later. Several council members and the town clerk were present.

“Already that morning the train had carried 109 passengers. From the little unmanned station, the single fare to Watford Junction station is 8d, compared with 1s on the bus from Garston garage.

“Mr L.W. Leppington, London Midland Region’s divisional manager, who welcomed the Mayor at the “functional but unpretentious” station, recalled that the branch line was scheduled for withdrawal under the Beeching plan. It was losing £24,000.

“After consultation with local authorities, the line had been saved by operating one multi-unit diesel train instead of two, elimination of station staffing and guards issuing tickets on the train.

“Now came the new station and it was ‘unique’ for British Railways to open one, declared Mr Leppington.

“British Railways,” he went on, “was expanding instead of contracting in the hope receipts from the new Garston station and a better service would bridge the £1,000 gap between the estimated £23,000 economy measures and the £24,000 deficit.”

And that wasn’t the only railway excitement at the time.

Just the previous week, the Watford Observer had reported on the 500 “happy Watfordians” who were “sent to Coventry at 90mph”.

It reported: “They became the first passengers to sample British Railways’ new ‘high-speed’ services.”

The trip, part of Watford Railway Week, was the first of three “try the trains” cheap-rate excursions to Coventry, since the first stage completion of the £175 million electrification project.

The train, a new blue BTH 3,000 horse power locomotive, left Watford Junction dead on 10am and did the 76½ mile journey to Coventry in 63 minutes flat.

“A word with the engine driver,” the report said, “revealed the train had averaged over 70mph and clocked 90mph. The verdict of the passengers: ‘first class’.”

Happy passengers? You don’t come across those very often these days...

ONLINE TOMORROW: A bumper bundle of brief stories from Februaries past

This story formed part of the Nostalgia column first published in the Watford Observer on February 28, 2014. The next Nostalgia column can be found in this week’s Watford Observer (dated March 7, 2014 and available in newsagents now, priced just 90p) or read online here from 4pm on Thursday.

If you have anything to add – or would like to tell us anything you think our readers may enjoy about Watford’s history – we are always pleased to hear from you. Contact Nostalgia, by clicking here watfordnostalgia@london.newsquest.co.uk