Chapter 5 - Luton Dunstable & Welwyn; Bedford & Cambridge Railway.

Summary

The fact that railway connection came to Dunstable before Luton caused little satisfaction in the latter town particularly as a scheme for a railway had been mooted since 1844. There is a relevant letter from Thomas Bennett, the Woburn Steward, to C. Haedy dated 10th May of that year. The Duke of Bedford owned land in Caddington, and Bennett was concerned about severance, i.e. the line so dividing fields that the pieces of land left are difficult to farm.

‘I send you a note I have received from Mr. W. Bennett with a resolution passed at Luton as to making a Railway from that place to Leighton. I think this line is a much more feasible one and more likely to pay than that proposed from Bedford to Bletchley, and of much more use to the County and the neighbourhood - for there now exists a very considerable traffic of coals and other goods from the Grand Junction Canal at Leighton to Luton: Luton is also the great straw plait manufactory and the carriage of plait Boxes to the Rail, now that the Coaches are off, must be very great.

‘As far as it concerns the Duke I do not anticipate any objection on his Grace’s part. I enclose a Tracing of the plot of land in Caddington - you will see that it is entirely cut off [from] the Lewsey farm by the Road from Luton to Dunstable. If therefore it should be selected as a Station the whole of the piece would be eagerly purchased at a good price, and as his Grace has no other property in Caddington it cannot be any object to keep it, if it is wanted for any other use. Should this go on, the Duke’s Estate there will have all the advantages to be derived from it, without any of the disadvantages of severance or other annoyances which occupiers are subject to, until the Fences and Fields get put in proper form again, and as from the importance of the trade of Luton.