Last Friday, 29 September, celebrations were held at Stevenage station in Hertfordshire to mark 50 years since the station was opened.

Over 40 community and rail industry guests attended the ceremony, including the mayor of Stevenage, Cllr Myla Arceno, fellow Borough councillors, representatives from Hertfordshire County Council, Network Rail, London North Eastern Railway, and Govia Thameslink Railway, and Cllr Lloyd Briscoe who was present when the station was officially opened in 1973.

Until the 1940s Stevenage was a small farming town until the 1940s, but in 1946 it was designated the UK’s first “New Town”, and plans were put in place to increase the population to about 60,000.

The original station dating from 1859 continued to serve the until the new one was built in 1973, 1.5 km further south and nearer the new town centre. It was opened on 26 September 1973 by the local MP Shirley Williams (later Baroness Williams).

Great Northern now manages the station, but it is also served by Thameslink and London North Eastern Railway trains.

During the ceremony, Cllr Arceno unveiled a steel commemorative plaque, and cut and shared a celebration strawberry jam sponge decorated with a 1973-era British Rail logo. The plaque will eventually be installed on a footbridge that connects the town centre with the station booking office.

Cllr Arceno said: “This 50th-anniversary plaque celebrates the half-century this station has served the town of Stevenage. The original rebuilt station we’re standing in today was originally opened 50 years ago, almost to the day, by the late Baroness Williams, the MP for Stevenage in 1973. The original station was 1,500 metres to the north of the current station.”

Councillor Briscoe said: “Stevenage is very much a town in demand, with major employers looking to come here, and that’s partly because of our excellent rail links. Since it first opened in 1973, the station has always been important to the town and will remain at the heart of our future economic prosperity.

“Our 20-year, £1bn regeneration programme for the town centre is designed to forge even stronger connections between the station and the community it serves. So, as someone who was honoured to attend the original station opening, I was delighted to help mark its 50th Anniversary and I’m sure we’ll still be celebrating its vital contribution in another half-century.”

Another memory of the opening year was brought by Herts County Council’s Strategic Transport Team Leader Trevor Mason, in the shape of two 50-year-old platform tickets.

Angie Palmer, Head of Stations for Great Northern and Thameslink, said: “It was a truly lovely event, and it was great to celebrate with both my team and members of the local community, some who have been involved and supported the many improvements that have been made here over the years.

“I’d like to pay special tribute to the team at Stevenage because they really do take pride in their station, and that makes all the difference. I also thank Cllr Myla Arceno, Mayor of Stevenage for doing the honours of unveiling the plaque to commemorate this very special anniversary.”

Justin Swain, Customer Account Manager at Network Rail, said: “We want to wish Stevenage station a very happy 50th birthday! For the last half-century, the station has served millions of passengers travelling on the East Coast Main Line and beyond, and we look forward to working alongside the station’s train operators to make sure it continues to do so for the next 50 years and more.”