HERTS & BUCKS LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT (HBLRT): My idea for a light railway running from Chesham in the west to Broxbourne in the east. It would take in the Chesham branch of the Metropolitan Line, the Croxley Link, the Abbey Line, and the Hertford North branch. Two railways closed in the Beeching Era would be reopened, and trams would run through the streets of St. Albans, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Hertford. This scheme would not preclude continuing to run Metropolitan line trains to Chesham & Watford Junction, and main line trains from Liverpool Street to Hertford East.
The trams would have to be versatile - light enough for street running yet robust enough for sharing tracks with main line trains. To make use of the London Underground / Overground power supply they would need third & fourth rail pick-ups, for street running they would require low-voltage overhead current collection, and to run from Hertford East to Broxbourne they would require high-voltage overhead current collection.
