British Rail 1947 - 1997
Electrification 1966
The early 60's saw a brief interlude between the age of steam and the electric era when, from 6th June 1960, English Electric Type 2 diesel locomotives took over the hauling of passenger services between Leighton Buzzard and London. This saw the first real improvement in journey times since the mid nineteenth century.
English Electric Type 2 Diesel going through Leighton Buzzard
Perhaps the most dramatic development in the history of the railway at Leighton Buzzard came in 1966 when the line was electrified. Journey times were improved, the frequency of the service increased and new Class 310 electric multiple units were built specially for the Euston suburban service. The Class 310's were to be used elsewhere as well later on.
This is a picture of a Diesel Multiple Unit at Dunstable station and is of a similar type to ones that would have run on the Dunstable Branch line but not necessarily on the main line. (It is probably not a Class 310).
With the improvements brought by electrification the number of commuters to London began to grow to the extent that the first "commuter express" was introduced in 1981.
Little Dog Story
When the line was to be electrified they had to raise the footbridge, extra pieces were added to the existing poles. They found that the only crane that was spare at the time was not big enough to lift the bridge high enough so they had to drop that end of the bridge down onto the fast line side platform resulting in the steps being left in place with no bridge linking them.

On this particular Sunday Ted Wells, a railway guard happened to be working and recounts what happened.
"There was a little dog that used to come up from Southcott Avenue, run up the footbridge steps and bark at the trains. On the Sunday in question the little dog flew up the steps and crashed down onto the platform below. Fortunately not hurt he shook himself and ran back up the steps. He stood at the top shaking his head as if to say 'where's the bridge gone!'; and that's a true story"