In 1948, the council tried to get a bus service installed on the Cottonmill estate but the London Transport Executive said they were unable to do so because of the state of the roads leading to the estate. It was… More about ‘Abbots Avenue Bridge’»
Category: Railways
Murder at London Road station
This post is based on an article from the Herts Advertiser and kindly transcribed by Derek Roft. When the now disused St Albans to Hatfield branch line opened on October 1865 the Herts Mercury reported. “The first train started at half… More about ‘Murder at London Road station’»
The Railway Tavern – a forgotten Sopwell Pub
The following item has been written by Jonathan Mein, a member of the St Albans and Hertfordshire Architectural and Archaeological Society (SAHAAS) and an authority on St Albans pubs. In a city where many of the remaining pubs have histories… More about ‘The Railway Tavern – a forgotten Sopwell Pub’»
Hatfield – St Albans Railway (Alban Way)
The Great Northern Railway (GNR) line from St Albans to Hatfield was opened on 16th October 1865 but there had been plans to construct this branch line much earlier than that. Local landowners were encouraged to form an independent company… More about ‘Hatfield – St Albans Railway (Alban Way)’»
A portrait of Prospect Road in 1911
Prospect Road first appears in the 1871 census so some of the houses in the road must have been built in the late 1860s and early 1870s. It was originally a cul de sac and ended before St Julians Road.… More about ‘A portrait of Prospect Road in 1911’»
Trainspotting – Mike Titchiner
Mike shares his memories of watching the steam trains go by. As well as watching the local trains, he went as far afield as Watford and London. Interview date: 12 May 2014. Interviewer: Sandy Norman.… More about ‘Trainspotting – Mike Titchiner’»
A walk down Cottonmill Lane 2 – John Buckingham
John continues his reminiscences of walking down Cottonmill Lane in the 1940s and 1950s. he walks over the river and past the allotments, which were always flooded in the winter. His father had an allotment and would send John to… More about ‘A walk down Cottonmill Lane 2 – John Buckingham’»
Living next to the gasworks and railway lines – John Buckingham
John Buckingham was born in 1943 in Leyland Avenue – right next door to the gasworks. He remembers his father having an allotment next to the railway line and it being bulldozed over; the digging of the cutting up to… More about ‘Living next to the gasworks and railway lines – John Buckingham’»
Memories of the 1930s – Dorothy Grummitt
Dorothy Grummitt lives in Albeny Gate but was born in Gateshead. In the 1930s, she often used to visit her aunt and uncle in Park Street, St Albans. Her uncle worked as a carpenter at Handley Page in Radlett. He… More about ‘Memories of the 1930s – Dorothy Grummitt’»
Childhood memories – Noel Godman
Noel Godman lived in St Julians Road as a child and recalls playing in the Cottonmill Lane area. He has vivid memories of the gasworks and of the trains coming in and out from the Abbey station and the shunting… More about ‘Childhood memories – Noel Godman’»
Latest comments