004 Sherrardspark Wood is a picturesque, dense woodland north west of Welwyn Garden City, the old trackbed meanders through the tree lined cutting, this view is looking towards Welwyn G.C.

005 Looking westwards, the trackbed and cutting ends abruptly just beyond the B197 overbridge to accomodate the earthworks for the A1(M). The overbridge looks as though it could have accomodated a double track railway, although the cutting remains hereabouts suggest it was only single track.

006 Looking down into the filled in cutting, the B197 is carried over the old railway, behind me is fencing segregating the A1(M).

007 Standing on the filled in cutting and looking towards Ayot which is the other side of the Motorway.

008 The old railway would have crossed the motorway roughly where the Tesco lorry is heading away in the distance.

009 Ayot station was provided to serve the local community from 1877, there was also a passing loop provided here. I am standing on the embankment with the A1(M) immediately behind me. The station site here was quite extensive, the Land Rover is parked in a small car park provided for ramblers on the 'Ayot Grenway'. The next photo was taken amongst the trees on the right.

010 The trackbed from Ayot to Black Bridge is now a footpath, the 'Ayot Greenway', as such the undergrowth is managed, however at the extreme end of the Ayot station site, the cutting is slowly being reclaimed by nature. The motorway is immediatedly behind me.

011 An old gradient post stands forlornly shorn of its arms in the old yard at Ayot.

012 Ayot station site looking east in January 1990. The station buildings here burnt down in a fire started by a spark from a locomotive in July 1948. Passengers services were withdrawn from Ayot in September 1949.

013 Another January 1990 view of the Ayot station site, this time looking west towards Wheathampstead. The roof of what I believe to be the old station house can be glimpsed in the distance on the left.

014 Standing directly on the site of the passing loop and looking west. In the distance the wooden fencing marks the point where the overbridge was removed. The faded white post marks the point where a public footpath crossed the line.

015 Another 1990 view of a solid railway style gate and post. I believe this to be the original footpath gate that led to Homerswood north of the station site. The remains of some signalling apparatus were still in situ in this view, but in 2007 this gate had gone and I found no trace of the signalling mechanisms seen here.

016 Next to the public footpath that still crosses over the station site I found some mangled point rodding in the undergrowth. It must have been forged from some exceptionally good quality steel as it shows little trace of any rusting after all these years.

017 Another old relic unearthed is this steel 'L' shaped signalling mechanism. The manufacturers name 'Saxby Farmer London' is clearly visible. The signalbox survived at Ayot until 1966, no doubt the continued use of the line by rubbish trains until 1971 contributed to the survival of so much signalling paraphenalia.

018 Looking south from the footpath, the tracks would have occupied the area in the foreground, and the station approach road beyond the hedge on the right. More railway style fencing can be seen at the field boundary.

019 The gate seen in the previous shot seen from the field immediately to the south of the station site. Although this view dates from 1990, this gate today is still in similar condition, although it could benefit from a lick of paint. The gravel track beyond is the car park driveway.

020 Viewed from the footpath, a car makes its way up the station access road, with what I believe to be the old station house on the left.

021 Ayot station approach in 1990 looking towards the station and footpath that crosses the old line where the two people are standing.

022 This telegraph pole survived at Ayot station into 1990 sandwiched between the approach road and trackbed. Sadly by my visit in 2007 it had gone.

023 Heading along the trackbed towards Wheathampstead, with time for a final look back towards the Ayot site and the A1(M) beyond, thankfully out of view.

024 The overbridge that carried the railway across Ayot St Peter Road was removed shortly after the rubbish trains stopped in 1971. Ramblers along the trackbed have to descend some wooden steps and cross the road, before climbing back onto the embankment on the other side.

025 The stump of the embankment where the line crossed Ayot St Peter Road seen in 1990. Seventeen years on, the 'Ayot Greenway' is a well established and popular footway through a largely unspoiled and remote part of Hertfordshire as the next few pictures will demonstrate.

026 Heading west towards Wheathampstead the line passed through Sauls Wood.

027 Skirting the south of Ayot Place heading towards Wheathampstead.

028 This relic is constructed of old sleepers. What was its purpose? Situated between Hunters and Sparrowhall Bridges.

029 Beyond Sparrowhall Bridge looking in the direction of Wheathampstead.

030 The pleasant surroundings of Robinsons Wood - even on a cold January day! Looking west towards Wheathampstead.

031 Blackbridge Siding marked the extent of the surviving branch from Hatfield following cessation of service to Wheathampstead in 1965. The siding here curved sharply away to the right in the distance and hosted rubbish trains from London where rubbish was dumped into a landfill site. This traffic continued until 1971.

032 With the former Black Bridge siding site out of view to the right, the old trackbed stretches away towards Wheathampstead.

033 The footpath meanders about, here the old line is about to meet Sheepcote Lane, an old byway that still survives today.

034 Sheepcote Lane Byway must have crossed the railway on the level at this point. There are no surviving gate posts or any hint of an official crossing, although bearing in mind closure was over 40 years ago, perhaps that comes as no surprise.

035 A small footcrossing traversed the railway west of Sheepcote Lane, and remarkably evidence of railway furniture survives here. This view of the trackbed is looking towards Black Bridge and Sheepcote Lane.

036 At the old foot crossing, looking towards Wheathampstead.

037 This old gate must surely have been provided by the railway? The metal post on the right appears to be a length of old narrow gauge rail!

038 As you descend towards 'track level' at the foot crossing, you cant but help notice this concrete post that would have undoubtedly accommodated a cast iron sign warning of the dangers of trespass or crossing the railway. Sadly the sign is long gone..... does it survive today one wonders?

039 Another view of the crossing from the north side of the trackbed. Another concrete post that would have been carried a cast warning sign.

040 A bypass was constructed to divert traffic away from Wheathampstead, and this road bisects the railway site to the east of the village. Strangely, part of the trackbed was metalled as this view shows, though thankfully only a few hundred yards.

041 Standing atop an earth mound that screens the old railway from motorists on the Cory-Wright Way bypass. The houses in the distance are in the village of Wheathampstead.

043 Another car hurries along the bypass, its owner probably oblivious to the existence of a railway at this point. The mound I was standing on for the previous photograph can be seen, freshly planted with tree saplings that will soon screen the old railway completely. I'll bet that most of the motorists using the bypass are heading towards Harpenden, and as such could have used the railway had it survived the Beeching years.

045 Remarkably the platform survives at Wheathampstead station as this 2006 view proves.

046 The Wheathampstead station nameboard is long gone.....

047 The overbridge at Wheathampstead over Station Road has long been removed. This view is looking towards Harpenden. Immediately ahead the route can be discerned, although it is heavily overgrown.

048 Marshalls Heath Lane crossed the branchline in the Lea Valley at Leasey Bridge. One of the crossing gates survived here in 1990.

049 Another view of Leasey Bridge looking east towards Wheathampstead. Note the white painted gate post survived here in 1990.

050 Looking back towards Leasey Bridge near Piggotshill Woods in 2006.

051 A view taken in 2006 looking from the old level crossing at Leasey Bridge towards Harpenden. Sadly the old gates pictured in the earlier picture have now been removed,

052 Bridge number 11 - sporting a modern aluminium bridgeplate - looking towards Leasey Bridge.

053 A roadside view of bridge number 11. Hidden under the foliage is a 50's style bridge height restriction warning.