There’s something of a transport theme to this week’s Nostalgia column, to mark the anniversary of the opening of the Metropolitan Railway extension, from Rickmansworth to Watford via Croxley Green, on November 3, 1925.

Before we start, a brief apology for the quality of the pictures. We don’t have any negatives going back any further than the early 1960s so these have been photographed directly from the actual newspaper, making them grainier than is ideal. That said, they are, in my view, better than nothing and worth seeing. Back to the Met extension.

In a leader in the Watford Observer of November 7, 1925, the editor commented the extension was “likely to have a much greater effect on the development of the town than is at present realised”.

He continued: “Without this new line, the laying out for building of the Cassiobury estate would have proceeded slowly; now it will be speeded up and in a few years will soubtless bring a wonderful transformation in the vicinity of the Met station.

“Residents of West Watford, a large number of whom work in London, are provided with a new and quick route to town.

“Of interest to local tradesmen is the fact that extensive arrangements have been made for handling goods traffic. Watford has had little reason to complain in the past of the facilities provided by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway but in this, as in all commercial matters, competition is an advantage to the community.

“The presence of the Mayor and Corporation at Saturday’s opening ceremony was justified; the enterprise of the Metropolitan and London and North Eastern railway companies deserved this official recognition.

“The new line, though only 2½ miles in length, has proved very costly, well over a quarter of a million being spent on it. Just how long it will be before the outlay proves remunerative we do not pretend to know, but evidently Lord Aberconway and his colleagues on the directorate have faith in the future of Watford.

“It is, indeed, apparent to everyone that another Watford ‘boom’ is well on the way.”

It seems that originally the plan was to extend the station under Cassionbury Park but public opposition put paid to that, even in the 1920s.

Talking of tunnels, we move from 50 years forward to an underground plan for Abbots Langley.

The Watford Observer of November 15, 1974, splashed the story all over its front page. Its story began: “A new underground motorway to take traffic through a tunnel a third-of-a-mile long under Abbots Langley and also under Leavesden airfield, is being considered by the Department of the Environment. But if the scheme does go ahead, it would probably be necessary to rebuild the big new roundabout at Hunton Bridge which was only opened a week ago.

“The suggestions to put traffic underground is included in proposals for a new outer orbital route around London which could supersede Ringway 3 plans in this part of the county.”

Ringway 3, as many will no doubt remember, was one of four roads designed in the 1970s to circle the capital. Most of the plans were scrapped in 1973, but the Ringway 3 route was partly incorporated into the M25 when it arrived a decade or so later.

Anyway, there were three suggested routes put forward for the area west of Bedmond. The shortest, at just over two miles, left the North Orbital Road near Hunton Bridge, passed under Leavesden aerodrome in a tunnel and then ran in a cutting to Abbots Langley, where it would enter a similar tunnel to go under Abbots Langley and re-emerge in a cutting just north of Leavesden Hospital.

The article continues: “When completed, the tunnel through Abbots Langley would not be visually obtrusive, but its construction would be a major operation – and expensive. At today’s prices [1974] it is estimated it would cost £15 million to build the two miles of road and mean the demolition of 26 houses. On the other hand, it would take less land than two other alternative routes; it would not run through an area designated as ‘distinguished landscape’ or destroy existing woodlands.”

Watford Observer:

The Rickmansworth Spitfire, pictured in 1942.

From rail and road to the air, and back to 1942. During the Second World War, Major Gordon Ross started a Spitfire Fund for Rickmansworth with a donation of £1,000 and the aim was the town should collect £5,000 – enough to pay for the plane to boost the war effort.

This they did, and the Watford Observer’s “war round-up” in the edition of November 27, 1942, had a picture of the Ricky plane together with the news that it was undergoing its final trial flights.

“When it does take to the air in the fight against oppression,” the story promises, “reports of its work would periodically be sent to the council.”

Rest assured that if I come across any such reports in subsequent Watford Observers, I’ll pass them on to you.