Nast Hyde Halt

It was great to be back running again this morning after a challenging week suffering from vertigo. I stuck mainly to the Alban Way, formerly the Hatfield to St Albans Railway, which opened 150 years ago this year and closed in 1951 to passenger services and finally in 1968 to freight traffic. Local residents are planning some anniversary celebrations between 16th and 18th October, disappointingly for me whilst I will be out of the country :(

This photo is of Nast Hyde Halt, which opened in 1910 to serve the nearby Great Nast Hyde House and the community that built up around it. It has recently been spruced up magnificently by Mike, a local postman, who cycles along the Alban Way each day to work. He's cleared a lot of the undergrowth and installed a clock, some signs, chimes and bird feeders. It looks superb. He's also put up a list showing all of the stops on the old railway line (see today's extra photo). I will try and grab a photo of the magnificent Great Nast Hyde House on a subsequent run - it's up for sale and the asking price has recently been reduced to £5.75 million in case you're interested!