London's Lost Railways Ep. 14 - Watford to Croxley 

ALLOTMENTS

That ending was the crossover I never thought I needed

Marvel: Infinity war is the greatest crossover event in history Geoff: Hold my tea

Geoff, there was something quite heartwarming about that ending, really really well done.

end game was the most ambitious crossover ever. Geoff: Hold my allotment

Cheers to everyone in the GMCE (Geoff Marshall Cinematic Universe)

That ending was the crossover event that was so ambitious it makes Endgame look like a school play!

Disney/Marvel: Avengers: Endgame is the most ambitious cross-over ever. Geoff: Hold my allotments!

"We didn't see a single allotment...." HAHAHA

"You'd think I'd be good at squares" - I LOLd :-D

That word 'never' is so sad. But my one little peeve about the re-opening project (which I was quite excited by) was that Watford Vicarage Road was rather a mouthful. Vicarage Road by itself would have done the job beautifully.

I remember steam on that line - and Watford Met. also had regular steam shunting as well. The Croxley line was supposed to have been closed back in the 60s, but although services were greatly reduced, the line was kept open in large part because my uncle Ron was very senior management at BR, and couldn't be expected to travel by bus: that timetable showing the early and late trains was drawn up to suit Uncle Ron's expected commuting times, and I was with him on one occasion when they held the train for him because he was late getting to the station!

I am loving the cameo appearances 😂

Love love love the ending, Thank you for an out loud laugh

I used to work on that line. Where the line used to go under the bridge near Watford High Street there used to be an Ice factory (or at least that's what we called it. There was also a siding off the main line going into a power station, which had metal gates across the rails). After the line closed it was amazing to see just how quickly nature took over with fully grown trees sprouting up in the 4-foot within years.

Tim's bit with the piano was great. Then there's "mine just says castles" 😂

As an apprentice in the late sixties, I had a happy time at Croxley Green Sheds working on the old electrics. Thanks for the memories

Geoff is so so good at what he does. From races round the tube to All the Stations. From least used stations to London's lost railways it is all so watchable. And Geoff as a very proud allotment owner....they are not that bad 😁

Great video. I walked past the old Croxley station yesterday. The metal fences have been removed and the shrubs around the stairs have been cut right back, so you can get much closer now

Was not expecting Half Asleep Chris!!! (Not that that’s a bad thing)

Dear Geoff, just came across and love the video. Wanted to let you know that there used to be a spur off the Watford to Rickmanworth Branch Line (now Ebury Way) for supply of coal and salt crossing Brightwells and Oxhey Hall Farms to the Eastbury Pumping Station at Hampermill Lane. It was know as the Colne Valley Water Company Light Railway (1933-1968 approx)

Croxley Rail Link forever in our hearts 😢

Makes me feel old, I remember getting the train from Croxley to west Watford on my way home from Durrants. Really stupid thing is if we missed the train we would walk the tracks. Looking back at the things we did then I am surprised to still be alive. Maybe dangerous but really was good times.

Brilliant ending! I hope Jay didn't smash his phone in all the excitement haha

Incredibly moving for me as my parents bought a house on Winton Drive, at the junction of Winton Approach, in Croxley Green in 1966 and I was born there in 1971, growing up with the sound of the tube trains literally going past down the embankment at the bottom of our garden…And indeed my middle name is Croxley. 😔

Right by the old Watford Stadium station there are some allotments!!

Brilliant ending, well done to all those who took part 😂👏👏

Those cameos were priceless.

As a child in the 1960's I'd regularly travel that line down to Croxley and then walk down to the canal and spend the day fishing, before making the return train journey. Fond memories 😌

A neat trick you did there with your friends’ cameos at the end. I liked that (and the rest of the video) - thank you Geoff!

I'm dying here! (And probably also gone officially insane, judging from my laughter.) XD

I love this vid. Growing up in Watford, I was fascinated by this line, but never travelled on it. Watford West station used to pick up passengers from my Dad's old workplace, Scammell's (the now-bankrupt truck company). One night in 1996, I was making my way back home after a drunken evening and I decided to climb the fence and walk along the tracks from Watford Stadium to Watford High Street. I did so and quite enjoyed it. However, I think I triggered some sort of anti-trespass sensor and when I walked up the platform at Watford High Street after midnight, a workman was coming towards me. I cheerfully said 'Good night' and walked right past him. He didn't say anything. Of course, this was a doubly STUPID thing of me to do. Not only could I have got fined, but I could have been electrocuted on the rails. Apologies to all. I was young and drunk.

Great video. I live close by over in Ricky and am getting more involved in local council stuff, and there's some potentially interesting things on the horizon regarding that rail line. Although the met line extension is basically dead in the water now, the idea of a Croxley-Watford rail link is alive and well. The most likely thing to happen will be a light rail link of some kind going from Croxley to Vicarage Road and Watford General and then up to Watford Junction. But if it can be managed I'm personally hoping for one that starts at Rickmansworth (since there is an unused short platform there), goes past Croxley Green tube, stops at the old closed Croxley station, vicarage road, Watford general, the high street/shopping centre, and then up to Watford junction. If this can happen, not only would it greatly increase the mobility across from Ricky and Croxley over to Watford (and vice-versa) it could potentially be the start of a Herts rail network that links up Watford with places like St Albans, Hemel Hempstead etc. So be sure to keep an eye out for developments on that!

Lovely to see this. I travelled on this branch line in the 1980s. West watford station had a ticket booth near the entrance before going down the flights of stairs. The metal barriers have now been removed from Croxley Green station and so it is easily accessible to walkers.

Can't stop watching your videos. I have a fascination with lost railways. More please. Love it!!

It’s like the huge crossover event was Geoff’s way of making up for the fact that the Metropolitan line extension will not be happening

You didn’t include shopping trolley on the bingo sheet :-). And hello to Tim in Paris - and his piano!

Brilliant stuff Geoff. Really enjoyed the series, thank you.

Glorious ending, that one! The cameo factor is huge...

A fab finale to a brilliant series, sir! Nicely done!

Man that was such a wholesome ending

Perfect ending!

Thank you for another brilliant video and the fabulous cameos by your fellow RU-vidrs, love love loved it! 🤩👍

Another wonderful video in a great series.. and that ending, it made me smile so much.

Love the series. Didn’t see the end coming, but thought it was brilliant. Really enjoyed that.

I seriously LOVED seeing all of your friends you've featured at the end!

@ Geoff Marshall - Great finish - I laughed like a drain! One of your best! It's sad the Watford connection got derailed: a poignant moment in my decade as a transport press officer, but your piece more than made up for it 😀 Thanks!

What a wonderful series Geoff, I thoroughly enjoyed it - especially learning about the areas I have lives (Brockley) and currently live in SW16. Thanks so much for taking the time to put it all together so comprehensively.

Fantastic video! I love all your videos. I’m so glad I’m not the only person who has an amazing knowledge of trains and likes them to! Keep up the hard work!

We didn't see a single ALLOTMENT. How did Geoff's famous subscribers get into this video? Minds blown completely! Geoff, that's amazing 😂👍

Absolutely BRILLIANT! 😂 What a mesmerising series and such a hilarious episode!! Thank you all! 🤗 #Allotment

Such a great series Geoff, and love that final minute too

Brilliant!! Loved the end, so funny.

Idly logged on to RU-vid the second this went live. Great stuff Geoff, love this channel and the cameos at the end! You've inspired me to do something similar here in Northern Ireland. Sadly we have more abandoned railways than active, but it gives me plenty of source material

Fantastic hysterical ending Geoff! Thank you all for participating.

Made me chuckle! Great film. Many thanks!

What a great ending, Geoff. Absolutely fantastic!

I've walked this stretch of railway when the fence was down (no, genuinely), so much fun to walk along such a recent bit of track. Thanks for covering this one Geoff!

Great video and also there are pretty easy ways you can on the rails and get a better view of the tracks

Geoff, thank you for this video. I have walked along the Ebury Way many times. Great cameo appearances too.

This vid gave me a lot of joy, I spent so much time in Watford growing up and once went out with someone whose parents had the Abbey Flyer at the bottom of the garden - tbh I'm sure it would've ended before it did if they had not. I especially love the end of this. So much fun. Thanks Geoff!

I've enjoyed this whole series, it truly blows my mind! The ending was awesome, btw.

LOVED IT even with no sound as WE fall out with another computer today!!! David and Lily having an every Disused Station moment with the Whitewicks!!! THANKS!!!

LOL Absolutely excellent crossover at the end. Too many laughs to count. Brilliant editing, to boot.

that was a right belter at the end. loved all the cameos, nearly every one is a youtuber i like watching content from.. :D

I don’t usually comment but kudos to all the cameos at the end, excellent!!!

Well thanks Tim for bringing me over, subbed now!

Brilliant ending! The Watford Stadium station was built to keep away fans separate from the home ones, something far more essential in the dark 1980s than nowadays.

Best one yet purely for the end of all the RU-vid legends in one video. 👏👏👏

Excellent video! It feels like it was just made for me because i mentioned a possible update about this line in a previous episode.

Okay, bravo on the ending good sir, and applause for the community that agreed to play along!

Enjoyed the whole video, but the ending was extremely fun. Thank you for that. :)

Great video and good fun too , thanks for taking us along 👍

I wasn't expecting the ending on this video which was hilarious, that had me in Allotment of stitches of laugher! But as for the video it was brilliantly detailed. thumbs up to this video of London Lost Railways.

Excellent work Geoff

Another great video Geoff, when I walked the Ebury Way recently I was lucky enough to get a Met Line train go past on a bridge as I walked past. If the Croxley Line is never to reopen, I really hope they turn it into a public walk and/or cycle way, it is such a waste just to leave it there. Well done on the "Avengers Assemble" ending too!

Great vid Geoff, very interesting and love the crossover at the end!

I'm so happy to not read the comments before reaching the end of this awesome video. The genuine surprise was really nice.

Huh.. I didn’t expect to have the ending like that! Nice crossover with other travel based youtubers

As a Watford fan this episode is amazing. Some Watford fans have the Watford stadium platform sign as their profile picture.

This video is a much better crossover than MCU, especially that it includes cameos from some of my favourite youtubers. Thanks Geoff, I enjoyed it so much

I have gone behind a 2P to Rickmansworth Church Street but never needed to travel to Croxley. I passed it on my way to school (on RT bus) 1959 to 1967 and used to see the Cl.4 tank engine serving the small scrapyard just belong the Croxley station plus the occasional electrics to Watford Junction. It was even rumoured that long again to join up with the Metropolitan.

Great video Geoff. One of my favorite bits of trivia regarding Croxley Green station is that it a group of suffragettes set fire to it in 1913!

Another superb video ! love the cameo appearances !

Brilliant this is very good, thank you Geoff

Great video, I remember back in 1974 when I was 11 I visited the Watford Junction signal box, and was allowed to change the points for the Croxley train when it left Watford high street.

Loved this one. Great content and a comedy ending. What more could you want - an ALLOTMENT perhaps.............well I actually have one !!!

Hi Geoff all the way from new Zealand, I really enjoy your entertaining videos great to see what's happening in London excellent

Hello There, an interesting video and it's sad to see some of that line rusting away with the Metropolitan Line never being extended, thank you for sharing this, it's much appreciated. Kind regards Peter :)

The Watford to Croxley line also served John Dickinson's Paper Mill at Croxley, fuel oil was transported to the mills on a regular basis until the mills closed in the 1980's.

I absolutely loved that ending!! Bloody marvellous!

I love these videos. Really informative.

So so good! Such a great series, and a great ending

My heart is warmed today with the thought of allotments.

Ha ha, love the ending!! Great job again matey, thanks.

Just subscribed to your channel Geoff lot of things to watch :)) I lived in London between 2012-2018 and during those years I travelled quite a lot, and explored the different areas of London. Amazing experiences. I checked in/out with my Oyster card at all the tube stations expect that branch of the Metropolitan line :)) only because I travelled on Sunday and it was a rare service I didn’t fancy to take it :) Been all the overground stations also, tram and crazy number of bus lines (incl nigh buses) too, I remember the one from Croydon to Heathrow (not sure if that still operates). Keep up the good work, brilliant contents 🤘👌👋

Fantastic ....... grew up walking and cycling a lot of the spots in this one.....it's certainly changed!

Excellent stuff. I did wonder what had happened to the Metropolitan project. Shame it is stillborn as it seemed to be a sensible addition, but it seems it is not to be. The problem was always the fact Watford station is not really near Watford 🤷🏻‍♂️ I believe this was because the Cashiobury land owners refused to allow access across their plot and why the station building is...well, a bit naff. Looks like someone from LUL just commandeered your rich Aunt Maud’s house and shoved a booking hall through her kitchen and dining room 🙄 I may be wrong, but I thing the Moon Under Water pub occupies the building intended as the station which they had already built, having not foreseen the Cashiobury folk saying “s*d off” 😂 Fantastic ending. Just made me laugh and laugh. Like a “who’s who” of splendid railway what if/what was discovery documentary types 😎🍾 I love that you got them all to join in like that 🍻 Thanks again Geoff, always a great watch 👍🍀

Fab outro..... brilliant series Jeff... really enjoyed it.

I grew up in Croxley Green, and would always pass by the old abandoned entrance to the station, walking by you could peer in to where it once was