59 The range of buildings was designed by Henry Dawson in an institutional and gloorny style. The opening cerernony was
perforrned by Princess Mary, Duchess ofTec. The institution was later known as Reeds School.
60 A fine aerial view of Watford in the 1960's. Watford Grammar School for Girls (dating from 1907) is in the foreground. At the
top right of the picture Watford Place and one of the early modern office blocks can be seen.
61 Floods in the lower part of the town have been a hazard for centuries. This view dates from 22nd Iuly 1907. The bus is on the
Callowlands, Watford junction-Bushey service. A reporter in 1878 witnessed a flood and was greatly amused to see local resi-
dents carrying their pigs and chickens up to the bedrooms to save them from drowning.
62 A fine early illustration of a train crossing the arches over the river Colne in 1840. The architect for
the London and Birrningham Railway was Iohn Rennie. Because of the soft composition of the
ground, the arches were laid on brushwood foundations.
63 Because of strang objeetions from bath Essex and Clarendon, the new railway was routed to the
north of Watford and a tunnel had to be built sa that neither landowner could see or hear the
trains. Building the Watford tunnel cast eleven lives and many workers were injured.
64 Iohn Rennie's classical portal can be seen, as one of the first trains on the new railway enters the tunnel 'wrong line' because of the unfinished work. The London and Birmingham Railway was the world's first lang distance main line. The first section was opened from Euston as far as Boxmoor in 1837.
65 The first Watford station was sited west of the St. Alban's Road. But after the building of the branch
line to St. Alban's in May 1858, the station was built on its present site. The Clarendon Hotel (left) was
opened to serve a new dass of dient - the commercial business travelIer.
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66 As time passed traffie grew on the line and a second tunnel had to be built
and the line quadrupled from London. The branch to Rickmansworth via
High Street opened and there was a growing commuter traffie. This view of
the junction station dates from about 1912.
67 After the SecondWorld War - a scene on a quiet Sundayabout 194-6. Next to the Dublin poster on the
far right is a London Transport sign directing passengers to the Bakerloo Line terminus. Bakerloo trains
reached Watford as early as 1 91 7, part of a grand scheme of electrifled lines from London, although
electric trains ran from Euston and Broad Street in 1922.
68 North-bound express and local trains at Bushey water traughs sauth of Watford a century aga. The
Watford suburban tracks were later canstructed on the right hand side of the railway.