Author Topic: Before the A1 (Read 40723 times)

chicken legs · « **Reply #30 on:** January 24, 2006, 05:19:54 pm »

Re Cafes. The Waterend Cafe has always been the Waterend Cafe. The one renamed "The Budgie" was definitely on the corner of Dixons Hill Road and the A1. The next one, going north, was Akermans, just by the Kennels. Then Peters around where the hotel is now on Roehyde Way. There were no others until past Oldings Corner, where there was the Lemsford Cafe, near the Bull public house.

rognjac · « **Reply #31 on:** January 24, 2006, 05:47:25 pm »

Thanks Chicken Legs - just shows how memory plays tricks! So I presume the Budgie cafe was demolished at the same time that all the dual carraigeway came through?

Roger

bazza · « **Reply #32 on:** January 24, 2006, 10:19:10 pm »

I have just bought the complete series' of Budgie (which has not been officially released?!?!?). When it arrives I have 21 hours of it to dredge through to find the scenes. I will attempt to get some images and I'll post them here.

chicken legs · « **Reply #33 on:** January 26, 2006, 11:52:32 pm »

I'm not sure about the timing, Roger, but the "Budgie" cafe was demolished to make way for the bungalow either when the A1 was built or soon after. I know what you mean about memory lapses, though. I'm only so positive about the cafes because I have it from the owner of the Waterend Cafe who was formerly an HGV driver.

bazza · « **Reply #34 on:** January 27, 2006, 11:25:09 am »

Right, I got the DVD in my grubby little hands this morning and episode one, near the start, lo and behold, Corner Cafe! The picture quality is not that great but watchable, and it's black and white.
If it's shown in the context of the plot which is Budgie going into London, then it's shown as being on the south-east corner of the junction. The ground is level, single carriageway, traffic lights suspended over the road, and a national speed limit sign for northbound traffic. If this was the junction with Dixons Hill Road/Close, then the cafe would be where the embankment to the bridge is now. I'll have a delve around there soon and see if any clues remain in the bushes and trees.
Thanks to all for the clues thus far

Editor · « **Reply #35 on:** January 27, 2006, 11:36:59 am »

Quote from: bazza on January 27, 2006, 11:25:09 am

I'll have a delve around there soon and see if any clues remain in the bushes and trees.
Thanks to all for the clues thus far

I admire your determination Barry. I had the same fun rooting round for evidence of the coal posts in North Mymms for the feature I put on the site. Mind you the wife and kids thought I'd gone barmy, especially when it involved rummaging round in undergrowth with a digital camera.

bazza · « **Reply #36 on:** January 27, 2006, 02:35:49 pm »

Any excuse to act like an eight year old

Abbot · « **Reply #37 on:** January 27, 2006, 03:59:44 pm »

What happened to the Coal obelisk on the railway embankment??

simon2010 · « **Reply #38 on:** April 14, 2007, 10:35:52 pm »

the budgie cafe was originally located on the corner of dixons hill road/close and budgie was actually filmed there also the saint and the movie mud!! i know this because my mum owned the budgie cafe and i grew up there from 1971-1978 alsoi have an original postcard of the budgie from 1970. if anyone is interested in finding out more info please contact me.

shevans · « **Reply #39 on:** April 15, 2007, 07:22:47 pm »

Simon2010

The Mud film at the Budgie, also starred the Rubettes and The Glitter Band and was called "Never too young to rock".

I was there for some of the filming as my father was Production Manager, at the time we lived down the road the road in South Mimms. Most of the cast stayed at the Crest Motel in South Mimms and even Elton John made an appearance at the Motel for a few days although he was not in the film.

From memory there was quite a lot of damage done to the cafe......

Editor · « **Reply #40 on:** April 17, 2007, 10:12:39 am »

Quote from: Abbot on January 27, 2006, 03:59:44 pm

What happened to the Coal obelisk on the railway embankment??

Sorry Abbot, I totally missed this post of more than a year ago. The coal obelisk is still there. When travelling north on the train from Potters Bar to Brookmans Park look out the right hand window as you pass the golf course. When you see the embankment rise near the final green before the fields, you will see the obelisk. Click here for the page about it.

David

bootneck · « **Reply #41 on:** April 20, 2007, 09:35:56 am »

David, as a young boy my family made regular trips up the old A1 to relatives in St Neots, I remember an old cottage Graverley now the B197 just north of Stevenage covered in nomes and other concrete objects very colourful indeed, does anyone else remember it and have photographs of it?

milcars · « **Reply #42 on:** September 03, 2009, 11:09:30 am »

Hello,
I don't really suppose that this would fall under the umbrella of Green Belt, But does anyone know what the Budgie Cafe was called before it was renamed to the budgie? Please help if you can.

Mermaid · « **Reply #43 on:** September 03, 2009, 01:18:57 pm »

Look in the thread 'Before the A1', perhaps one of the more 'techie' moderators will move your post to that thread for you?

Editor · « **Reply #44 on:** September 03, 2009, 10:59:31 pm »

Quote from: Mermaid on September 03, 2009, 01:18:57 pm

Look in the thread 'Before the A1', perhaps one of the more 'techie' moderators will move your post to that thread for you?

Done

hertslover · « **Reply #45 on:** August 27, 2012, 03:07:14 pm »

Hope nobody minds me posting on an old thread, which brought back a few memories.

Can anyone on here remember anything about the single storey house which was on the north corner of Hawkshead Lane at its junction with the old A1 northbound carriageway? It was knocked down to make way for the A1M in c. 1977 and its remains lie underneath the present day northbound carriageway. The enclosed link to a picture, which I found elsewhere on the site, might help. Towards the top left of the picture, a little to the right of the footbridge, is a group of trees forming an approximate square. These marked the end of the back garden of the house and seem to be all that is left today. Would be great if anyone can remember it, or has any pictures.

http://www.brookmans.com/galleries/aerial/sky1big.jpg

hertslover · « **Reply #46 on:** August 27, 2012, 11:55:26 pm »

I can remember the Budgie Cafe too, on the Dixons Hill Road junction. The traffic lights were suspended across the A1 on a wire, so the light was in above the centre of the road if I recall correctly. I seem to remember that the cafe suffered a serious fire in the 1970s.

stevea · « **Reply #47 on:** August 31, 2012, 09:54:31 am »

99% sure this was filmed in the Budgie Cafe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q3Nzy7RrCs

stevea · « **Reply #48 on:** September 01, 2012, 03:26:46 am »

Found another clip, 100% Budgie Cafe...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDQ3UQH3RmE..

hertslover · « **Reply #49 on:** October 26, 2012, 10:54:24 pm »

Those clips are great, a real blast from the past. That is definitely the Budgie Cafe, and earlier on I'm pretty sure the houses that the lorry is driving past are on the old A1 by Hawksmoor Lane.

epiphany · « **Reply #50 on:** October 31, 2012, 10:08:12 am »

Quote from: hertslover on August 27, 2012, 03:07:14 pm

Hope nobody minds me posting on an old thread, which brought back a few memories.

Can anyone on here remember anything about the single storey house which was on the north corner of Hawkshead Lane at its junction with the old A1 northbound carriageway? It was knocked down to make way for the A1M in c. 1977 and its remains lie underneath the present day northbound carriageway. The enclosed link to a picture, which I found elsewhere on the site, might help. Towards the top left of the picture, a little to the right of the footbridge, is a group of trees forming an approximate square. These marked the end of the back garden of the house and seem to be all that is left today. Would be great if anyone can remember it, or has any pictures.

http://www.brookmans.com/galleries/aerial/sky1big.jpg

The property that you refer to was called Redlands and just to the north of that was another
house called The Ledge, I hope this might jog a few memories.

hertslover · « **Reply #51 on:** November 02, 2012, 10:28:49 pm »

Quote from: epiphany on October 31, 2012, 10:08:12 am

The property that you refer to was called Redlands and just to the north of that was another
house called The Ledge, I hope this might jog a few memories.

That's it. It was Redlands. Thank you very much for that.

hertslover · « **Reply #52 on:** July 02, 2013, 07:56:07 pm »

Have been back recently and looked at the area. The trees which lined the old A1 seem to be still there. although surrounded by younger growth. I can't remember whether the A1 by Hawkshead Lane was single lane or dual carriageway? Can remember seeing the A1M built in the mid-late 1970s, but on looking at the site of it now I can't remember whether the southbound carriageway of today's road is where the old northbound carriagheway used to be. It's very interesting though to drive along Swanland Road and see just how much is left; the old crash barrier on the left when going south, the trees placed at precise intervals along the side, the garage on the corner of Tollgate Road. It's bit like going back in time.

Editor · « **Reply #53 on:** July 02, 2013, 08:15:15 pm »

I have tweeted to see if others will share their memories and pictures.

Anyone got memories or pics of the A1 in Herts before the A1(M) was built? http://t.co/ozRG9oXeJv … #Hertfordshire @Herts_Highways
— bpnewsletter (@bpnewsletter) July 2, 2013

Welli G · « **Reply #54 on:** July 02, 2013, 09:16:31 pm »

This is a great thread. I've lived in W.Green for 12 years, and although I don't remember it before the A1(M), I grew up in Barnet, and must have travelled up and down Swanland Road many times. In fact my Dad still refers to Swanland road as 'the old A1'. I have a real fascination with (relatively) recent history of where I live before any major changes took place, so will be watching for any good memories that pop up here. Good work everyone - keep it up.

Nimbus · « **Reply #55 on:** August 05, 2013, 03:45:47 pm »

Quote from: Welli G on July 02, 2013, 09:16:31 pm

This is a great thread. I've lived in W.Green for 12 years, and although I don't remember it before the A1(M), I grew up in Barnet, and must have travelled up and down Swanland Road many times. In fact my Dad still refers to Swanland road as 'the old A1'. I have a real fascination with (relatively) recent history of where I live before any major changes took place, so will be watching for any good memories that pop up here. Good work everyone - keep it up.

You might well enjoy this then, a jolly good use of Web technology:

http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/maps/index.php?view=51.72876,-0.22675&map=NPEMap&zoom=15&layer=3&markers=51.72908,-0.22621,

Click on 'Create Overlay' then lose track of time as you play with the slider which appears.

BrookyP · « **Reply #56 on:** August 05, 2013, 05:05:55 pm »

this is great

stevea · « **Reply #57 on:** January 05, 2016, 07:06:19 am »

Just been told that the Budgie Cafe in the 50's and 60's was called The Busy Bee and was frequented by bikers.

stevea · « **Reply #58 on:** January 05, 2016, 09:41:18 am »

Oops, think I got it wrong. They used to race from the Busy Bee to the Budgie Cafe.

Barry Bloxham · « **Reply #59 on:** October 29, 2016, 04:38:25 pm »

Quote from: stevea on January 05, 2016, 09:41:18 am

Just been told that the Budgie Cafe in the 50's and 60's was called The Busy Bee and was frequented by bikers.

Oops, think I got it wrong. They used to race from the Busy Bee to the Budgie Cafe.

Yes Steve the Busy Bee was in Watford on the A41 where the Hilton now stands.

News:

Author Topic: Before the A1 (Read 40723 times)

rognjac

simon2010