Local Sources

For more about the local area, visit the Harpenden Information Centre at the Town Hall, Leyton Road or the Dacorum Information Centre in The Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead.

Further historical information on the Nickey Line can be found in local libraries and at the Redbourn Village Museum, next to the Cricketers Public House on Redbourn Common.

Books and DVDs

 

 

Much of our historical information about the Nickey Line is based on the excellent book, ‘The Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead Railway - The Nickey Line’ by S. Woodward and G. Woodward (Oakwood Press 1996, reprinted 2002)

 

Geoff & Sue Woodward Book The Harpenden to Hemel Hempstead Railway The NIckey Line Cover
The Nicky Line book by J & H Cannon1977

 

 

Also interesting and very readable, The Nicky Line by James (Jim) and Hedley Cannon written in 1977 after the centenary of the Line and before it closed in 1979.

Notice the spelling of 'Nicky' without the 'e' - In a live discussion between the historians during our Friends 2023 online AGM, Jim said all their reseach into early documents found the spelling without the 'e' and Sue Woodward said their's had found the spelling with the 'e'. Perhaps both versions are in their own way 'correct'?

 

 

in 2006 Sue and Geoff Woodward also produced 'Branch Line to Hemel Hempstead: The Nickey Line' (Middleton Press). This is basically a book of photographs with explanatory paragraphs - very easy to read and skip through. We find it a popular and interesting read.

 

Sue & Geoff Woodward Branch Line to Hemel Hempstead book
Railways of Hertfordshire DVD Vol 4

 

 

Railways of Hertfordshire Volume 4 (JVP DVD) is a more recent issue. It has much more footage on the Hemelite diesel operation and even features a Friends committee member - such is fame ....
Currently available from, for example, https://www.wolvertonrail.com/acatalog/Transport-Video-Publishing-Railways-of-Series.html

Other Sites of Interest

Sites with useful information about the Nickey Line, other amenities locally or of wider interest.

Webmasters – if you have a website you think may be of interest to our site visitors, please email us with your web details. (We would appreciate a text link from your site to us too: ‘The Nickey Line – Attractive 7 mile footpath and cycleway on the old Hemel Hempstead Harpenden railway line, part of the national cycle route 57’)

The Boxmoor Trust: Managing agricultural and amenity land for the public benefit - www.boxmoortrust.org.uk

The Chiltern Society - www.chilternsociety.org.uk

Dacorum Borough Council:
– www.dacorum.gov.uk
– Dacorum Event Planning - www.dacorum.gov.uk/home/environment-street-care/licensing/event-safety

George Storrow’s Nickey Line website:
– www.nickey-line.co.uk
– 1977 Article BY PULLMAN TO HEATH PARK - www.nickey-line.co.uk/BYPULLMANTOHEATHPARK.pdf

GPS Route http://www.gps-routes.co.uk/routes/home.nsf/RoutesLinksCycle/nicky-line-hemel-hempstead-to-harpenden-walking-and-cycle-route

Harpenden Arrows Running Club - www.harpendenarrows.co.uk/web/

Harpenden Town Council – www.harpenden.gov.uk

Hertfordshire County Council (HertsCycling) Route Map– https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/recycling-waste-and-environment/countryside-management/walking-and-cycling-routes.aspx?searchInput=&page=1&resultsPerPage=10&view=card

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust - www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/

Herts Memories : https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/
– Introduction to Nickey Line and recordings from people remembering the railway days The Nickey Line | Lost Rails | Herts Memories

– Old Photos Gallery - https://www.hertsmemories.org.uk/content/herts-history/topics/transport/railways/lostrails/the-nickey-line-photo-gallery

Nickey Line Online Map available as pdf from:
- https://www.dacorum.gov.uk/home/environment-street-care/landscape-recreation/nicky-line
https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/6996754/the-nickey-line-cycle-route-st-albans-city-district-council

Plotaroute - https://www.plotaroute.com/route/233387

Pub Trails App & some Leaflets - https://www.pub-trails.co.uk/files/2019-06/hollybush-leaflet.pdf

Railway Ramblers is a national club that organises walks and encourages interest in disused railway lines throughout the UK.– www.railwayramblers.org.uk/

Railway Ramblers Logo

 

 

Ramblers - www.ramblers.org.uk/

Redbourn Parish Council – www.redbournparishcouncil.gov.uk

Redbournbury Mill - www.redbournburymill.co.uk

St Albans City & District Council (SADC):
– www.stalbans.gov.uk
– SADC Event Planning Process - https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/events-advice-and-guidance
– SADC Nickey Line Greenspace Action Plan 2022-2027 – https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/sites/default/files/attachments/Nickey%20Line%20GAP%202022-27%20%28compressed%29.pdf

St Albans Cycle Campaign – www.stacc.org.uk

St Albans Rambler - www.stalbansrambler.co.uk

Sustrans:
- www.sustrans.org.uk
- Sustrans National Cycle Network Route Maps – https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network

Ver Valley Society – www.riverver.co.uk

Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickey_line

Nickey Line Facebook Group – Please share any interesting information you find on the Nickey Line with our Facebook Group users

 

Nickey Line History Illustrated Talks

Friends of the Nickey Line can offer your local organisation talks on the History of the Nickey Line by Zoom or face to face presentation.

A small donation to the Friend’s funds is normally requested but can be waived or reduced for organisations of modest means. Contact us at friends@nickeyline.org.