A4008 road
Encyclopedia
The A4008 road starts at Hatch End
in the London Borough of Harrow
at a roundabout on the A410. It runs North from the roundabout and is known as Oxhey Lane. After 1 miles (1.6 km) it passes over the route of the Grims Dyke and Grimsdyke Golf Course is to the East. Very soon afterwards it passes in to Hertfordshire
. At the border a white post with the shield of London on it marks the Greater London
border. There is also a plate emblazoned with the name and arms of the former county of Middlesex
. In the trees to the east, a BT microwave tower
may be seen.
The road continues northwards passing the estate of Carpenders Park
on its western side. There is also a cemetery here. 2 miles (3.2 km) after crossing into Hertfordshire, the road enters the Borough of Watford
. There is a pub, the Load of Hay on the western side and then a small green known as Watford Heath. The road swings eastwards and winds through the village of Oxhey
, now a suburb of Watford
. At Bushey Station
, the northbound traffic runs straight on, whereas southbound traffic is via Chalk Hill and right into Aldenham Road (passing the Victoria public house at a set of traffic lights). The road has now joined the A411 and passing under Bushey Arches at a roundabout and it becomes Lower Watford High Street. On the east of the road just after the roundabout there is a metal turnpike marker with a plaque commemorating it as the last of its type. Before the opening of the Watford Bypass in the 1930s, this route was numbered A41
.
A gyratory system
takes the northbound traffic around a retail park
, via Dalton Way and under Oxhey Arches. The southbound traffic is along Lower High Street. The two routes meet at a set of traffic lights and via a roundabout into Stephenson
Way. On the west is a Tesco
Extra supermarket, on the east is the West Coast Main Line
running on an embankment between Bushey
and Watford Junction
. This section of the road dates from the late 1980s. On 23 January 1975, there was a train accident on this embankment and a locomotive and carriages rolled down onto what were then fields just by point at which the traffic lights mark the exit from the supermarket.
The road leaves the route of the A412
at a roundabout at the end of Stephenson Way and heads east along a link road to join the A41
and M1
at junction 5, Berrygrove. At the start of this link road the route again passes under railway arches. At this point, in the 1930s, an open air pool was crafted into the course of the River Colne
.
The road is some 7 miles (11.3 km) in length.
For a while, in the 1970s and 1980s, the route from Bushey Station to the A41 was along the Aldenham Road. This was originally the B462 and it reverted to this number after the opening of Stephenson Way and the M1 link.
Hatch End
Hatch End is a place in the London Borough of Harrow, located north west of Charing Cross in Central London. The suburb is part of the Pinner post town.-Attractions:...
in the London Borough of Harrow
London Borough of Harrow
The London Borough of Harrow is a London borough of north-west London. It borders Hertfordshire to the north and other London boroughs: Hillingdon to the west, Ealing to the south, Brent to the south-east and Barnet to the east.-History:...
at a roundabout on the A410. It runs North from the roundabout and is known as Oxhey Lane. After 1 miles (1.6 km) it passes over the route of the Grims Dyke and Grimsdyke Golf Course is to the East. Very soon afterwards it passes in to Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. At the border a white post with the shield of London on it marks the Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
border. There is also a plate emblazoned with the name and arms of the former county of Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. In the trees to the east, a BT microwave tower
British Telecom microwave network
The British Telecom microwave network was a network of point-to-point microwave radio links in the United Kingdom, operated at first by the General Post Office, and subsequently by its successor BT plc...
may be seen.
The road continues northwards passing the estate of Carpenders Park
Carpenders Park
Carpenders Park is a suburb of Watford in the Watford Rural parish of the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England. It is located in the south western corner of Hertfordshire and close to the boundary with Greater London...
on its western side. There is also a cemetery here. 2 miles (3.2 km) after crossing into Hertfordshire, the road enters the Borough of Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
. There is a pub, the Load of Hay on the western side and then a small green known as Watford Heath. The road swings eastwards and winds through the village of Oxhey
Oxhey
Oxhey is a suburb of the borough of Watford in the county of Hertfordshire, England. It is located at and forms part of the Watford post town....
, now a suburb of Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
. At Bushey Station
Bushey railway station
Bushey railway station serves the towns of Bushey and Oxhey and is situated on the Watford DC Line, north of Harrow & Wealdstone. The station was renamed from "Bushey & Oxhey" to "Bushey" on 6 May 1974, even though it is actually sited in the neighbouring town of Oxhey, and the nearest part of...
, the northbound traffic runs straight on, whereas southbound traffic is via Chalk Hill and right into Aldenham Road (passing the Victoria public house at a set of traffic lights). The road has now joined the A411 and passing under Bushey Arches at a roundabout and it becomes Lower Watford High Street. On the east of the road just after the roundabout there is a metal turnpike marker with a plaque commemorating it as the last of its type. Before the opening of the Watford Bypass in the 1930s, this route was numbered A41
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
.
A gyratory system
Gyratory System
Gyratory System is a three-piece music band based in London. It is fronted by producer/trumpet player Andrew Blick. Blick was a session musician in the 1990s and previously a member of One More Grain. His trumpet-playing style, which involves the heavy use of electronic treatments, has been likened...
takes the northbound traffic around a retail park
Retail park
In the United Kingdom, a retail park is a grouping of many retail warehouses and superstores with associated car parking. Its North American equivalent is a power centre. Retail parks are found on the fringes of most large towns and cities in highly accessible locations and are aimed at households...
, via Dalton Way and under Oxhey Arches. The southbound traffic is along Lower High Street. The two routes meet at a set of traffic lights and via a roundabout into Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...
Way. On the west is a Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
Extra supermarket, on the east is the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
running on an embankment between Bushey
Bushey railway station
Bushey railway station serves the towns of Bushey and Oxhey and is situated on the Watford DC Line, north of Harrow & Wealdstone. The station was renamed from "Bushey & Oxhey" to "Bushey" on 6 May 1974, even though it is actually sited in the neighbouring town of Oxhey, and the nearest part of...
and Watford Junction
Watford Junction railway station
On 23 January 1975, an express train from Manchester to Euston derailed just south of Watford Junction after striking some stillages that had fallen on to the track. It then collided with a sleeper service from Euston to Glasgow. The driver of the Manchester train was killed, and eight passengers...
. This section of the road dates from the late 1980s. On 23 January 1975, there was a train accident on this embankment and a locomotive and carriages rolled down onto what were then fields just by point at which the traffic lights mark the exit from the supermarket.
The road leaves the route of the A412
A412 road
The A412 is a road in England that links Slough and Watford. It was previously the main artery for this corridor, prior to the construction of the M25. It provides interchange to the A40/M40 at the Denham Roundabout, the M25 in Maple Cross and the A41 north of Watford...
at a roundabout at the end of Stephenson Way and heads east along a link road to join the A41
A41 road
The A41 is a formerly-major trunk road in England that links London and Birkenhead, although it has now largely been superseded by motorways. It passes through or near various towns and cities including Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Aylesbury, Solihull, Birmingham, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton,...
and M1
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
at junction 5, Berrygrove. At the start of this link road the route again passes under railway arches. At this point, in the 1930s, an open air pool was crafted into the course of the River Colne
River Colne, Hertfordshire
The Colne is a river in England which is a tributary of the River Thames. It flows mainly through Hertfordshire and forms the boundary between the South Bucks district of Buckinghamshire and the London Borough of Hillingdon...
.
The road is some 7 miles (11.3 km) in length.
For a while, in the 1970s and 1980s, the route from Bushey Station to the A41 was along the Aldenham Road. This was originally the B462 and it reverted to this number after the opening of Stephenson Way and the M1 link.