# Rickmansworth - A hit and miss experience.



## sennelager66 (Sep 21, 2011)

Hello everyone - i hope you enjoy the photos on an already documented area. 
I made a decision to pick up some PB's on the way home from work and decided to drop in on this area. It was instantly worth it from a personal point of view and gave up a few unexpected surprises for me which put a smile onto a very tired face. I came off night shift after already being up 24 hours and decided to break up journey home with what turned out to be a 7 hour stroll from Stockers Lake nature reserve through to the River Colne / Hempermill where it was sadly cut short by a 'get off this land moment'. That was a first for me but i shall be back to pick up those two PB's missed as a result at a later date. All in all i took in 10 out of the 12 sites intended so not too bad a days work. 

Working my way off google earth i decided to leave the PB located in Garret Wood (located between Springwell Lock and the Chalk Pit) until last as it gave me the incentive to walk back to the car!!

Anyway after a short walk to Stocker's Lock there is the evidence of an AT Hairpin on the opposite bank to the cottage and leading to Stocker's Farm.

ANTI TANK HAIRPIN: S0000534
















The view looking down the lane showing the positioning of the AT rails. 






Some strange looks from the people out walking their dog as i stood staring deep in thought at the road.

*TYPE 22: S0000533*

The first view of a PB on the run i came to. Completely hidden as you walk down from the Lock and across into the outer farm buildings. As you walk around the corner of the field and into the lane heading towards Stockers Farm Road. Compared to some of the PB's further towards Nerthwood this is in very good condition. Not accessible internally sadly.
















*TYPE 24 : S0000539*
I should have taken the direct approach to this one as i caught my privates on the barbed wire fencing. A nice stroll behind the gardens of the barge owners and heading towards Hampden Hall Farm. This PB is being used as a storage area. 
















Gently cutting over the planted area i got to the low entrance. 

*TYPE 24: S0000542*

Strangely a gem of a PB. Enhanced and used as part of a plot for someone. Next to it is a chicken coop and i kept the lively while investigating. The first real evidence of frost damage on a PB but not the worst one from this trip.
















TYPE 24: S0000546

Into the rough land and the first sensation of stinging nettles. Ahhh that familiar feeling. 
The condition of this PB is the worst out of the lot. The outer skin of bricks is both falling away and as is show below - very very fragile.




















*TYPE 27: S0000540*
Skirting around the edge of the River Colne and located centrally after a bend in the river. The first time i have seen evidence of an outer shutter mounted outside of the embrasure. 










Testing the hinges - the frame still moves into position though one of the screws is coming away.




How i tried to get onto the roof for a view of the LAA pit.

*ANTI TANK BLOCK: S0004953*

The view of the blocks located to the side of the approach to Moor Lane. There is evidence of more AT blocks on the other side but this was heavily overgrown on my visit and not worth photographing.
















*TYPE 27: S0000541
*

Over the fence and into the Nature Reserve. The sound of excited kids in the playground of the nearest school ringing in my ears.

Again the entrance is sadly locked up so it was a quick skirt around and moving on.
















*ANTI TANK BLOCK: S0004955
*

The line of 12 blocks. 7 on the west side and 5 on the east side of the embankment. I had considered jumping the fence but as it turned out - the right move was made for one.











The view of the 5 blocks on the East side.











*TYPE 27: S0000544*

Buried but not broken. Apparently on private ground as i was to fine out later. There is me thinking the nicely mown grass was put on for my welcome visit!! This site offered up the first of a few surprises for me personally. 






The buried porch. As tempting as it was to crawl in i decided better not.






Leading out from the PB and parallel to the lane i found evidence of a roadblock? 





















Checking over the opposite side of the lane, i couldn't find any further evidence. There were at least 4 of these blocks in a line.

*TYPE 27 : S0000547*

I loved this PB. It offered me up so much. Very very tidy.
















The view looking under the LAA pit base. 






There were no rungs leading up into the doorway to the pit, only two eyelets on either side.











The view looking out to the shore of the lake.


























Sadly at this point i was challenged by two people. One let my by after explaining what i was doing. The second bloke, though perfectly within his rights to tell me to leave was just an aggressive person. 
I was so close to getting to the other two PB's listed. S0000548 and S0000553 but i am not too hopeful on the second PB. A hint of an outline does not look good. I shall return to pick these other two PB's in the near future. Early doors this time!!

Something i missed due to my unusual approach into the fishing area.






And finally, cuts scrapes, stings and almost giving up hope. The hardest PB to get too due to my indirect route:

*TYPE 24: S0000532*

Fighting my way through the triffids. Sat on the South bank of the Grand Union Canal.


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## cptpies (Sep 22, 2011)

Great find on the roadblock. I've added it to the EDoB with credit to you. I'm amazed they missed it on the original survey.


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## Munchh (Sep 22, 2011)

Very nice mate. You must have been knackered after that. Don't know that I could manage a 7 hour battle with the undergrowth after a full shift at work.

The bent rails you've found are particularly interesting to me. Bit of a rarity, at least down here anyway and if you have found a previously unknown road block as the capn says, that's a feather in your cap.

I've found the empty sockets a few times but not the metalwork. Well done and thanks for posting.


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## sennelager66 (Sep 22, 2011)

I shall post up a few more of the pictures later. Thanks for the comments and thanks Cptpies.

All in all a good day out.


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## oldscrote (Sep 22, 2011)

Good stuff 66 I agree with Munch about the bent rails rare as hens teeth down this way too,well done on the unknown roadblock another gap in the puzzle filled in.....


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## sennelager66 (Sep 22, 2011)

The view down the lane from the PB. This area will be revisited by myself this next week so i shall have a further root around. Further down the lane is a sluice and what looks like an AT ditch but this could be just purely a heightened imagination of an extra defensive measure.


*S0000544*



















































This to me is an interesting cluster of defences which overlook the rail bridge, field and look out across the field to the AT blocks. The sluice could be post war though. Not sure!!


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## RichCooper (Sep 22, 2011)

Another great set of pics thanks for posting em  Gonna try to get back on the road myself this weekend


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## Bunker Bill (Sep 23, 2011)

Great set of pic's, not seen or heard of the Hairclips before, thankyou.


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## Foxylady (Sep 23, 2011)

Really enjoyed your tour, Senn. Some great stuff there. I've never even seen pics of the bent rails before, so that's a first for me, and as Munchh & Oldscrote said, not seen in this area.
Excellent work.


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## smiler (Sep 23, 2011)

PBs Are not my thing but I enjoy looking at the reports and pics about them, yours is one of the best I have had the pleasure of perusing, stingers and brambles are bad enough when nosing around, but catching your essentials on barbed wire!!!!! That’s going far beyond the call of duty. Great Post, Thanks, My legs are still crossed and my eyes watering


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## sennelager66 (Sep 23, 2011)

smiler said:


> PBs Are not my thing but I enjoy looking at the reports and pics about them, yours is one of the best I have had the pleasure of perusing, stingers and brambles are bad enough when nosing around, but catching your essentials on barbed wire!!!!! That’s going far beyond the call of duty. Great Post, Thanks, My legs are still crossed and my eyes watering



I'm slowly getting there. I now just need to tighten up on the information supplied - write a field report in situ and glean as much information from books on the subject matter. Thanks for the kind comments - appreciated. 

Oh and the willy is healing up nicely.


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## highcannons (Sep 24, 2011)

Keep up the good work mate, thanks


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## Skoyen89 (Sep 26, 2011)

*Rickmansworth*

Hi Sennelager

I think I got a bit further around the lake before I too was 'intercepted' by a guy who acts as the water bailiff...although he was OK as he escorted me back. He told me there were no more pill boxes. My haul for the day are on Flickr under Skoyen89. i think I got one or two more heading east.

I don't know whether the metal hairpin rails near the pillboxes at haberdasher's are in situ (those at Stockers Lock are) or were moved after the war? 

I think you are doing a great job and it is good to see the collection as you progress along the line.

Skoyen89


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## ford369 (Dec 27, 2011)

if you look in the fields on the right of moor lane heading back towards the town centre you will also see what appears to be the outline of a fille in at ditch zig zagging its way across the fields,it is best to see after heavy rain as it fills with water and shows up well


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## inayellowshirt (Dec 27, 2011)

You heading over Watford way a bit more sennelager66?

There's a number of pill boxes around the town and near where I work off Bushey Mill Lane


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## ford369 (Dec 28, 2011)

inayellowshirt said:


> You heading over Watford way a bit more sennelager66?
> 
> There's a number of pill boxes around the town and near where I work off Bushey Mill Lane



dont forget the one under bushey arches


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## inayellowshirt (Dec 28, 2011)

ford369 said:


> dont forget the one under bushey arches



I was trying to remember, but I think that's gone when they tidied up the area and put lights in.

There's definately still one around the corner on Bushey Station.


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## ford369 (Dec 29, 2011)

no they had to landscape around it in the end despite wanting to remove it I contacted English Heritage and they gave it protected status


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## Winch It In (Dec 29, 2011)

ford369 said:


> dont forget the one under bushey arches



Not wanting to highjack sennelager66 thread, I took some pic's when I was passing back in August.
Info from the D.O.B.
Location: Under the central arch of a span of the five arch viaduct (Bushey Arches) carrying the main line from Euston Station over the road junction created by High Street, Chalk Hill, Pinner Road and Eastbury Road (A411) in Bushey. 

Condition: Fair 

Description: 1995/10/31 Rectangular pillbox, made of brick with a thick flat concrete roof. Three embrasures facing Watford (High Street) and two towards Chalk Hill. Entrance in the south side. Embrasures are very small and further restricted by iron plates.

PILLBOX: S0000563















Winch​


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## inayellowshirt (Dec 29, 2011)

excellent... amazing how you get used to an area and cant remember whats still there.

The others I know about locally are

Pill Box: Bushey Station (end of station inbetween main fast line and local line track (seems to be used for storage)

Pill Box: In field off Berry Grove Lane, junction with Bushey Mill Lane.

Pill Box and tank trap: Hilfield Lane, near Holland Farm


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## Winch It In (Dec 29, 2011)

inayellowshirt said:


> Pill Box and tank trap: Hilfield Lane, near Holland Farm



Ive got a couple of pic's of this pillbox but they ain't great.

Info from D.O.B.
Location: At side of minor road, E of the M1 road, Bushey. 
Condition: Fair 
Description: ____/__/__ Brick-shuttered, probable type 22 pillbox.

PILLBOX (TYPE FW3/22): S0013699

















Winch​


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## oldscrote (Dec 29, 2011)

Looking at the one under the arch it looks less like a pillbox and more like a small air raid shelter.


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## ford369 (Dec 29, 2011)

I will have to try and get to the holland farm box sometime and take a picture of my landy there for comparison


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