Beechen Grove at Loates Lane in Watford around the 1970s.

Every week, thousands of readers will drive down this stretch of road, which is barely identifiable from when this photo was taken about 50 years ago.

The Watford Observer has once again collaborated with its friends at Watford Museum to recall structures, artefacts, or enterprises from the town’s history that have either disappeared or been relocated, and this week we look back at this vista of Beechen Grove near Loates Lane.

Beechen Grove at Loates Lane, looking towards Derby Road in the 1970s (Image: Watford Museum).

Christine Orchard, the museum’s volunteer archivist, stated: “The difference between this view, most likely from the 1970s, and the same stretch of road today is quite striking.”

“Although the places of Queens Road, in the centre at the traffic lights, and Derby Road, in the distance, remain unchanged, so does their access.

How the same section of road appeared last year (Image: Google Street View)

The Queens lane intersection has been replaced by a bridge, and Derby Road is accessible by a slip lane. “None of the buildings visible in the remain apart from spire of Central School in the distance.”

Read more on Straightwinfortoday.com