A new community initiative is hoping to raise the final amount of money needed to refurbish the surroundings of a historic railway station.

Around £12,000 is needed to improve the environment around Smallford Station on the Alban Way, with just £5,000 now needed to hit this target.

Smallford Station is a unique, 156-year-old, Grade II listed building that used to serve the Hatfield & St Albans Railway – the track-bed of which is now the Alban Way foot- and cycle-path.

Smallford Station & Alban Way Heritage Society has recently received planning permission from St Albans district council (SADC) to improve the environment around the station ahead of a wider plan to eventually renovate the building itself.

As part of this initiative they will be installing Victorian style benches and lampposts, poster boards and raised flower beds, Smallford Station signs at the entrances and an information board.

They are also refurbishing an old goods van body which will be sited next to the platform in the station car park to house an exhibition which will be open to the public

Level 2 art and design students from Oaklands College have designed Art Deco-style railway posters that will be displayed on the poster boards, trowel trades students will be improving the platform brickwork, and horticulture students will be working on the raised flower beds and undertaking improvements to the environment of the car park.

The estates department from will be undertaking and overseeing improvements to the platform, installing a ramp for public access and building the structure that will support the goods van body.

Society chairman Jeff Lewis said: "Our project is designed to sympathetically commemorate and celebrate this unique station and its surroundings, and provide an enhanced, accessible and attractive amenity for the local community and users of the Alban Way."

From 10am-4pm on Sunday September 12 the society will be participating in this year's Heritage Open Days at Smallford Station Car Park.

There will be an exhibition celebrating the history and featuring a collection of artefacts and memorabilia.

There will also be short, guided walks – from Smallford Station to Nast Hyde Halt and back - at 12noon and 2pm, and refreshments provided by Colney Heath WI.

A Just Giving page has been set up to raise funds for the project - https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ssawhs-fundraiser

To contact the society email info@smallford.org