Paddington Parcels Platform 1980s

[rob D2]

Hi all,

Assessing yet another layout idea , as I have been drawn to the idea of doing something similar to the above (the platfrom on its own between paddington and ranelagh bridge).So I wonder if anyone knows:

 

1/did all paddington parcels trains leave from here ?

2/what were destinations in early 80s ( I am thinking swansea,plymouth,bristol, penzance any others?)

3/presuambly traction was 31s/47s/50s

3a/ mainly GUVs/BGs ?

4/when did it shut ? I would like to 'dual era 'it so I can run RES style trains as well

5/anybody got any photos or of the buildings behind ?

 

thanks in advance for any gen

[ianfolland]

Rob,

 

I've only just seen this thread but do have some photographs showing the buildings. All taken 24 June 1983 (showing BG M92205; Declassified FO W3122; Declassified FO, and 50 021 Rodney; Declassified FO W3150; TSO W5035).

 

As for your questions there will be others with the answers but I thought most parcel trains used platforms in the north side of the station (the dark and dingy bit near the Hammersmith and City platforms). I have a photograph (not yet scanned) of a class 37 hauled parcels train arriving over on that side in the mid-80's. I believe that the additional platform beyond platform one was used for motorail loading.

 

Traction would have also included the Gloucester parcels cars.

 

Ian.

[eastwestdivide]

It's mentioned in this thread:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/18142-kensington-olympia-st-austell-motorail-1970s/

[Rugd1022]

Hi Rob,

 

Platform 1a was still being used to arrive and depart some of the shorter parcels and newspaper workings when I was at Old Oak from 1983-85. On occasions you'd see two short trains occupying the platform being loaded up at the same time, then departing one after the other, one example being the 03.55 Princes Risborough & Aylesbury 'papers', usually made up of one or two vans hauled by a 31. This platform was also used to shunt releast rakes of stock in platform 1... the old 'Paddington A Pilot' (usually 08 944) would back onto the stock, drag it out into 1a, the loco that brough the stock in would depart to Old Oak / Ranelagh Bridge / another platform, then the A Pilot would propel the stock back into platform 1, coming to a stand with the stock about an engine length of the blocks.

 

Sometimes, when the staff bus which shuttled half hourly between Padd and Old Oak was out of use, a light engine would be used as a taxi and often stabled in 1a until it was time to depart, I should know.... I ran after and missed it several times! This could be any spare loco that was on Old Oak that day, a 31, 47 or 50, but occasionally a 37 or 45 which had come up from Cardiff on a parcels, before being sent home later in the day.

 

Hope that helps

 

Nidge

[rob D2]

thanks guys for the further input , which I have just seen.

I,m not sure at the moment whether to have a bash at parcels depot or something akin to ranleagh bridge. I think a small layout based on a parcels platform does have som merit, even more so if i can include an 08, 37 and 45 possibly as nidg points out.

 

Can you imagine a TOC these days using a light loco to shuttle between a station and depot ?!

[ess1uk]

this where the car park is now?

as for shuttles to depot, the Victoria line does a staff shuttle from Seven Sisters to Northumberland Park Depot several times a day

[The Stationmaster]

Hi all,

Assessing yet another layout idea , as I have been drawn to the idea of doing something similar to the above (the platfrom on its own between paddington and ranelagh bridge).So I wonder if anyone knows:

 

1/did all paddington parcels trains leave from here ?

2/what were destinations in early 80s ( I am thinking swansea,plymouth,bristol, penzance any others?)

3/presuambly traction was 31s/47s/50s

3a/ mainly GUVs/BGs ?

4/when did it shut ? I would like to 'dual era 'it so I can run RES style trains as well

5/anybody got any photos or of the buildings behind ?

 

thanks in advance for any gen

Strange to relate I've only just come across this By the 1980s use of 1A was very limited - in the summer of 1982 it was used ONLY by the following on weekdays:

 

17.00 FO dated ex St Austell arrive 21.25 - run round and propel to Platform 1 to unload cars.

 

21/15 FO O.O.Common arrive 21/35 FO to form 22.43 Pcls to Swansea (Load 7), and 23,43 Pcls to Bristol (Load 5). These trains normally ran from Platform 1 but that was blocked by the St.Austell arrival on dated Fridays as it stayed in No.1 to form the 07.30 departure on Saturday.

By the 1980s the are was little used for parcels as this work had been concentrated mainly over on the Up side of the station following closure of what had been known as the Down Parcels Office - which in reality meant the 'parcels' handling gangs on that side of the station.

[rob D2]

Thanks Mike.The original layout board became a WR branch in the end....!

However with impending house move, I may have a spare room and hence I may be able to go for my dream western seaside circa 1982.. so all ideas of early 80s WR practice still wanted !