Peterborough North

[3rd Rail Exile]

On my regular trips out of Waterloo in the late 1980s the main things to look out for were a) anything of interest in Clapham Jn yard? b) anything of interest in Wimbledon depot? c) any locos stabled at Woking? 

 

In terms of a view or building of interest, Woking signal box, so I'll vote for that.  

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

Worting Junction and the flyover.

 

manna

[great northern]

Time for another Friday only train. This one is the 6.06 from Bradford, a job for KX A3 Hermit.

[mullie]

I think for me it is the final approaches to Waterloo, it has changed so much especially as we don't get to London by train that often these days, regardless of covid. The rebuilding of Battersea power station was the last striking feature we saw in January 2020. I've been doing the journey up from Weymouth periodically since 2004.

 

The units on the Weymouth to London line have horrible seats, so uncomfortable when doing the full run. The old 442(?) units were much better and I seem to remember they were partly built from secondhand bits based on a mark 3 carriage.

 

Martyn

[jollysmart]

Approach to Waterloo, just for the realisation that London is arriving.

[Metropolitan H]

6 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Thundering towards and through the reverse curves of a decent Surbiton Station, whistle howling, at a rate of knots, behind a Modified you know what, and a bunch of dozy commuters/passengers, half asleep on the Platforms,  jumping and staring in awe at the sight of something magnificent (no, not me looking out the window). Goose bumps.

However, the emergence from the Tunnel east of Salisbury Station, slowing for the notorious Salisbury curve and then the view on the left of the 400' Cathedral Spire, takes some beating.

I'll also go for that selection, but will add the excitment of the Watercress train one Friday evening in June 1967, from Basingstoke to Woking, doing well over 100 mph on the racing stretch up through Fleet. The three coaches and about five bogie vans of watercress from Whitchurch with a rebuilt on the front and the driver didn't care as he was retiring.

 

Regards

Chris H

[Welly]

Having passed through there several times to visit my mate in Surrey, I nominate the approach to Clapham Junction from the Waterloo direction for the feeling of passing through a sea of rails.

Edited May 22, 2021 by Welly
typo

[CHAZ D]

Worting Junction My occasional lunchtime spot in 1980

[great northern]

Cold and grey here, yet again, but at least the rain has stopped, and the wind has died down. Hermit again this morning. it has come closer, but the cameraman has moved back too. I find I now prefer this shot when there is stock in the bay on the left. It just seems to tighten everything up.

 

 

[sandra]

Worting Junction and Battledown flyover. Always pleases me that there is a similar flyover on the nearby road system where the A303 leaves the M3 and heads for the west while the M3 goes down to Southampton and Bournemouth.

[drmditch]

18 hours ago, great northern said:

Maybe Clive was right, for once. Only 7 votes cast for the lovely Waverley Route. Perhaps people are scared what might happen to them if they go north of Hadrian's wall?

 

Actually, I'd be more worried south of Peterborough these days.

[Oldddudders]

I have dithered about this. It's a trip I did pre-Covid once or twice a year, but only in the Down direction. [Return is/was usually on the 07.30 from Newton Abbot to Padlington, with a Eurostar to catch.]

 

The LSWR main line is spectacular in its use of flying- and burrowing-junctions - does any other main line have as many? That alone makes it of interest to us, I suggest. Worting and Battledown is certainly the most famous, and ISTR the switchblades on the down connections are very, very long. 

 

But other fave glimpses include Sandown Park, which I have visited for both a model railway exhibition and a race-meeting, and the former aerodrome at Weybridge, with a glimpse of the Brooklands Banking, as well as being where my late mate's parents met during the war.

 

Sadly the loco sheds at Blazingsmoke and Andover no longer reward a young teen with a few cops as he passes on the Atlantic Coast Express. 

 

But I think the last few miles before the Laverstock Loop and Tunnel Junction, on what always seems to be a downhill gradient, give one some sort of feel that one is leaving the cosy SouthEast and moving into holiday country. Ignore ominous Porton Down, but relish the first taste of lush lands to come. 

[St Enodoc]

I'm with Ian. Brooklands/Weybridge/Vickers factory - always hoping for a glimpse of a VC10.

[stewartingram]

21 hours ago, jollysmart said:

Approach to Waterloo, just for the realisation that London is arriving.

So the return journey must be much better then!

 

Stewart

[jollysmart]

2 minutes ago, stewartingram said:

So the return journey must be much better then!

 

Stewart

 

I was going to say and it reminds me I wouldn't want to live there, especially in some of the locations the train passes as I am not and never will be a city dweller.

[great northern]

1 hour ago, stewartingram said:

So the return journey must be much better then!

 

Stewart

I once said to a London resident that I thought the best view of the City was the one in the rear view mirror as I headed for home. He seemed quite upset.

[Mark Saunders]

1 minute ago, great northern said:

I once said to a London resident that I thought the best view of the City was the one in the rear view mirror as I headed for home. He seemed quite upset.

Rather like Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagon,

‘never saw a sight that didn’t lol better looking back’

[great northern]

And now our third, closest and last look at Hermit, still with 76 miles to go before reaching home.

 

 

I am a happy bunny tonight, as Lincoln City are in the play off final, one step from being in the Championship. That's a remarkable achievement, because as recently as 2017 they were in the National league.

[Bloodnok]

22 hours ago, mullie said:

The old 442(?) units were much better and I seem to remember they were partly built from secondhand bits based on a mark 3 carriage.

While the design of the 442s was indeed Mk3 derived, they weren't second hand shells. They were new builds (with power doors from new). The second hand parts (because this is the SR, there /has/ to be second hand parts in a new train...) were ex 4-REP motors and control gear.

[31A]

1 hour ago, Mark Saunders said:

Rather like Lee Marvin in Paint Your Wagon,

‘never saw a sight that didn’t lol better looking back’

 

I sometimes used to think that when viewing Man Vic from the back cab of a Calder Valley ..... 

[great northern]

An increasingly rare sight at PN now, as sadly not many K2s come through by 58. The evening Boston to East goods can often remedy that though, and does so again today.

 

 

Every time I see those two signals either side of the loco, I get more and more eager to get the call from Graham.

[LNER4479]

12 minutes ago, great northern said:

Every time I see those two signals either side of the loco, I get more and more eager to get the call from Graham.

Stand by for a Ta-daa! moment coming to this thread shortly (ladders currently being added as the last component required then just final painting)

[great northern]

Result of poll was Worting Jn and the flyover 4, approach to Waterloo 3.

 

On we go, from Salisbury to Exeter today please.

[Oldddudders]

Ahem. Boast time. Tisbury Loop. in 1984, shortly after the Wilton South to Exeter Central line had passed back to Southern, and coincidentally I'd been offered a job in the Regional Planning Manager's office, I chaired a meeting examining options for the addition of a passing loop somewhere useful between Salisbury and Gillingham. The Regional Civil Engineer's chaps had done their homework, and offered Tisbury as an easy fit, due to the formation still being there. The S&T wallah said it should be possible, and lo it happened. Every time my train stops in the loop and awaits passage of the Up service, I feel good about things. Sorry!

[St Enodoc]

Choices, choices...

 

Crossing the S&DJR at Templecombe?

Crossing the GWR at Yeovil Junction?

Rushing through the middle roads at Seaton Junction?

Looking for cops at Exmouth Junction?

 

None of the above.

 

For me, the slow, curving descent from Central and coming to a stop at St David's.