Croxley tip.

[Broadway Clive]

Further to the discussion about the contents of the tip trains.

[bécasse]

......... and that begs all sorts of questions if the train was indeed based at Lillie Bridge rather than Neasden.

 

It was possible to access the Bakerloo Line from Lillie Bridge by reversing at West Kensington and Baker Street (Met.) and it wouldn't have been too difficult with a battery loco on each end of the train, but the refuse would then have had to be moved to Croxley Tip either by the same route or via Rayners Lane and Harrow-on-the-Hill - either being messy with steam traction (which, of course, Lillie Bridge, did have at this era).

[L49]

I have read somewhere that transfers between Queens Park and Lillie Bridge were often made with a pair of battery locos over the West London line to Willesden Junction and straight onto the Bakerloo. It makes sense when the WLR was still 4 rail electrified, but whether it continued after the conductor rails were lifted I don't know. I only found this out after we decided against building a West London Line layout, which was a shame, as it would have made an interesting working to model!

[kevblokey]

Sorry, don't know if anyone is still interested to know the track plan at Croxley Tip, but the attached is from the OS Map from about the 1950s...

 

Hope this helps.

 

Kev (better late then never)

 

 

[Duchy Wheeler]

kevblokey

This is very useful for modellers and note that it's from the 50s.  I've many photographs taken at this location before and after the demise of steam which I will now be able to pinpoint.  Bearing in mind that due to the nature of the site, the track layout would have probably changed a little over the remaining years of used. Now I just need to find out how to scan a photo so the image fills the screen, will then be able to post them here, any tips please!  

[Nearholmer]

Be interesting to know the survey date for that OS map! and to relate it to the four-tracking date. K

 

Edit: found a photo showing the junction layout as on the map, being created, in 1950. The previous layout was a much more typical one, on the East side of the formation, and this new layout clearly created space for extra tracks, so it looks to me as if the preparations for four-tracking were spread over many years leading up to 1962.

[kevblokey]

Be interesting to know the survey date for that OS map! and to relate it to the four-tracking date. K

 

Edit: found a photo showing the junction layout as on the map, being created, in 1950. The previous layout was a much more typical one, on the East side of the formation, and this new layout clearly created space for extra tracks, so it looks to me as if the preparations for four-tracking were spread over many years leading up to 1962.

Not much help, but it was taken from the London/TQ 1947-64 period

[The_Laird]

I've just found a very early (1921) view of the of start of the gravel workings branch. Being 1921, it is prior to the electrification of the Met line to Rickmansworth and prior, also, to the construction of the Watford branch.

 

As can be seen, the connection at that time was made from the up mainline via reverse exchange sidings. The connection from the down line is made via a reverse crossover.

 

Not the most straightforward of arrangements, perhaps, and all controlled by a signal box sited just North of the bridge over the Grand Union Canal. I think this box was resited North (next to the the sub-station) when the Watford branch was constructed.

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw006297?search=batchworth&ref=2

 

I think that I may have arrived at a purpose for the rather rough and ready narrow gauge railway pictured near to Croxley Hall Farm, adjacent to the Met mainline. The dry gravel workings at Long Valley Woods (Croxley Tip) were worked out by about 1934 and the Rickmansworth Sand & Gravel Co moved its activities down the Colne Valley. A series of new wet pits were opened south of Croxley Hall Farm (now existing as small lakes) straddling the LMR branch to Rickmansworth. I believe that the narrow gauge line might well have been connected with these newer workings. However, the reason for the NG running up and parallel to the Met line would most probably be for the purposes of transshipment onto the main line. For this to be feasible, there would need to be an exchange siding(s) of some sort. Of this I can find no evidence.