Magical Mystery Tour (or London in the Dark)

[Alex TM]

Hi everyone,

 

I am hoping someone may be able to enlighten me as to the route a diverted sleeper service may have taken one winter night late in 2007.  My wife and I were booked onto the Euston-Edinburgh service however, for a variety of reasons, we were diverted from the WCML to ECML via north London.  All I can be absolutely sure of is that we travelled from Euston to Wembley Yard (hauled by a 'royal' 67) where we waited before heading in 'reverse' across the north of the capital, passing the new Arsenal ground en-route.

 

The highlight of the journey was waking up in Darlington, in the snow, to see two other sleeper sets alongside.

 

Any suggestions as to the likely route will be appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[roythebus]

Simples, reverse at Wembley, loco on the other end, then via the North London Line and the GOBLIN, going left at Gospel Oak, then taking the Haringey spur to join the ECML at Ferme Park.

[Fat Controller]

Surely it would be a simple reversal at Wembley, then take the NLL, before heading down the North London incline, just north of KX. I'd suggest Roy's route might have been used if the NLL and incline were unavailable due to the works in connection with CTRL, but would have had to use a diesel from Wembley, as the T&H electrification doesn't extend to the connection with the ECML.

[roythebus]

Yes, quite agree; I wasn't sure of the extent of the electrification at the time, so maybe another loco change at FP? (Finsbury Park or Ferme Park )

 

Was the T&H cleared for Mk3 stock? And the OP mentioned passing the new Arsenal ground, so it must have gone via the NLL. Silly me...

Edited January 28, 2016 by roythebus

[Alex TM]

Hi again,

 

Thanks you gentlemen, for your help,

 

I can also confirm that there was no loco change, other than to drop the 67 at Wembley; it had dragged the sleeper set, and class 90, from Euston.  Once under way from the Yard it was electric all the way.

 

Part of the reason for the question was that I have bought some of the Quail map books and begun to trace some of the journeys I have undertaken; this was the only one where there was a gap that I couldn't figure out for myself.

 

Again, many thanks for your time and knowledge.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[roythebus]

So presumably the 90 was on the back of the train at Euston?

[Oldddudders]

Can someone kindly remind me the name of the lines that this train would have taken from Wembley, passing parallel to Willesden Junction platforms to gain the NLL? I think they were electrified this century. I want to say City Lines, but am not sure.

[The Stationmaster]

Can someone kindly remind me the name of the lines that this train would have taken from Wembley, passing parallel to Willesden Junction platforms to gain the NLL? I think they were electrified this century. I want to say City Lines, but am not sure.

Ian, judging by Quail I think they could only do the reversal on either of the Up & Down Goods Lines.  (they could go towards the former (?) Royal Mail depot but I suspect that wouldn't be on for various reasons).

[Mike Storey]

Can someone kindly remind me the name of the lines that this train would have taken from Wembley, passing parallel to Willesden Junction platforms to gain the NLL? I think they were electrified this century. I want to say City Lines, but am not sure.

 

Up and Down City lines now Ian (they used to be called Up and Down Goods years ago - the original goods station was on the north side of this link). I got involved in this patch as part of the platform lengthening works for the new Overground trains prior to the 2012 Games. (and consequent new high level junction and turnback layout at Willesden).

 

Edit - I can't recall for sure when the city lines between Willesden HL and the WCML were electrified. It was not part of our work, in 2008-10, apart from the new layout changes, when it had already been done.

Edited January 30, 2016 by Mike Storey

[Grovenor]

Up and Down City lines now Ian (they used to be called Up and Down Goods years ago - the original goods station was on the north side of this link). I got involved in this patch as part of the platform lengthening works for the new Overground trains prior to the 2012 Games. (and consequent new high level junction and turnback layout at Willesden).

 

Edit - I can't recall for sure when the city lines between Willesden HL and the WCML were electrified. It was not part of our work, in 2008-10, apart from the new layout changes, when it had already been done.

They were the Up and Down City lines by 1963, see http://www.norgrove.me.uk/signalling/plans/Willesden-b.gif

Regards

[D854_Tiger]

Hi everyone,

 

I am hoping someone may be able to enlighten me as to the route a diverted sleeper service may have taken one winter night late in 2007.  My wife and I were booked onto the Euston-Edinburgh service however, for a variety of reasons, we were diverted from the WCML to ECML via north London.  All I can be absolutely sure of is that we travelled from Euston to Wembley Yard (hauled by a 'royal' 67) where we waited before heading in 'reverse' across the north of the capital, passing the new Arsenal ground en-route.

 

The highlight of the journey was waking up in Darlington, in the snow, to see two other sleeper sets alongside.

 

Any suggestions as to the likely route will be appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

 

 

 

This clip was taken last summer but if you passed the Arsenal ground it's highly likely you went the same way.

[Oldddudders]

Thanks to all for the confirmation. Silverlink's Track Access manager and I stood on Willesden Junction about 1999 and he commented then that they were petitioning Railtrack to have those lines juiced. Some things do come to pass!

[Fat Controller]

 

This clip was taken last summer but if you passed the Arsenal ground it's highly likely you went the same way.

Fascinating seeing how the train threads its way through North London. Thanks for posting that.

[jamie92208]

That's a fascinating video. I did a similar journey in 1996 on the short lived HST service from Waterloo that connected with Eurostar. However we reversed in the south west sidings (or something similar) at Willesden Junction then ran south down the WCML and turned left at Camden before running up to the NLL. Is the Wembley reverse an easier way to work than that one.

 

Jamie

[D854_Tiger]

That's a fascinating video. I did a similar journey in 1996 on the short lived HST service from Waterloo that connected with Eurostar. However we reversed in the south west sidings (or something similar) at Willesden Junction then ran south down the WCML and turned left at Camden before running up to the NLL. Is the Wembley reverse an easier way to work than that one.

 

Jamie

 

Here's a memory tester, I did the North London line in the first class of a Turbostar, Anglia trains service from Basingstoke to Colchester, which made one scheduled stop at West Hampstead (I believe), in front of a platform full of confused looking passengers.

 

They ran several such services a day, for a while, but it wasn't a great success, my Saturday service was near empty but it didn't half shift up the GE line, most impressive and the first class had to be one of the best equipped ever in a DMU (or even loco hauled come to that).

[Glorious NSE]

Ref the OP, you could potentially have also gone back towards Euston then via Primrose Hill to Camden Rd and the NLL incline, that route is also all wired...

[Alex TM]

Hi again,

 

Thanks for all the additional comments and information.

 

The video is really interesting, especially as it's shot in the light.

 

As for the question from roythebus (post 6), you are quite correct - the 90 was at the back of the train leaving Euston.

 

Again, many thanks.

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[wn 1A]

The Line from Harlesden Junction to Kensal Green Junction was originally called 'City Goods Line' it's claim to fame is that the short section just north of Station Road road bridge to Kensal Green Junction was the bit of track Railtrack electrified.   

[Trog]

I worked for the local Area Civil Engineers office and they were always the City Goods lines to us.