I never knew this was here (Angerstein Wharf foot x-ing)

[Metr0Land]

[Dava]

Interesting video. There is quite a lot of history to the branch & wharf as you suggest:

https://greenwichpeninsulahistory.wordpress.com/angerstein-wharf/angerstein-railway/

 

I recall an article in Railway Magazine back in the early 1970s [-1973?] There was apparently a Planet diesel at the wharf.

 

Dava

Edited April 19, 2018 by Dava

[SED Freightman]

Interesting video. There is quite a lot of history to the branch & wharf as you suggest:

https://greenwichpeninsulahistory.wordpress.com/angerstein-wharf/angerstein-railway/

 

I recall an article in Railway Magazine beak in the early 1970s [-1973?] There was apparently a Planet diesel at the wharf.

 

Dava

 

Not sure if it was the same one but Thames Metal had a private loco in their yard at Angerstein Wharf, one weekend in the early 1980's some locals took it for a trip up the branch along with a couple of their internal user wagons.  When the reason for a track circuit showing occupied at Angerstein Junction was investigated, the loco was found, derailed, on the trap points at the end of the branch, fortunately not fouling the main line.  After the loco and stock were recovered and returned to Thames Metal's yard a section of track was removed from their sidings effectively trapping the loco and preventing a recurrence.

[009 micro modeller]

Sounds interesting. Presumably the loco only worked internal wagons otherwise there would surely be issues with disconnecting it from the main line?

[SED Freightman]

Sounds interesting. Presumably the loco only worked internal wagons otherwise there would surely be issues with disconnecting it from the main line?

I think main line rail traffic had finished by that time so removal of some rail was the easy option to prevent any further joyriding.

[unravelled]

I've visited the crossing  a few times, but never been lucky enough to see a train there. The contrast between the simple rail crossing and the footbridge across the tunnel approach dual carriageway is interesting.I always think that someone did well to get that house with a bigger upstairs room, (unless it's the ground floor which is smaller...).

 

 

This is the river end of the branch, with a couple of wagons.

 

 

And this is the junction with the main line

 

 

Dave

[Southernman46]

I've visited the crossing  a few times, but never been lucky enough to see a train there. The contrast between the simple rail crossing and the footbridge across the tunnel approach dual carriageway is interesting.I always think that someone did well to get that house with a bigger upstairs room, (unless it's the ground floor which is smaller...).

 

RIMG0262.JPG

 

It didn't look like that when I looked after it - Jesus !!!

 

My war story ................. one dark night in 1999 a light 60 derailed on the point where the branch splits into the siding fan - usual thing - lack of checking and the loco decided to take the middle way instead of L or R and ended up derailed on one bogie ................ so following the arrival of EWS's re-railing crew from Brighton (who recently had done a sterling job of re-railing the EMU's involved in the South Bermondsey collision) .............. we scratched our heads - agreed - moved some "ballast" into place - started the loco - controller into R and 30 seconds later - loco re-railed ................ marvellous .............. no harm done - minimal track damage, easily rectified ........... point blades & mechanism tested OK .............. job done no fuss , no mess 

 

Oh, all that and a constant battle with the IMC (those were the days - funny how the railway bizarrely seems crappier now under NR - we thought it was bad enough back then) trying to get them to put the right sort of bullhead check rail keys into the track on the curve ............

[Joseph_Pestell]

A friend of mine who used to work on the railway (many years ago now) liked working at AW. Never bothered by management there.

[SED Freightman]

A friend of mine who used to work on the railway (many years ago now) liked working at AW. Never bothered by management there.

 

I think some of the HG crew's found the Angerstein Hotel to be a pleasant PNB point when working at Angerstein Wharf many years ago. I also remember one of the shunting staff having a very large alsatian, which was a little off putting as you had to step over it to enter the shunters lobby.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Does anyone know if there are any traces of the tramway wiring remaining?

 

Mike.

[Mark Saunders]

Not sure if it was the same one but Thames Metal had a private loco in their yard at Angerstein Wharf, one weekend in the early 1980's some locals took it for a trip up the branch along with a couple of their internal user wagons.  When the reason for a track circuit showing occupied at Angerstein Junction was investigated, the loco was found, derailed, on the trap points at the end of the branch, fortunately not fouling the main line.  After the loco and stock were recovered and returned to Thames Metal's yard a section of track was removed from their sidings effectively trapping the loco and preventing a recurrence.

Did anyone ever photograph the internal user wagons there as I believe they had some of the ex BSC Corby tipplers there?

 

Mark Saunders

[96701]

It didn't look like that when I looked after it - Jesus !!!

 

My war story ................. one dark night in 1999 a light 60 derailed on the point where the branch splits into the siding fan - usual thing - lack of checking and the loco decided to take the middle way instead of L or R and ended up derailed on one bogie ................ so following the arrival of EWS's re-railing crew from Brighton (who recently had done a sterling job of re-railing the EMU's involved in the South Bermondsey collision) .............. we scratched our heads - agreed - moved some "ballast" into place - started the loco - controller into R and 30 seconds later - loco re-railed ................ marvellous .............. no harm done - minimal track damage, easily rectified ........... point blades & mechanism tested OK .............. job done no fuss , no mess 

 

Oh, all that and a constant battle with the IMC (those were the days - funny how the railway bizarrely seems crappier now under NR - we thought it was bad enough back then) trying to get them to put the right sort of bullhead check rail keys into the track on the curve ............

I always thought that during and after the privatisation process that the railways ran despite the will of the management.

[Southernman46]

Does anyone know if there are any traces of the tramway wiring remaining?

 

Mike.

ISTR some of the concrete mast bases with mast burnt off at ground level were still there - might be thinking of Hoo Jn or Ashford though - although there are still masts at both those sites

[Fat Controller]

For some insight into operation of the Angerstein Wharf branch, it's worth having a look at 'Beyond the Crumbling Edge', by Stephen Poole, who was Area Freight Assistant for North Kent and the Medway Valley in the early 1980s.

The junction with the main line has been the location for a couple of derailments in recent years.

Edited April 21, 2018 by Fat Controller

[009 micro modeller]

ISTR some of the concrete mast bases with mast burnt off at ground level were still there - might be thinking of Hoo Jn or Ashford though - although there are still masts at both those sites

A little off topic but if looking to represent Southern DC overhead would you use products intended for tramway modelling or was it different?

[Enterprisingwestern]

A little off topic but if looking to represent Southern DC overhead would you use products intended for tramway modelling or was it different?

Looking at pictures it seems to be more towards the tramway lightweight end of the spectrum.

 

Mike.

[TheQ]

Oops wrong thread

Edited April 29, 2018 by TheQ