LULFAN

Just found this thread - Sublime modelling!

Love the cable bridge (if only someone would produce a kit) can I ask how did you make it ??

The coal trains were also mentioned here

http://www.trainweb.org/districtdave/html/stories_from_q8.html

Second story down the page

"Freight and Coal Workings on the District"

A fascinating read

I'm sure I've seen a photograph with that on it but needless to say I can't remember where.

Does this help?

http://www.signalbox.org/gallery/e/leyton.php

Not quite right Brian, the mercury tubes here were at East Finchley and cut power to signals so they all 'failed' safe to red with train stops raised. You couldnt stop even an electric train by turning off traction current as drivers were taught to coast to the next station if power was lost. Below is from London's Underground by H F Howson. Of course BR  locos were meant to have trip cocks fitted to work over LT, and there were trip cock testers at the various entry points to ensure it was down and to gauge. However, I've read a number of accounts from steam loco crew that it was often left isolated and non operative, oweing to the difficulty for firemen of going onto the track to reset it inside tunnels. Of course, drivers of LT trains were provided with a trip reset cord which came right up near the front door. Still in practise the red signals should suffice with two men in the cab!

mercury.jpg

Does anyone know what was done at Leytonstone eastbound if anything to stop goods trains being sent down the tunnel to Wansted?

The DMUs that worked early morning services to Epping weren't just staff trains (although it is possible that the first departure each way was). I remember crossing the high-level walkway at Liverpool Street Station en route to Walthamstow Central to catch the very first Victoria Line train back in 1968 and there was a DMU sitting in one of the platforms with EPPING on both its blind and on the station departure indicator, so it was very definitely available for public use throughout.

 

LT staff trains weren't even available to LT staff unless one was in possession of a special Staff Train Permit rather than just the usual "sticky" or Staff Pass, in general they ran just before and just after the public service on each line.

come 1974+ a "special Staff Train Permit" was not need to travel on a staff train just the staff pass if not in uniform , just as well the Hainalt > Leytonstone staff train saved me a fortune in taxi fares after seeing my G/F back home after a night out

This is a subject I'd like to know more about, as far as the eastern end of the Central Line is concerned.

 

I remember being informed that there was a connection from Temple Mills at Leyton which allowed BR locos to run on LUL tracks.  Until steam finished, I undersatnd that there was a daily pick-up goods hauled by a J15 that ran at least as far as Loughton (where I have a photograph given to me of a J15 in the goods yard/site of original terminus station - 65453 on 10/06/1961).  Apparently I was fascinated by seeing a steam loco at Woodford - but if true, I would have been a baby and sadly have no recollection.

 

The reference to diesels on the branch is fascinating.  I was unaware that such services existed after dieselisation, but remember being intrigued, when having placed an order for something at a record shop in Woodford Bridge, they said they would receive it delivered as freight to Woodford station (that would be the late 'sixties).

 

[edit]

 

I see from the Middleton Press book ("Branch Line to Ongar") that use of the Seven Kings-Newbury Park "chord" ceased on 19th March 1956 and goods traffic on the whole of the Central Line (Ongar and Fairlop) finished on 18th April 1966 (slightly earlier than I thought). (This suggests an earlier date for the picture in David Clough's book - the BTH type 1 [class 15] being the regular motive power). The connection at Leyton closed in May 1971.

 

Intriguingly, the MP book also speaks of excursion trains and "regular early morning" British Railways passenger trains to and from Liverpool Street and Stratford using the Leyton link until their withdrawal on 31st May 1970 (when they were being worked by DMUs). I wasn't aware of such trains and again would be interested in further details or to know whether photographs exist.

 

The last use of steam appears to be J15 65476 working the LCGB "Great Eastern Suburban Railtour No. 2" to Ongar on 28th April 1962 (the same.locomotive having worked the same section of the "No 1" tour three weeks previously.

In a early edition of London railway record I think there is a pic of a DMU at woodford, and in a On-line LT video there is a short clip of a steam loco again at woodford

I was born in Leytonstone in 1956 and I do remember being taken to the Grove Green Rd side of the LT station (the 236 bus stop side) to be shown an afternoon steam goods running up from Leyton.

I do remember the posters at Leytonstone about the ending of the early morning DMU service to Liverpool Street B.R

The 60's Underground guides do show the DMU service (passengers must be in possession of tickets) and BR timetables show the DMU's as starting at stratford no mention of coming from  the LT branch.

Somewhere on the net is a website about signal boxes and the Leyton box has a mention, it also talks about the eastbound platform at Leyton used as a heatshunt for Leyton goods/ coal dept and all LT trains to and from London using the westbound platform while shunting took place

I guess the 2 long loops tween Leyton and Leytonstone were used to hold goods trains till a path was free

A guy I used to know was a bit older than me and he remembered getting a train from South Woodford to somewhere like Ramsgate on a summer Sunday

The train ran down to LP Street BR reversed and ran over the ELL and over the southern 

The whole subject of goods over LT tracks  would make a great book

Hi Alex

 

Only just come across your site.

 

Not really late 60s, but I well remember back in the early 60s going to evening classes and returning from Euston Square to Kings Cross St Pancras at about 8:00pm (only one station -- lazy s*d wasn't I).

 

But the real reason was to hope to see the early evening steam freights running from Paddington to Smithfield Meat Market -- which ceased when the market closed down for redevelopment.

 

The pannier tank would be heading probably 8/10 vans and brake, all BR to Smithfield. Sometimes I would see empties returning to Paddington. I would often miss my train waiting to see them. It has been said that the panniers had condensing equipment, but I don't recall this. A note I read elsewhere stated that the panniers were fitted with cab curtains to reduce smoke and fumes!

 

It was of course great fun to watch and to remember.

 

Patrick

Great memory's for you if only you had had a camera !!

What a good idea close a rail head into a market, turn it into a car park and send all the goods into it by road - we never learn

Hi

I am others will be able to tell you more but

Leyton to Ongar - Newbary Park central

Acton to west Kensington/ High street ken district

East finchley to High barnet / Edgware northern

rayners lane to harrow gas works piccadilly

until 1969/70 the district from bow junc to upminster was br owned and was classed as slow lines so I guess goods ran over the tracks

most ex br stations had goods /coal yards

coal usage fell away after clean air act came in in around 1964

I would love it it someone would write a book about goods on LT tracks

Hi

"have a footbridge at the opposite end to the barriers"

I think it is what is left of the passenger connection to the old Hammersmith Grove Road Station that closed well before WW2

You can see the remains of the track bed to grove road as you enter Hamersmith Pic/District station from the west

Hope this helps

I am sure someone else will know a lot more

According to comments on the Heljan facebook page it's expected October/November.

Now that looks nice very very nice

If it comes out in 50's livery I wonder if SWMBO will be buying one for me for xmas?

I must make sure she gets to see the pic !!

Talking of steam on the met this is a bit of fun

The picture is from a 1958 timetable and shows the first train of the day as steam

BR ran early trains on the eastern side of the central line right up to 1970

Hi

Re your MET BoBo model

Just one word... WOW

Hi

"The plastic piping is attached to the body and not the loco chassis"

Sadly not so on ours

The piping is attached to steps and the steps were glued to the chassis of the loco

I will be taking a pic later and will post it here

However I look at it this is a terrible loco to fit a chip to and not a good one to give away in a promotion that will attract newcomers to the hobby

"Some locos can be pigs to get into."

yes that is true but it does little to encourage newbies to the hobby and it was very likely that a number of new subs to the mag who got the loco were young (and old) that got there 1st train set for xmas 2012

I am sure the mag could have chosen a better loco to give away

Even a member of mag staff at the show stand was giving out wrong advice as to how the chip was to be fitted

Hi

Thanks for the instructions. The plastic piping under the loco doesn't want to move on mine. I've just sent a complaint to the editor of the magazine about the poor choice of loco for the free offer

It's really an appalling model to introduce folk to fitting chips. I can imagine it putting some off for life

Terrific

this hobby needs to gain more followers, not have them put off

Hi

You are a star sir ! !

Many thanks

I am getting better at chip fitting I just did a chip into a Derby Lightweight this afternoon without snapping things off the model

Well I had a go but it is not easy

I got the body loose but it will not come off as there is a load of pipes on the right hand side under the cab joining the body to the chassis so I have out it to one side till I see your guide

I do wonder why Bachmann and others

1) do not include a clear instuction sheet with each model showing how to fit the DCC chips

and

2) why they make it so hard to fit the chips

e.g when I did my Bachmann LT tank loco there was no way a standard size or smaller chip would fit using the socket. I fitted my chip only when I had removed all the socket and it's PCB and attached the chip direct. I solder fine cable for a living so I am OK doing that but for others that is not a nice job and if new to the hobby it could put them off for life (rant over)

Hi

Thanks for that really useful

Hi

you are very kind

Many thanks

Hi All

we went to the Doncaster Model Railway Exhibition on Saturday and took out a 2 year sub for the BRM magazine. We got a free Bachmann 32-952z STANDARD CLASS 4MT 2-6-0 loco

Whilst there, I had a good look at it, the box says DCC ready, 8 pin chip but it had no fitting instructions. I took it back to the BRM stand, the rep said 'Ooh, sorry, the instructions should be in there'. he took another from stock but that had no instructions either

So, can anybody tell me how to take the body off to fit the chip ?

There seems to be a screw at the very front but that's got the 2 front swivel wheels covering it, and there's a screw at the back but there's a plastic bar that runs from front to back that covers tha5t screw also

As ever, many thanks in advance for any help anyone can give

It  just seems that way but if you really want to know a separate thread is indicated rather than clogging up this one?

 

Best, Pete.

My mistake... sorry if I upset you posting

Hi

fantastic layout well done to all who are buiding it

It is so nice to see a layout set in an urban setting, so many layouts seem to be of sleepy country branch lines

It is also good to see a layout that is not GWR as so many seem to be

Lyn and I often wonder what it is about the GWR that modelers like so much

Any ideas folks?

Is there a youtube video planned of Harford Street I wonder