anroar53

Yes, it appears to be the old Euston Departure side Platforms 14 & 15. The line 10202 is standing on was a centre siding between platforms 13 & 14 which for some reason was named 'Road No.2. Andy.

After most of the coastway services were cut back to Hastings when Ore shed closed, there were a couple of late evening Charings Cross services that were scheduled to continue to Ore at 2222 and 2322 (As mentioned in an earlier post there were several early morning and evening peak hour workings to/from Ore that served Cannon Street/Charing Cross). The two late evening services both ran empty back from Ore, one going to West Marina Depot, and the other berthing in Platform 1 at Hastings for working ECS up to Ore the next morning. It became the custom for the Guard to check the train if anyone required Ore before arriving at Hastings, and should there be no-one aboard for Ore the train would end its journey at Hastings, from my own recollection the late trains terminated at Hastings more often than they continued to Ore. After Ore shed closed some of the South Eastern and Central ECS services combined at Hastings to run out to West Marina (Typically the last Charing Cross (8 car) combined with the last Victoria (4 Car). During the early hours a 12 car would be sent in from West Marina to berth in platform 4 at Hastings and would split for the 0509 Haywards Heath (4 Car) and the 0524 Charing Cross (8 car). A few old pictures of mine showing the CEPs at West Marina below.

Only other picture I have found. https://www.flickr.com/photos/busmadben/28589647492/in/photolist-H9YWNs-H9YYFL-vie49M-H9YVCS-H9YXnJ-WhbyJ4-S6hZdb-QQG4ty-23R9xZr-zGFwAM-XbSS8F-ci2hKy-HYSG5b-JJ7Zdc-wec2Zz-RW4rLk-9VEVBk-dZYPfR-26BjFNx-7yZR2E-a6bZvB-22tw8t3-9VEZq4-a5MWLx-ddscZU-6K6VCe-a5S1y3-a5SeTJ-a5QMVW-wTrFms-SefWCN-a5QH1Y-bKGoRk-bWrKV-6KmCMo-g2ND6v-byf7Fs-Kynq9L-R8M147-prjYid-QyJ2E9-yMSGxs-aqgAmy-FzpHkS-EGs7za-9VEVBz-8ob3gz-xahudG-W8YJJW-dk49Gi

Having just looked it up it appears the magazine does still exist, but whether the article is there or not it doesn't say. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motor-magazine-featuring-Austin-Westminster/dp/B015FFL21K

There is a brief mention in the book 'Riddles and the 9Fs', when 92023 was spotted hauling 14 coaches northbound on the GSW route beyond Dumfries. A picture appearing in the magazine 'The Motor' issued on the 14th December 1955. It was about a demonstration run of an Alvis car between Coventry and Glasgow. On the A76 north of Dumfries the car began to overtake the train. The Driver and Fireman on the train spotted the car and were waving them on, the car's speedometer going into the 80s to pass the train. The passenger in the car took a picture of the locomotive revealing it to be 92023. Would be interesting to know if the picture published still survives? Andy.

1S61 0820 Bristol to Glasgow.

Unfortunately the dates that were on the back of my photos have faded, and I can only make a guess sometime around 1987-89. The 37s were very short lived, being replaced by 47s after only a few weeks. However the odd 73 still turned up from time to time. Andy.

Although the Power station siding at Ore remained 'operational' for quite some time in the 80s the last block load arrival was sometime in 1979, headed by a pair of 33s. The Wagon book was kept in the Chargemans cubby hole at the back of the Ticket Office and I can remember looking through it, although the details have faded from my mind over time. Andy.

The Brighton - St. Leonards Freight was mostly for traffic to/from St. Leonards West Marina Depot. It conveyed Diesel Fuel for the DEMU fleet which was discharged into Storage Tanks alongside the Cleaning Shed for the Fuel Point. It was sometimes possible to see a pair of DEMU Power Cars shunting the empty Fuel Tankers and Stores Vans before the Freight arrived. The train also conveyed the ZRA (Also were vacuum piped) Engine carriers as required bringing overhauled DEMU Diesel Engines from Eastleigh which were changed over at St. Leonards, with the old Power Units being returned to Eastleigh for attention. The wagons had metal hoods which enclosed the Power Units. Although Box Vans would turn up occasionally with various Stores for the Depot it became more usual for the Stores to arrive in 4 wheel long wheelbase vans of the PMV type. There were also several Mark 1 CCTs used as well, which were painted in Olive drab livery. Galley Hill tended to have its own block workings, a couple of photos when a class 37 was used for a while. Andy.

Another selection of pictures from the past two months of running the layout. Up and Down Expresses pass at Watford Junction In the DC Lines at Watford Junction a line up of trains wait their turn to depart. Racing alongside the Grand Union Canal at Linslade, Southbound Express overtakes a Freightliner working. Looking north towards Harrow. Freights pass on the Slow Lines as a southbound 501 scoots along on its way to Euston. HS4000 heading north on an empty MGR working. The Kings Cross to Tring Cement empties heads through Watford. Cement workings pass at Harrow & Wealdstone Off the beaten track, a Hastings DEMU heads for home on the Up Slow Line at Harrow. Northbound through Watford Junction. The Research Departments Tribometer Train heads south at Linslade. A Railtour produces a pair of Hymeks heading north through Watford on the Down Slow Line. A northbound Parcels for Curzon Street passes the Depot at Watford. Beast from the East turns up on a diversion at Watford. A Derby Lightweight DMU waits in Platform 11 at the Junction with the next service for St. Albans Abbey. A Bletchley to Euston 310 is overtaken by an Express at Linslade. Turning the clock back to the 1960s and what things used to be. The 1938 Tube set is a timeless link between the periods. A green liveried 47 hauling a train of Bogie Hoppers south of Harrow. The Stanmore Branch train arrives in Harrow's No. 7 Platform. The Tring Cutting to Kings Cross Cement alongside the Grand Union Canal at Linslade. From above the tunnels at Linslade looking north. Southbound overnighter with 14 on about to enter the Tunnel at Linslade. The Widnes to North Wembley BOC tankers pass Linslade. Early Electric Blue 86 on a southbound working at Linslade with a uniform West Coast formation of 12 coaches. An 84 on a class 1 working disturbs the tranquillity at Linslade. To the south of Watford Junction a flurry of activity. All in one direction. The Stanmore Village DMU is paced by a Northampton to Euston 310. While a Euston Express is about to sweep past them all as a 501 sets off with a stopper to Euston. A Class 40 turns up on a passenger working for Euston passing the Spotters at the Junction. The busy Forecourt at Watford. Plenty of buses. Northbound through Linslade. Near Headstone Lane. Southbound by the Canal. North end at the Junction with the Cement empties blasting through on the Down Slow Line. Once in a while the Steam Fleet makes a comeback. Nearing Watford northbound. When things get busy, Ralph, the Cat Controller, lends a paw.

The entrance to Kentish Town 14B is still off Sanderson Close. If you look from street view on Google Earth you can still see that most of the original front and side walls have been retained where the three sheds were, although there has been some alterations to the roof, with what used to be number three shed having been altered the most. I remember the shed quite well from when my father worked there, and going down there when he picked up his wages, and having a clamber into the cabs of whatever happened to be on shed at the time. The Road Motors division, where my grandfather worked, was also located here, although that part of the site appears to have been removed at some stage. Although taken a few years ago this bit of video at 0.50 shows the back of what was no. 3 shed with the modified roof section (video is a bit blurred I'm afraid). Andy.

Re-creating summertime walks by the Grand Union canal in the 1970s Busy time to the south of Harrow. A 25 slows for the Yard on the Trip Freight from Stanmore Village. A 1938 Tube set emerges from the High Street Loop as it arrives at Watford Junction. This set contains experimental 'sunshine' car no. 10306. As a 25 couples up to a failed electric in the Up Fast platform another Express comes round it on the Up Slow Line, and is signalled to cross back to the Up Fast Line. if you were fortunate (or unfortunate) to be at Watford Junction on the morning of 27th January 1977, your commute into Euston might have produced this. After an overnight derailment of a Freightliner working in Tring Cutting had trapped all but three EMU sets on the north side of the blockage. To supplement the remaining EMUs on a shuttle service from Hemel Hempstead other sets were pressed into service. This stock had arrived on 1A00 2045 Barrow to Euston, much delayed having been diverted to Birmingham New Street, then diesel hauled via Warwick, High Wycombe, the Greenford Loop, and Willesden. After the sleeping cars had been shunted off the remaining stock (including the TPO, locked out of use) formed the 0725 Euston to Hemel Hempstead, and the return trip to Euston. 27.01.77. The improvised service sets off for Euston from Watford. The two Full Brakes at the front contained many standing passengers that morning. This set was retired to Willesden after just one trip, as other loco hauled sets had by now been put into service from the Downside Shed at Euston, some even having the Buffet Cars staffed and open ! South of Harrow. It was surprising just how many freights were diesel hauled 'under the wires'. A pair of DMUs head south on the Up Slow Line. There was a daily DMU working into Euston in the 1970s. The 0100 Watford - Euston, and the 0149 Euston - Watford Staff train was a scheduled DMU service. Normally one of the Cravens 105 off the St. Albans Abbey workings. The 0013 Euston - Bletchley on Sunday mornings was also a booked DMU working, which could produce a wide variety of sets, whatever Bletchley had on hand usually. One morning I rode home on a recently refurbished Marylebone 115 which had just been outshopped in Blue/Grey Livery. A Metropolitan A60 arrives at the Junction on a service from Baker Street via the Croxley link. A Euston bound 501 disappears round the High Street loop. Southbound Liverpool Pullman passes a northbound parcels working for Rugby via Northampton. A Toton - Willesden freight crosses the Colne Viaduct hauled by a 45 plus Brake Tender. The Widnes - North Wembley BOC Tankers cross the Colne Viaduct south of Watford. South of Harrow. The North Wembley BOC Tankers pass a Rugby Class 6 Parcels working. The Halewood - Dagenham coasts through Harrow on the Up Slow Line. The Halewood - Dagenham crosses the Colne Viaduct. A Northampton to Euston 310 crosses the Colne. A Bletchley - Euston 310 calls at Platform 6 at Harrow & Wealdstone. An 84 on a class 1 working for Euston hurries through on the Up Fast Line as a 1972 Tube set arrives in Platform 1 on the 'New Lines'. Full House of Tube stock at the Junction. 'Out in the sticks' near Linslade. Passing Express services, with a northbound freight creeping into shot.

This is probably not much help as it is 'yonks' old and the track layout must've changed by now. Finished scanning Euston - Carlisle map a few months ago, so here goes. Andy.

Just because you can run 11 car loco hauled trains in the garden does not mean you should I think you are forgetting the 'fun' element. That it certainly was, and very rewarding. I now run even longer trains but back indoors.

February 2009 St. Leonards. December 2009. Willesden. Hastings DEMU between trips to and from Olympia, plus passing Royal mail Unit 325013. December 2010 Hastings DEMU 1001 berthed at Beckenham Junction this time, between working its annual trip to and from Olympia.

A pleasant coastal walk of 3 to 4 miles (one way) from West St. Leonards (Hastings) to Bexhill runs alongside the Coastway East line for a good distance. Passes the South Eastern Depot at West Marina, and the home of Hastings Diesels. The adjacent Depot can be busy at times with various locos coming and going (mostly weekdays 1200-1600, although Monday and Friday used to be the busiest). Parking at each end is relatively easy, and if you only fancy doing the walk one way there is a fairly frequent bus service along the A259. If you travel by train along the coast route you can alight at Bexhill, or St. Leonards Warrior Square at the other (Warrior Square will add a mile or so to your walk along the seafront as West St. Leonards is only served by the South Eastern route towards Tonbridge). Andy.

It's been a while since my last entry. Things have been busy. The layout has now appeared in last October's edition of Model Rail, and the two-parter in the N Gauge Journal has just finished. However, the layout looks set to be appearing in Hornby magazine later next year. In the meantime the layout has been up and running, and I have some more photos to share for those that are interested. So here we go. Harrow & Wealdstone. two 304s pass on the Slow Lines, while a Cravens 105 DMU sits in platform 7 with the signal cleared for another trip to Stanmore Village. An unusual view as this is looking from the back of the layout to the front. Harrow Shunting Frame can't be seen normally as it is hidden by the Goods Shed. This view is looking north. At the south end of Harrow. The Liverpool Pullman heads south on the last lap to Euston. 1A20 0812 Manchester to Euston slows to a stop at Watford to 'Set Down Only'. Empty Cement working heading north for Tring Cutting. A southbound Express passes while a 1959 and 1972 Tube set pass in the background. Previous picture from a different viewpoint. A Derby Lightweight Single car DMU is on the Stanmore Branch working, having been borrowed from Bletchley. 1A88 'Bletchley Mails' hurries through Watford on the Up Slow Line. A Cravens 105 DMU sits in platform 10 waiting to leave with a St. Albans Abbey working. The North Wembley 'BOC' Tankers pass the depot at Watford. A class 40 on some loaded Hoppers near Linslade fails to disturb the swans on the Canal. A Halewood - Dagenham working heads south through Watford as the Manchester Pullman heads northwards. The Manchester Pullman overtakes a 310 at Harrow. Rush Hour at Harrow. Two 310s pass on the Slow Lines, as two 1938 Tube sets pass on the DC Lines. A northbound Express passes through the middle. The St. Albans Abbey DMU waits to set off from platform 10 while a southbound Freightliner passes two 25s on a lengthy empty wagon working. A class 115 DMU makes an unexpected appearance at the Junction, almost as unexpected as the Cravens DPU in platform 11. Southbound 'Flasks' on the Up Slow Line at Harrow. Southbound Class 8 Freight overtaken by a Euston bound Express. 1Z16 passing Watford. 1M16 (from Inverness and Fort William) sometimes ran in two portions if one was running late. The late running section ran as 1Z16, and sometimes was worked through to Euston with a class 47. Another rare sight (I only ever saw this once in five years) Double-headed 50s pass south through Watford. Southbound Cement passing through Harrow on the Up Slow Line. Mid-summer's evening. A northbound Sleeper service hurries through Harrow. Green liveried 47 with full yellow ends speeds through Watford with a northbound Excursion. Hope you enjoyed ? Andy.

Wrong type of engine, 20 years out, but at least a power unit on a flatbed.

At least one has survived to the present day. The cover to this wagon shows that it belonged to 998052. There is, or at least was, an engine still inside it. Andy.

Moorgate was always a lonely place to work, especially after the end of the evening peak hour from 1900 when the other staff had gone home. My time there was pre-NSE and the orange and black colour scheme just added to the gloom. You used to operate out of a 'broom cupboard' office in one of the cross passages between 9 & 10. you had to contend with the constant racket of the 'Down' Escalator to the Northern Line City branch. Other than that it was increasingly rare to see a passenger in the evenings, and the only human contact was a brief exchange with the train crews as they changed ends. The signalling was usually in 'Auto' mode, whereby approaching trains set the route into the platforms. No. 9 was the prime platform, and a train would only be routed into 10 if 9 was occupied. This normally meant outside peak hours all traffic ran in and out of 9. To despatch the train you would push the 'Train Ready to Start' plunger on the wall outside the office. You would hear the points go over with an echoing 'ker-chunk', and the signal would clear. Just after midnight, and before the last train arrived, you would do a last walk round the platforms to make sure everything was okay. You would then close off and lock all the lattice gates except the one at the exit to no. 9. Once the train had arrived you would stop the Northern Line escalator. I would normally wait by the gate at no.9 until the last train had pulled out and then pulled the gate over. It was then you had the shut down routine to go through which I mentioned in an earlier post. It was at this time that the platforms were totally still and silent without the noise of the escalator running. You would turn off the Office equipment and then go to the Staff Room at the Buffer stops end of platform 10. From here you would have to wait for the last train to reach Drayton Park, before switching off the traction current. It was here that, if you believe in ghosts, you would briefly see a reflection in the mirror of someone standing in the doorway, but on turning round there was no-one there. Being a bit sceptical I always put it down to a tale told to try and 'frighten the new guys'. I never encountered any 'spooks' while I was there, but the platforms were very eerie in that last twenty minutes or so. It was always nice to finally lock no.9 gate and nip upstairs before the LT staff shut the main entrance. It didn't surprise me when I heard that the Northern City Line had lost it's late evening service a few years after I left, but was surprised when the service resumed again sometime later. Andy, Ghost of stations past.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23700069@N03/15766384579/in/faves-8888017@N08/ Solves the mystery of the catering vehicle in this picture

Brings back more memories. Remember countless occasions of doing the shut down at Moorgate, or 'Plugging Out' as it was often referred to. After the last train left you went to the room at the stops end of 10. You'd then have to wait until the train had arrived at Drayton Park, the longest 8-10 minutes of the whole shift. The Box would ring to confirm the train was 'out', there was a panel at head height looking along the platform. You then inserted two keys, one for the up and one for the down line. Both were given a quarter turn, and a pair of illuminated red lights (two for each line), would go out to indicate the traction current had been discharged. The tunnel lights would come on as the traction live lights went out.

I suppose I must be unfortunate in remembering a lot of problems with the 313s while working on the GN section. I have just come across a lot of my old paperwork, and have just finished transferring two and a half years worth of 1979-81 work diaries onto disc. One of the jobs I got roped into was to produce a weekly Punctuality and Performance sheet for public consumption. Being a big budget production I was given a bit out of petty cash to purchase some marker pens, and an almost inexaustable supply of old Posters to write on the back of. The remit was to be honest and truthful 'within reason'. I had to make two copies of these, one to go at the top of the stairs on Platforms 1 & 2 at Finsbury Park, and one at the entrance to 9 & 10 at Moorgate. I still have my copy of the May 1981 Modern Railways which had an article on the GN and one of the pictures is of one of my posters at Finsbury Park. As well as the performance figures other things were added when space permitted. On one there was a description of the 'trip gear' equipment, why it was important, and why on occasion people were chucked off a Moorgate train at Finsbury Park for an unscheduled run via Kings Cross, when the equipment was detected to be not working. There were still 'teething troubles' with the 313s at this stage. Inoperable DC equipment or defective trip gear, with units being kept on 'short peak' diagrams and running via Kings Cross. There was a long period of Compressor faults, with units regularly failing in service with the brakes stuck hard on. Sometimes if the train was 'rammed to the roof', when the previous service had been cancelled, the brakes wouldn't release until you could persuade some of the infuriated occupants to get off. You really want to try that, but at least I grew a 'thick skin' eventually to cope with the fall out of incidents like these. The Couplers also tended to give trouble. Sometimes you couldn't get the units to couple, then at other times you couldn't uncouple them. On one occasion a three car had been left in no.10 at Moorgate. The plan was to attach another unit later on prior to the evening peak. Guess what? Couldn't couple. Next plan involved sending a crew to get the unit out on its own. Result, unit refused to move. Third plan another unit was sent in with a posse of Fitters, and after about 30 minutes the platform was finally freed up, but only after several trains had to run via Kings Cross as only no.9 was available for traffic at the start of the evening rush hour. Even though we had the entire fleet allocation of 313s it still proved difficult to run the full service. If there were any spare 312s they were put on some of the 'short peak' diagrams via Kings Cross to cover for the non-available 313s. There were also Door problems, where sometimes the mechanism would jam and prevent them closing completely. It wasn't always the trains at fault, as there seems to have been a shortage of crews as well. It just tended to add to the frustration of those times, and just re-reading page after page of records tends to bring on the tension again. (Thinks, better stop reading them then!) Looking at the poster featured there is an item I had to check on. The soggy unit had actually gone for a trip through the Carriage Washer with the windows open, censorship prevailed, but it had been raining that day, so only a half truth. I suppose all this led to me not being a great fan of the 313s, despite the slam doors I would go for the 312 anytime. Andy, Former Eastern(GN) oppressed entity. Just for a bit of added interest as I finally got round to finishing enhancing this from my original hand drawn copy.

Before the Goods Shed at Hastings was demolished in the mid 80s it was used for a time by the morning Newspaper train for unloading. Thunders, the local newsagent, would back their vans up to the loading bay for ease of level access, and undercover, without having to use the lifts on the platforms. The return Van working was then loaded with Mail bags for Tonbridge. This was convenient for the Post Office as they had use of the space to the south of the shed for parking their fleet of road vehicles. Andy.

Have only found a few photos of freight workings, quite a few were of disc headcode 40s, the few remaining were :- 8E15 Carlisle to Healey Mills (This one headcode seems to be a long standing one over many years) 8E01 Unknown working with a green 45 8M18 Northbound freight with a two tone green 25 5M31 Northbound freight for Carlisle (This was when ECS workings were 3***, and some freights were 5***) Another green 25 Andy.