anroar53

Gradient post on the Cuckoo Trail between Horam and Hellingly. Although I have passed this many times I couldn't locate it a few months back. Horam station a few years back. A remaining SR Concrete Lamp post and large Running in board. The lamppost still had the original bracket where the Totem station sign was, and even a bit of the original wire and light fitting! The Running in board at this time was covered by a large sign with information on the Cuckoo trail. In the last couple of years the station is reclaiming its identity with replacement signs now appearing. The station now has two Totems. Although not probably from the bygone days this nice seat has appeared between Horam and Hellingly. Between Horam and Hellingly there are a number of mileposts to be seen, although some have been re-sited from the 'Down' to the 'Up' side. In the last couple of years the raw concrete has been painted over in black on white. This last one of the 27 and a quarter milepost looks almost brand new, and has only recently been re-discovered/added? Between Forest Row and Groombridge a rare survivor, as this route seems almost devoid of former railway artefacts now. (Excluding the station sign on the front of Hartfield station). Further up the Cuckoo Trail. The former Up Distant for Redgate Mill Junction sits lonely, perched on a low embankment, surrounded by trees. End of a railway ramble. Andy.

Thanks Jeremy, I know it's probably too late to be much use I don't know if you saw the line diagram of Euston I posted on the 'Unusual Diversions' thread? Andy.

That would be it. It descended alongside the Up DC Line to Broad Street which was climbing up alongside the North London Lines. Gradually being swallowed up by the surrounding vegetation. Andy.

That would be back to Syston, then via Melton Mowbray, Oakham, Corby, and back onto the Main Line at Glendon(Kettering). This has been a useful diversion down the years, more so as you get a run over Harringworth Viaduct. Andy.

It was in the London bound direction. Although it has been disconnected at the Primrose Hill end in the Google view it is surprising that the track leading to the tunnel is apparently still there? Also you can see from the Google view why the tunnel gradient was quite steep, as it had to dive under the Regents canal. Andy.

Bracket would probably be a bit too big to fit on my signals ! Andy.

The 'Rat Hole' is shown here running between the two red 'X's. Due to the steepness of the gradients Drivers were authorised to stop at the Banner Repeater Signal 94R if it showed 94 at Danger, and they thought they may not be able to lift the train out of the Up Empty Carriage Line (Rat Hole) if brought to a stand at 94. A Signal Post Telephone was located at 94R so Drivers could let the Signalman know if they were waiting at the Banner.(No Cab radios then). Electric trains could sometimes slip to a stand in certain weather conditions. I have known a couple of occasions of trains stalling at the exit. Fortunately there were usually engines available in the Down Side Shed or station yard to come and assist. The longest it usually took to retrieve the stranded train was about 15 minutes. Sometimes people confuse the lines marked by the red 'D' as the Rat Hole. On this diagram the outward line is shown as the Down Empty Carriage Line, which became the Departure Line from 1975. Andy.

Here's one I made earlier. Just love the lined maroon, and the 309s in general. Andy.

The only real trick was to use a very, very small brush, and just use a sparing amount of silver paint. Also wiping the brush frequently on a piece of tissue to avoid getting any blobs building up in the bristles. Andy.

Looking at the headlamps it appears to be a Parcels working? Andy.

Driver Training runs with the Class 27's on the Midland. Group photo alongside D5402. My late father 2nd in from the left. These runs took place on the former Bedford to Northampton Line. My father told me that they used to take 'dinner' at Olney, where the train (Loco plus about six odd coaches) was recessed in the Goods Yard. However, down the years I believe this was actually at Turvey. I think this was taken at what was then 'The Railway Swan' Public House, which was at the end of Station Road Turvey where it joined the Bedford Road. Although not a Pub any longer the building still remains, and looks the same as the photo https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.1595437,-0.5984777,3a,75y,270h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1seNPeQ5Tj5P9bm1ndKYOiCQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 The photo appears to be the back of the building in the back garden? Andy.

Around 1957/8. My late father third from right. I'm afraid the identities of the others remains a mystery. Andy.

A few more relatively up to date pictures. Contrasting Front End Line up. The Slam door VEPs days were numbered by now, and would soon be gone. Mixed stabling. Seen from the Washer Road. Sandite/De-Icing unit 930206 attached to a VEP, being shunted round the Depot. 930201 also in the Depot. On this occasion 930201/6 were being used as Tractor units to move 4VEP 3560 to Chart Leacon via Tonbridge. When things didn't go to plan. An 8car 377 had become stranded in the cold weather and had to be rescued by a 73 with a GLV De-Icing Vehicle. The last of the Coastway VEPs passes into history. Andy.

Even after all these years naming names is probably best left out. However, his exploits were legion as they say. Having some Aussie origins, and a predilection for sorting the trains into colour and number order, that is until the Shunt Drivers found out the reason why they seemed to be a busier when he was on. His boundless energy was somewhat dampened afterwards! The C & W Examiners would wait until he had finished marshalling the shed for the night, and seeing him looking out the window would pretend to stick Repair labels on the stepboards of the units. Always guaranteed to send him leaping (kangeroo bounding) down the shed to see what was happening.

Funny you should have mentioned Scalextric, I must have bucked the trend, because I traded mine in to expand my model railway! That was at Southgate too. I do recall that they had quite a big expanse of retail space. Several rows of shelves and cabinets full of stuff, and I never had enough money to go round (£ s d. Always fascinating to see all those old money prices). I'm now beginning to think that Beatties opened another store in the new shopping complex at Wood Green in the late 70s ?? Haven't found an advert for that at the moment. Andy.

A few more of my photos, some being a bit grainy as they are older scans of the originals. Old meets new. Waterloo July 2013 Full House. Engineering works blockade, Late 1980s Water shortages late 1980s. Several sets of stock were loco hauled over the Marshes to St. Leonards to be put through the washer. To be honest, without 'hand bashing' first it was a bit of a waste of time. 'I wandered lonely as a 2EPB'. On Saturdays in the late 1980s Several EPBs worked down to Hastings on Mail Workings. On this occasion one ended up at St. Leonards. Another grubby 8CEP arrives for a wash and brush up (without the brush up unfortunately) A Jaffa CEP waits to leave St. Leonards on a Saturday afternoon in the late 1980s Push-Pull VEP between Doleham and Winchelsea for 'Ashford 150' A 4 CIG rattles by on the Main towards Eastbourne while another loco hauled EMU arrives on the Reception Road. Andy.

Will add it to my 'to do' list. Andy.

That would be this one ? Nice six mile circular walk to be had here, still do it quite regularly. Andy.

Unusual Formation. 2MLVs + GLV + 4TC. At Hastings on a Railtour. Andy.

Hi Bill, That's very interesting, glad that I wasn't imagining the other branch of Blunts in Welwyn Garden City. It's come to my mind now that there used to be a model shop in Burnt Oak, 'Peglars'.(Early 1960s) It was in the dip going down the Watling Avenue about half way between the Tube station and the Edgware Road (Burnt Oak Broadway). I remember starting off there on TT gauge, A set that contained a Britannia 70036 Boadicea, and three mark 1's. I can remember being disappointed later on when purchasing an additional coach that the loco couldn't pull the train with four coaches, it slipped like crazy. But the loco did have a smoke unit, and you could buy smoke capsules (oil), that you dripped into the chimney. It produced reasonable smoke effects, but a rather sickly sweet aroma! After several years of TT I traded it in to Beatties of Southgate, and went over to N Gauge instead. Andy.

Blunts were indeed a shop covering cars, boats, and planes as well as trains. He did stock quite a bit of Model Railway stuff, I can remember buying several, I think it was GEM, whitemetal loco kits from there when they weren't that common. Although I no longer use them I still have the J39, and Austin 7F 0-8-0 I bought from there, but they still have a place in my display cabinet. The other shop in Lordship Lane was further down, as I have found an old advert that shows Howell Dimmock as being at 40 Lordship Lane. I think I visited the other shop once during the 90's and managed to buy some secondhand N Gauge stuff. Those were the days, Andy.

Remember the furore over the cooked badgers. Looking at the picture there used to be a small two storey Crossing Keepers cottage on the North side of the road roughly in line where the raised crossing boom can be seen. Attached to this was a small lean-to shed and at one time you could buy tickets there. I knew one of the local signalmen who was one of the last Crossing Keepers at Battle Road. He would often recount stories of his days there and the windy rainy nights sloshing around to open and shut the gates by hand. (And the one occasion he didn't quite make it and a train took the gates with it). By 1982 the Crossing had just a very draughty plastic porta cabin in place of the house, a ghastly place to find yourself stationed during periods when the barriers had to be on manual control! Andy.

A few pictures of mine from 1982, having had my memory jogged by Nick. They were taken while I was doing a six weekly check of all the Emergency Telephones between Ore and Winchelsea. If you didn't know where they were at Doleham and Three Oaks they could be a devil to find, as the undergrowth would hide them extremely well. Three Oaks looking towards Rye. At this time the former Up Platform was still in situ. Note the Marker Lights at the ends of the platforms inside metal cages. These were oil lamps, changed once a week by the Lampman based at West St. Leonards. The lights at each end of the platform were the only lights at the station until fairly recently. No Lar-dee-dar Electrickery here. Only problem with the oil lamps was that the local children would try and push them over by poking a stick through the cage. These were kept padlocked, and in later times someone has tried at least once to super-glue the padlocks!!! From the other side of Butchers Lane bridge at Three Oaks, the DEMU to Hastings had just departed, so not much chance of another train coming for a while. Doleham looking towards Rye. In the late 80s the shelter was taken over by a Tramp, who was often referred to as, Station Master, Doleham! Winchelsea, looking towards Rye. The station had been unstaffed for many years, although the station buildings have been in almost constant private occupation since. The Open Crossing here has been the scene of numerous accidents with trains running into cars. Finally, about three years ago the crossing has now been re-gated (barriers). In this picture I had got off an Ashford bound train and begun my walk back to Ore. Unfortunately I couldn't find my picture of Snailham Halt, not that much was left there, just the Farm Crossing. During a similar phone checking mission I took this picture at what was Mountfield Halt, between Battle and Robertsbridge. Having had wooden platforms, and closed in 1969, nothing much remained, however, over on the right tucked away behind the grass, lay half a damaged running in sign with 'Mountf' on it. It was quite badly bent and chipped. It disappeared some years later, to where I do not know. Note at this time, 1982, the Tonbridge to Hastings Line had yet to be electrified, Battle Road crossing on the A2100 just beyond. More memories coming back, Andy.

Wow! Wish my wiring was that neat and tidy! Andy.

Anyone remember 'Modelmart', High Road Willesden? Got some good secondhand N bargains there in the 70s. Then there was 'Blunts' Mill Hill Circus NW7, very friendly service, managed to get an Arnold N Loco repaired by them on site. I believe they had a second shop in Welwyn Garden City, but never visited that one. Definitely remember Puffers at Kenton, mainly as the place would vibrate as something thundered by on the adjacent West Coast Main Line (nice view from the back window as you went downstairs). Platform 2 at Wimbledon, yes, nice lot of secondhand stuff to be had, always seemed to be busy. Howell Dimmock of Lordship Lane Tottenham, remember getting some early brass made colour light signals with grain of wheat bulbs. (around 1967-8?) Later on and more recently was Modelzone at Newnham Court Maidstone. After an initial slow start it was just beginning to stock everything when it closed down Andy.