Prototype Shades of the Southern: south of the Wash, slowly.
- Thread starter AJC
- Start date
AJC
Western Thunderer
From the Casserleys’ neighbourhood, between Shortlands and Bromley South. Up the footbridge and over.
I gather that the tender for a replacement for the Networkers is due for July, and some are already going for scrap (we saw loads in store at Ely two years back), the two cars are not the common sight they were.
More change (of the ‘about time too’ variety), at Shortlands itself, but you’ll have to wait for that.
Adam
I gather that the tender for a replacement for the Networkers is due for July, and some are already going for scrap (we saw loads in store at Ely two years back), the two cars are not the common sight they were.
More change (of the ‘about time too’ variety), at Shortlands itself, but you’ll have to wait for that.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
And on to Shortlands.
Back in 1958, today’s view was in the process of coming about (courtesy of Roger Joanes and his excellent Flickr gallery).
More recently, it’s finally acquired a footbridge and with it, you can reach the platforms if you can’t manage the stairs. Good thing too. I wouldn’t want to claim that it was an aesthetic improvement, exactly, but it makes life easier for those of us with pushchairs, wheelchairs, etc.
Adam
Back in 1958, today’s view was in the process of coming about (courtesy of Roger Joanes and his excellent Flickr gallery).
More recently, it’s finally acquired a footbridge and with it, you can reach the platforms if you can’t manage the stairs. Good thing too. I wouldn’t want to claim that it was an aesthetic improvement, exactly, but it makes life easier for those of us with pushchairs, wheelchairs, etc.
Adam
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
The footbridge may not be aesthetic, but at least they used yellow brick for the lift towers to keep it in sympathy. It appears they also incorporated some red brick courses (just glimpsed under the footbridge) above the lift door header.
AJC
Western Thunderer
A family day out, over the hills to Sheffield Park, for two lengths of the Bluebell. This was the five year old’s wish, and with the bonus of Lego building laid on for the holidays (as gimmicks go, this was a good one), it would have been churlish to refuse.
The toddler absolutely loved it, too and spent half the day poking his head out of the window: “Choo!”
Fond though I am of a Bulleid, Sir Archibald wasn’t the star of this particular show. The website suggested that the other train was to be hauled by Camelot. It wasn’t.
One of the most impressive achievements of the UK preservation movement, in my view, Beachy Head on a rake of the railway’s pre-Group coaches is a treat, even if you’re 18 months.
So perhaps there’s also hope for poor old Sharpthorn, too.
Adam
The toddler absolutely loved it, too and spent half the day poking his head out of the window: “Choo!”
Fond though I am of a Bulleid, Sir Archibald wasn’t the star of this particular show. The website suggested that the other train was to be hauled by Camelot. It wasn’t.
One of the most impressive achievements of the UK preservation movement, in my view, Beachy Head on a rake of the railway’s pre-Group coaches is a treat, even if you’re 18 months.
So perhaps there’s also hope for poor old Sharpthorn, too.
Adam
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AJC
Western Thunderer
Absolutely (though that Met’ brake/former push pull driving trailer/former driving motor car, is a bogie vehicle, albeit quite a short one!). The coach fleet is a triumph in every respect of course, even if 20 miles in a four-wheeler is plenty, thank you.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
A damp morning at Hildenborough and Saturday engineering means 66097, getting a bit smoky in middle age, trundles up the bank towards Sevenoaks and ultimately Petts Wood junction to collect spent ballast. RealTimeTrains tells me that it’s come up from Hoo Junction as 6N31 and all I can really observe about the train is the variations in wagons - at least four different TOPS codes, several shades of yellow, multiple ownership brandings (Wacosa, Network Rail, EWS, DB, etc.).
The down Hastings, however, is late.
Adam
The down Hastings, however, is late.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
A morning out for the last day of the 5-year-old’s summer holiday. Owing to a misunderstanding on my part, we got taken all the way to London Bridge (the 0904, uniquely, I think, for off peak services from Hildenborough, doesn’t serve Orpington - should have changed at Sevenoaks), but that meant a first for me, and him: a ride up from Grove Park to Bromley North. How this line keeps going, I have no idea, especially given that not paying is embarrassingly easy, but it does serve the most perfect interwar Southern Railway terminus left on the network.
On the way home, 6M32, Dollands Moor to Daventry trundled through. I instinctively feel that Southern freights should have a pair of 33s on the front but that’s an age thing, I suppose. 66775 continues a solid railway tradition, however: it’s named for HMS Argyll.
Adam
On the way home, 6M32, Dollands Moor to Daventry trundled through. I instinctively feel that Southern freights should have a pair of 33s on the front but that’s an age thing, I suppose. 66775 continues a solid railway tradition, however: it’s named for HMS Argyll.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Said perfect terminus - it could almost be a Superquick kit.
The platform side is absolutely standard Southern - the style of canopy appears all over the system.
I don’t think both platforms are actually required (or even regularly in use?), but here’s the view down the bank. The former coal yard is, of course, used for buses.
Adam
The platform side is absolutely standard Southern - the style of canopy appears all over the system.
I don’t think both platforms are actually required (or even regularly in use?), but here’s the view down the bank. The former coal yard is, of course, used for buses.
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Don't forget to stand behind the yellow line when a train is passing through the station
My five-year-old was confidently reminding me of just this!
Adam
AJC
Western Thunderer
Full circle (almost). As is traditional now, the countdown towards fleet replacement is marked by a repaint to NSE colours for a member of the Networker fleet, here providing part of my train home. I first encountered one in this condition - fresh from BREL or Met Camm with plastic covers on the seats - at a Branksome depot open day a lifetime ago.
Since tenders have not been had for replacements, I suspect this will be with us until probably the turn of the decade.
Adam
Since tenders have not been had for replacements, I suspect this will be with us until probably the turn of the decade.
Adam
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Charing Cross - I remember the NSE 'Colgate' livery.
Charing Cross is another one of the ex-SR stations which has radically changed along with Blackfriars, Cannon Street and London Bridge. Don't know about Victoria as I haven't been there recently.
I worked in the Strand at the time and travelled home northwards from Blackfriars on an 8 car 319 set - always guaranteed to get a seat. By the time the train reached KX Thameslink it was rammed. There's also a pair of BR SR designed 4-EPBs in the background branded Kent Link.
Later, when I worked on the Tottenham Court Road at the UCH end I would go around to Farringdon to catch my train, never KX Thameslink, again to make sure I got a seat.
Charing Cross is another one of the ex-SR stations which has radically changed along with Blackfriars, Cannon Street and London Bridge. Don't know about Victoria as I haven't been there recently.
I worked in the Strand at the time and travelled home northwards from Blackfriars on an 8 car 319 set - always guaranteed to get a seat. By the time the train reached KX Thameslink it was rammed. There's also a pair of BR SR designed 4-EPBs in the background branded Kent Link.
Later, when I worked on the Tottenham Court Road at the UCH end I would go around to Farringdon to catch my train, never KX Thameslink, again to make sure I got a seat.
Tim Watson
Western Thunderer
KX Thameslink was a ghastly station. Its only redeeming feature was its proximity to Keen House (MRC).
Tim
Tim
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
And Victors.
AJC
Western Thunderer
To the dentist on the way to work last week, so an unusual place for me, the up platforms at Sevenoaks. A cold, draughty station without any proper waiting facilities, I’m not a fan, but it does have a classic modeller’s scenic break of a bridge at the London end. Oh, and the construction of the tunnel appears in Marx’s Capital, which always amuses me when I walk past the Ferrari garage and the BUPA clinic.
It retains the Exmouth Junction number marker.
The signals are a bit more recent.
And the trains - both Siemens products (good aircon and heating, with WiFi, if you’re careful they can make up for the lack of platform facilities).
Yes, they were displaying proper lights, but the phone was too quick for the LEDs.
They’re not very ‘Southern’, or especially comfortable, but they’re there.
Adam
It retains the Exmouth Junction number marker.
The signals are a bit more recent.
And the trains - both Siemens products (good aircon and heating, with WiFi, if you’re careful they can make up for the lack of platform facilities).
Yes, they were displaying proper lights, but the phone was too quick for the LEDs.
They’re not very ‘Southern’, or especially comfortable, but they’re there.
Adam
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Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Sevenoaks? - you should have used Tubs Hill in the header and seen if anyone knew the location 
.
You would have to use the phone's camera in manual or pro mode and adjust the shutter speed to 1/50th, 1/100th or multiples thereof.
Although the traction current is DC the train will have on-board transformers to provide a three phase AC supply at 50Hz for its auxiliary systems such as lights.
.You would have to use the phone's camera in manual or pro mode and adjust the shutter speed to 1/50th, 1/100th or multiples thereof.
Although the traction current is DC the train will have on-board transformers to provide a three phase AC supply at 50Hz for its auxiliary systems such as lights.