Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2010 0:09:12 GMT
In the late 1979s/1980s I used to commute from Hatch End to Broad Street. There was one train on Monday to Friday mornings that reached Broad Street via the NLL. Liked to travel on this train because of its unusual routing. When this train arrived at Kensal Rise it was customary for quite a few passengers to leave the train but others seeing Kensal in the station name stayed on until Brondesbury Park when a few more left the train. As there was no return train from Broad Street to Watford Junction can somebody explain why the morning train used this route. In my younger days travelled on the Oerlikon stock but when I commuted to Broad Street it was by Slam Door stock (don't know the proper classification). When one of these trains had been standing all day in Broad Street Station, and it had been raining, it was inadvisable to choose a window seat as the chances were that when the train started there would be a torrent of water come over the top of the door. I can remember Broad Street being served by trains to ex-GNR stations and seem to recollect that after the WW2 there was a train/s to Tring. The units were BR 3-car EMUs later classified Class 501 and the Broad Street services from Watford to Broad Street in later years were peak period only with inbound in the morning and outbound to Watford in the evening. The units would either lay over in Broad Street station or occasionally work back light to Croxley Green Depot or Watford Junction although this not a common occurrence. Xerces Fobe |
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Post by superteacher on Jun 8, 2010 18:30:01 GMT
In the late 1979s/1980s I used to commute from Hatch End to Broad Street. There was one train on Monday to Friday mornings that reached Broad Street via the NLL. Liked to travel on this train because of its unusual routing. When this train arrived at Kensal Rise it was customary for quite a few passengers to leave the train but others seeing Kensal in the station name stayed on until Brondesbury Park when a few more left the train. As there was no return train from Broad Street to Watford Junction can somebody explain why the morning train used this route. In my younger days travelled on the Oerlikon stock but when I commuted to Broad Street it was by Slam Door stock (don't know the proper classification). When one of these trains had been standing all day in Broad Street Station, and it had been raining, it was inadvisable to choose a window seat as the chances were that when the train started there would be a torrent of water come over the top of the door. I can remember Broad Street being served by trains to ex-GNR stations and seem to recollect that after the WW2 there was a train/s to Tring. The units were BR 3-car EMUs later classified Class 501 and the Broad Street services from Watford to Broad Street in later years were peak period only with inbound in the morning and outbound to Watford in the evening. The units would either lay over in Broad Street station or occasionally work back light to Croxley Green Depot or Watford Junction although this not a common occurrence. Xerces Fobe When Broad Street closed and the trains were diverted to Liverpool Street, the peak service worked both ways again, I daresay due to the facr that there was no room at Liverpool Street to leave trains lying around between the peaks! |
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roythebus
Pleased to say the restoration of BEA coach MLL738 is as complete as it can be, now restoring MLL721
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Post by roythebus on Jun 9, 2010 5:49:17 GMT
In my days at Kings Cross we only worked DMUs into Broad Street, only about 4 trains a day each way, can't remember where from. The units were usually the Rolls Royce engined ones. We certainly never worked loco hauled services there in the latter years, 1975-78.
Remember the NLL was an early candidate for closure under Beeching, and again in the 1970s due to lack of use. Though the trains would have been cut, most of the line would have to stay open for the amount of freight traffic carried. It would have been very short-sighted to have withdrawn passenger services.
You could compare that that idea with the proposed closure of the Wimbledon-West Crodon line. In BR days, the one train every 45 minutes carried few passengers; Tramlink is now chokablok with a tram every 7 minutes! where did all those people come from?
It goes to show if you improve the service, people will use it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2010 7:04:44 GMT
The Watford - Broad Street service actually ran in both directions throughout both peaks and were normally 6 car trains, being quite busy. When the cost cutting was going on in the late 1960's and the Richmond - Broad Street peak service was reduced to 3 tph with 3 cars as opposed to 4 tph with 6 cars, they introduced the Watford - Broad Street via Kensal Rise as a means of providing an extra train at the required time. The platforms between South Acton and Kentish Town West were all reduced to 3 car lengths as was Caledonian Road & Barnsbury and Canonbury, thus the Watford - Broad Street via Primrose Hill services omitted these two stations.
And now all those shortened platforms have at great cost been extended to 4 cars and if TfL have their way and extend the 378's to 5 cars as envisaged, we are looking at yet more platform extensions.
Not much joined up planning here!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 9, 2010 17:01:58 GMT
I lived at Carpenders Park in the 60's and remember seeing the illuminated platform indicators lit with the words "not stopping at Caledonian Road & Barnsbury and Canonbury" and now I know why- thanks.
I also remember seeing an afternoon train from London that was going to Croxley Green and having to wait for the next train to Watford.
Xerces Fobe
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2010 18:26:23 GMT
A slight correction after a little look through the WTT's saw the first reference from 9th Sep 1963 of the 0737 Watford to Broad Street via Kensal Rise and arriving at Broad Street at 0836, this was actually a 6 Car as it split to work 2 of the Richmond services at 0852 and 0912. So it actually predated the platform shortening sligtly.
The non stopping was rather complicated but by far the most interesting was the Broad Streets which ran non stop from Stonebridge Park to Dalston Junction, well known for bemused punters who did not look for the platform indicators. The 0746, 0823 and 0848 Watford to Broad Street, though the 0746 also called at Willesden Jn as well. Euston also had the 0754 ex Bushey which ran non stop between Wembley Central and Euston with a call only at Willesden Jn. Prior to the introduction of the platform indicators the Oerlikons carried a full set of enamel plates for the non stopping rack at the side of certain doors.
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