Ben
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Post by Ben on Nov 6, 2011 17:13:40 GMT
I've never heard of that before - are there any details of it online? Paul I've never heard it to go that far, but the current Quad tracking was supposed to finish at Rickmansworth, not Watford South Junction. Plans were also drawn up for loops at Chorleywood et al....but I've never heard of all the way to Aylesbury. As follows on from the Crossrail thread, and might be of reference to others, here is an indicative diagram of the 4-tracking of the Met. Possibly from the late 30's, although I can't source the exact origin yet. Board Meeting of the LPTB, 1938/9ish?  With many thanks to MRFS for hosting it for me!  picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/WBzcm4ZrTMXKkZVY3UOf-QCLGSq9YTaSvcyQPRjHXvg?feat=directlink |
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Post by ruislip on Nov 6, 2011 21:24:22 GMT
What were the plans regarding the "reconditioned station" at Ruislip?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2011 0:31:19 GMT
What an excellent post! Thanks for putting that up, amazing that the 4 track arrangement had its roots so far back, gives some very interesting things to look at! Amersham doesn't look amazingly dissimilar these days (the platform arrangement is the same, I take there's no crossovers to go south and no reversing sidings but hey - the Met carried on beyond Amersham then!), the loops at Chorleywood are noted, would have been a whole new station, to be honest I can't imagine Chorleywood being a Holden-esqe 1930s affair, just seems odd! Watford line looks about the same as does the Uxbridge line (no connection to Ruislip depot - wasn't built then!) The bits that get me are a 4 track Rickmansworth  , and Moor Park having no main line platforms! Having a junction on the main lines facing towards Watford gives that branch a main line service too! Also on the same theme are Northwood, Northwood Hills and Pinner having 4 platforms, also Harrow looks similar too, the idea of the reversing siding is there but it ended up between platforms 4 & 5 in real life (good job too!) Wembley is very different, and I'm surprised that Lords and Swiss Cottage were pencilled in to retain their Met line platforms. Of note again are the reversing sidings at West Hampstead and Willesden Green, which are there to be seen these days! Could go on about this for hours, but probably best for a bit of discussion ;D |
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Ben
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Post by Ben on Nov 7, 2011 13:41:08 GMT
Its quite interesting, isn't it? It clearly is more indicative of what was proposed than what would have been workable; note for example the litteral train wreck that would be Harrow! This would also explain Amersham and Uxbridge looking as they do in the diagram. ruislip: I can't comment on what would have happened at Ruislip station, but its worth remembering that it would have been a far more 'Metropolitan' station at this time. I suspect that the plans at Ruislip would have amounted to nothing more than what was actually done; concrete lampposts (as at Rayners still), fence, and the lumps of concrete to which the roundels are attached to. www.ruislip.co.uk/images/ruislipmetropolitan.JPGWembley might look very different now, but its principal layout is akin to that which existed before the Baakerloo and Met local tracks were segregated north of Wembley Park in 1954. On the subject of Chorleywood, I'm not convinced it would have been totally rebuilt; theres space where the car park is now on the south side of the station to get away with just resiting the country-bound platform. This was a small goods yard there at the time though (?) The reappraisal of the entire scheme after the war resulted in the cut of four tracking north of Watford South Jnct. and the loss of loops at Chorleywood. The formation north of Watford South Jnct is still extremely wide on the southern side; there was a cab-ride video on youtube of a northbound fast Met. If you look on the left between WSJ and Ricky now and again you see the cable runs darting away to reveal the true width. Final couple of notes about Swiss Cottage and Lords. Swiss Cottage was to remain open for peak hour traffic, and Lords for match days, but as a wartime ecconomy both were closed permanently. Pity, as now everything costs stupid money to do, a useful station at Lords stands no chance. Does anyone know the provenance of the diagram? |
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Nov 7, 2011 13:56:38 GMT
Does anyone know the provenance of the diagram? Looked like the Railway Mag. housestyle when you sent it me. |
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Post by johnb2 on Nov 7, 2011 14:24:29 GMT
Very interesting that plan, many thanks for putting it up.
I lived beside the Met while the actual four tracking was going on. Just by Marsh Road bridge, Pinner. So it is fascinating to see what-might-have-been when compared with what finally happened
The work at Ricky would have been interesting as I can't see how it would have fitted in the current location. Presumably the station would have been relocated a few yards southwards to the old goods yard where there would have been space.
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Ben
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Post by Ben on Nov 7, 2011 14:58:28 GMT
Marsh Road bridge replacement was apparently quite an interesting one because of the site constraints (Platforms and the River Pinn). The bridge deck was thus constructed in situ.
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Post by johnb2 on Nov 7, 2011 16:39:29 GMT
Marsh Road bridge replacement was apparently quite an interesting one because of the site constraints (Platforms and the River Pinn). The bridge deck was thus constructed in situ. Yes that was an interesting time just there. But I, then a youngster, lived by the other Marsh Road bridge, the road-over bridge about half way between Pinner and N.Harrow. It was actually two structures, the London side was already a 4-track one, the other, Pinner stn side, was only two track and that was demolished and rebuilt. Rather noisy as I recall, driving sheet piling with a compressed air pile driver ;D Most of the formation in that area was already wide enough for 4-tracks except in the Pinner station area itself, just about where the other bridge is. A very interesting period for a train-mad kid  |
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, and Moor Park having no main line platforms! Having a junction on the main lines facing towards Watford gives that branch a main line service too! Also on the same theme are Northwood, Northwood Hills and Pinner having 4 platforms, also Harrow looks similar too, the idea of the reversing siding is there but it ended up between platforms 4 & 5 in real life (good job too!)
