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Post by revupminster on Jul 20, 2021 19:42:26 GMT
I am surprised no one has started a thread for what looks like a fascinating series.
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Post by revupminster on Jul 21, 2021 6:15:19 GMT
The first episode unsurprisingly featured the Holborn Aldwych shuttle and the surprise for me was the blocked off platform and the disused platform at Holborn. At Aldwych the over run tunnel towards Waterloo.
The presenter did say the current was still live on the single track still insitu but I cannot believe it is
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Post by Chris L on Jul 21, 2021 8:51:43 GMT
The first episode unsurprisingly featured the Holborn Aldwych shuttle and the surprise for me was the blocked off platform and the disused platform at Holborn. At Aldwych the over run tunnel towards Waterloo. The presenter did say the current was still live on the single track still insitu but I cannot believe it is I was lucky enough to be invited to a contractor's visit to Aldwych. We got to see more than the usual tours. As with many disused parts of stations the platform at Holborn houses air conditioning condensers. Many years ago my work included surveying them. It was strange to see a workshop down there. |
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Post by theblackferret on Jul 21, 2021 9:14:49 GMT
Best bits for me were the Holloway Road disused exit passageways, complete with Leslie Green tiling, or a very good imitation thereof and the buffers on the over-run tunnel at Aldwych.
The latter must be well over 100 years old & look as if they were originally installed last week.
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Post by MoreToJack on Jul 21, 2021 11:33:21 GMT
The first episode unsurprisingly featured the Holborn Aldwych shuttle and the surprise for me was the blocked off platform and the disused platform at Holborn. At Aldwych the over run tunnel towards Waterloo. The presenter did say the current was still live on the single track still insitu but I cannot believe it is The Aldwych branch remains part of the operational railway and should be considered live at all times. Whilst there are different current switching arrangements to the live railway, it would not be appropriate to explain what they are in a public forum. |
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DWS
every second count's
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Post by DWS on Jul 21, 2021 16:59:50 GMT
One of the disused areas at Holborn used to house a LT staff model railway club .
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Post by JR 15secs on Jul 21, 2021 17:55:45 GMT
One of the disused areas at Holborn used to house a LT staff model railway club . I think it was platform 6. |
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Post by selbiehouse on Jul 22, 2021 14:30:17 GMT
Some photos that I was fortunate enough to be able to take in the last week of service on the Aldwych branch.
Firstly part of the disused platform at Holborn:
Two photos taken at the site of where the crossover would have been south of Holborn with the train heading for Aldwych:
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slugabed
Zu lang am schnuller.
Posts: 1,480
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Post by slugabed on Jul 22, 2021 20:18:16 GMT
I went on an LURS visit about 1982 or 3...we visited out-of-hours (mid-day),saw both platforms at both ends,walked the track and tunnels from end to end,and inspected the tunnel plug at the south end for signs of a tunnel towards Waterloo (inconclusive).
The disused platform at Aldwych was kitted out as a full-size prototype mock-up for the then imminent Tottenham Court Road refurbishment.
The Eastern Tunnel north from Aldwych was used as a store for all sorts of rail-related stuff,but had been unused for so long that my face was brushed by fragile stalagtites full of water hanging from the tunnel roof.
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Post by jimbo on Jul 22, 2021 20:19:40 GMT
Some photos that I was fortunate enough to be able to take in the last week of service on the Aldwych branch.
Firstly part of the disused platform at Holborn:
Why does the name have a dark background? Did they avoid cleaning these tiles over the years? Was the name a big transfer? Was it a colour to highlight the name? Are other Yerkes station names like this?  |
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Post by ted672 on Jul 23, 2021 10:11:03 GMT
Hi've not seen the progamme yet, but have it recorded. Siddy was one of the guides on a visit to Highgate I was on a couple of years ago and I'm not surprised she's been involved in this show, she was very good at the time.
I spent some of my trainee time in the Station Development Office at 55 Broadyway back in the mid 70s. In quiet moments I was able to look through their filing cabinets of station blueprints and was surprised to find a set detailing the continuation of the Aldwych branch to Waterloo. I can't recall the detail, but I suspect (hope)these and other drawings are safely archived somewhere.
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Post by jimbo on Jul 23, 2021 21:22:55 GMT
The 1965 Rail Plan for London included “a link from Aldwych to Waterloo. London Transport had already sought parliamentary approval to construct tunnels from Aldwych to Waterloo in November 1964, and in August 1965, parliamentary powers were granted. Detailed planning took place, although public spending cuts led to postponement of the scheme in 1967 before tenders were invited.” (Wikipedia on Aldwych) This would have seen the second platform open again at Aldwych to provide a passing place for a two train shuttle. But by 1970 this route had been incorporated into the cross-london Chelsea-Hackney proposal. The economies of incorporating this short section of tunnel were outweighed by the complications, and it soon gave way to an alignment more like the Crossrail 2 proposal we know today!
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Post by Chris L on Jul 24, 2021 4:46:27 GMT
The 1965 Rail Plan for London included “a link from Aldwych to Waterloo. London Transport had already sought parliamentary approval to construct tunnels from Aldwych to Waterloo in November 1964, and in August 1965, parliamentary powers were granted. Detailed planning took place, although public spending cuts led to postponement of the scheme in 1967 before tenders were invited.” (Wikipedia on Aldwych) This would have seen the second platform open again at Aldwych to provide a passing place for a two train shuttle. But by 1970 this route had been incorporated into the cross-london Chelsea-Hackney proposal. The economies of incorporating this short section of tunnel were outweighed by the complications, and it soon gave way to an alignment more like the Crossrail 2 proposal we know today! and Aldwych would have been part of the Fleet line on the way to Fenchurch Street. Indeed the tunnels at Charing Cross run some distance towards the station. |
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Post by jimbo on Jul 24, 2021 7:50:24 GMT
The 1965 Rail Plan for London included “a link from Aldwych to Waterloo. London Transport had already sought parliamentary approval to construct tunnels from Aldwych to Waterloo in November 1964, and in August 1965, parliamentary powers were granted. Detailed planning took place, although public spending cuts led to postponement of the scheme in 1967 before tenders were invited.” (Wikipedia on Aldwych) This would have seen the second platform open again at Aldwych to provide a passing place for a two train shuttle. But by 1970 this route had been incorporated into the cross-london Chelsea-Hackney proposal. The economies of incorporating this short section of tunnel were outweighed by the complications, and it soon gave way to an alignment more like the Crossrail 2 proposal we know today! and Aldwych would have been part of the Fleet line on the way to Fenchurch Street. Indeed the tunnels at Charing Cross run some distance towards the station. Although the Fleet Line proposal was later, being proposed in the March 1965 "A Railway Plan for London", and only receiving Parliamentary approval for stage 1 in 1969. This would have provided, in stage 2, a sub-surface ticket hall with escalator connections to the new line and to both Picc branch platforms, thus completely changing the site we know. |
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Post by revupminster on Jul 28, 2021 16:53:56 GMT
In the last programme about North End and it's cold war use for only two years shows the amount of money governments waste in a panic as they have today with Covid 19.
I have been in that chamber at Embankment 40 years ago and it was supposed to be haunted.
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Post by selbiehouse on Jul 28, 2021 21:03:24 GMT
In the 1950/60s there used to be old records kept at or near platform level at Bull & Bush. I knew a Finance Department trainee who had to have a train stopped specially for him to let him off. Having found whatever he was looking for he then had to phone Golders Green to have another train stop to pick him up. It wouldn't happen today!
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brigham
Posts: 2,476 
Member is Online
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Post by brigham on Jul 29, 2021 7:46:48 GMT
In the 1950/60s there used to be old records kept at or near platform level at Bull & Bush. I knew a Finance Department trainee who had to have a train stopped specially for him to let him off. Having found whatever he was looking for he then had to phone Golders Green to have another train stop to pick him up. It wouldn't happen today! How would such a person gain access today? |
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Post by programmes1 on Jul 29, 2021 9:08:32 GMT
In the 1950/60s there used to be old records kept at or near platform level at Bull & Bush. I knew a Finance Department trainee who had to have a train stopped specially for him to let him off. Having found whatever he was looking for he then had to phone Golders Green to have another train stop to pick him up. It wouldn't happen today! I remember some years ago at the museum at Covent Garden there was a map displayed which showed Bull & Bush as a muniments store and it was platform level. |
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Post by miff on Jul 29, 2021 12:10:34 GMT
There is a small building at surface level with stairs leading down below, when it was used as some sort of potential cold-war control centre. However this access wasn't built until some time in the '50s. Until then the only access was by train.
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Post by ted672 on Jul 29, 2021 13:02:27 GMT
In the 1950/60s there used to be old records kept at or near platform level at Bull & Bush. I knew a Finance Department trainee who had to have a train stopped specially for him to let him off. Having found whatever he was looking for he then had to phone Golders Green to have another train stop to pick him up. It wouldn't happen today! Digressing slightly - again while spending time in the Station Development Office, my boss was out when I answered the phone and I was surprised to hear his voice on the other end. He was calling from Old Ford escape shaft, having been let off a train from Stratford. He then exited via the stairs, testing the phone on the upper level as well. Interesting times. |
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Post by straphanger on Jul 29, 2021 18:00:44 GMT
Does anyone else find the male presenter annoying? He seems to find everything wildly exciting.
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Post by bruce on Jul 29, 2021 18:02:48 GMT
Does anyone else find the male presenter annoying? He seems to find everything wildly exciting. Yes I do. |
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Post by norbitonflyer on Jul 29, 2021 20:42:02 GMT
Does anyone else find the male presenter annoying? He seems to find everything wildly exciting. Tim Dunn. Believe it or not, he has mellowed since the execrable " Trainspotting Live" in 2016, along with the equally excitable Peter Snow, the "it's all about me" Lt Col Dick Strawbridge, and a rather more laid-back Hannah Fry, although even the learned Dr Fry erred in a piece using Pythagoras to calculate how fast a train can be going to allow you to spot its number, which she "demonstrated" by identifying "King Edward II" as "6203"(!). Dunn has since also done a series on railway architecture, and also did a piece with Geoff and Vicki during "All the Stations" on a new app The Trainline* was plugging. (*other ticket selling websites are available, which don't charge a booking fee) |
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Tom
Administrator
Signalfel?
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Post by Tom on Jul 30, 2021 8:55:46 GMT
Just a word of warning to members to be careful who and how you criticise, as they could well be a member here. (It's happened before, and could easily happen again!)
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Post by theblackferret on Jul 30, 2021 9:46:25 GMT
On the first programme vide Aldwych, in 1949, Modern Transport magazine proposed extending to Waterloo & then via a new intermediate station at Thames House (Millbank), extending this new Piccadilly branch through to Victoria, onward to Sloane Square & terminating at South Kensington. The Aldwych branch was also to be extended northwards (still Piccadilly) from Holborn to Euston via Russell Square. In 1957,LT had an enquiry called The Victoria Line,The Next Step, part of which examined resiting Aldwych platforms nearer Temple, with stairs to existing Aldwych lifts north end,escalators to Temple District platforms South End & thence over the river to Waterloo. As for the Bull & Bush programme, the externals in the Depot museum etc were more interesting, because it's difficult to breathe life into a station that never opened to passengers, whereas sitting in half of a clerestory-roofed Q stock, for example, was enthralling. Tim Dunn gets excited about nearly everything he presents-my rule of thumb is, has he or any other presenter left me better informed and/or wanting to know more about the subject? Yes, is the answer in both cases & Mrs tbf reckons her questions afterwards to me about it have gone up substantially as a result of Tim & Siddy's efforts-thanks, guys! Finally, personalities-I did find myself rather annoyed with Lady Bountiful(Octavia Barnett) for stopping Bull & Bush ever getting built, as that would have been another Leslie Green station to admire. Thanks, you daft old trout! |
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Post by modeng2000 on Jul 30, 2021 10:51:09 GMT
I look beyond the presenter if I'm not too happy with their presentation. It is their take on the subject and so I respect that. However the series is very interesting.
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Post by Chris L on Jul 30, 2021 11:21:33 GMT
In 1957,LT had an enquiry called The Victoria Line,The Next Step, part of which examined resiting Aldwych platforms nearer Temple, with stairs to existing Aldwych lifts north end,escalators to Temple District platforms South End & thence over the river to Waterloo. When University College London was rebuilt many years ago they offered to include a link from the platforms to Temple station. This would have allowed the lifts to be taken out of service. The offer was rejected as most people using the station were from around the Strand area. |
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Post by norbitonflyer on Jul 30, 2021 13:03:17 GMT
It was Kings College whose property adjoined Aldwych station, not University College
Indeed, I did not intend to denigrate Tim Dunn. The programme is interesting and his enthusiasm is obviously genuine. His rapport with co-presenter Siddy Holloway also comes over well. And I am learning new stuff - I didn't know that "Bull & Bush" now has the surface entrance it never got when it was originally built. Whether Lady Octavia Barnet's influence was beneficial I suppose depends on whether you wanted another Tube station (and lots of houses), or Hampstead Heath to be kept as it was.
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Post by Chris L on Jul 30, 2021 14:32:37 GMT
It was Kings College whose property adjoined Aldwych station, not University College Indeed, I did not intend to denigrate Tim Dunn. The programme is interesting and his enthusiasm is obviously genuine. His rapport with co-presenter Siddy Holloway also comes over well. And I am learning new stuff - I didn't know that "Bull & Bush" now has the surface entrance it never got when it was originally built. Whether Lady Octavia Barnet's influence was beneficial I suppose depends on whether you wanted another Tube station (and lots of houses), or Hampstead Heath to be kept as it was. Sorry my mistake - it is Kings College. |
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Post by straphanger on Jul 30, 2021 15:16:21 GMT
UCL? Pah! Please do not confuse the mighty King's with Gower Street Tech. I used to get the Aldwych shuttle when I had early morning lectures, very handy not having to crawl uphill from Temple on those days when the brass band was playing in my head.
(Points awarded to the first person to guess where I studied!)
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