N2s on Holloway bank

[Hatfield Shed]

The hefty gradients on the Met widened lines made this 'firebox South' orientation the rule for all the passenger locos working over it. Never seen anything about the J's, 50 and 52 though, but they may have faced gradients in both directions working 'down the drain' on freight transfers to and from the Southern.

[rockinjohn]

Hi Hatfield thanks for the reply I was thinking of the N2's/N1's(just)possibly L1's on passenger turns up to the "X"/Moorgate&Broad St.but seem to remember everything down from the latter two, incl L1's boiler first, time to turn before the afternoon peaks?Going to throw something in about the dreadful state of the Standard/Stanier 4MT tanks on the L.T.S.R.just before the sparks occurred, but cant find a thread, am I starting one?tried searches but to no avail more to follow after others input please.jj

[rockinjohn]

Hi so why mention the L.T.S.R Standard 4mt tanks on an LNER forum as some may question?because most went to Stratford Running Sheds(saw a line 5/6 on my visit) before dispatch to the nether regions, they were that bad&on receipt of the Southern transferees, they were again checked @ Feltham because of their deplorable state, the South Wales 4MT's went possibly to Swindon?How did the Shoeburyness & Tilbury(sign on) Crews manage to keep time or even dep.with this condition of Locomotive,didnt bring in the Staniers..just in case...jj

[Mickey]

I thought the B.R. standard 4 2-6-4 tanks were suppose to be one of the better locos of the B.R. standard designs along with the 9Fs?.

Apparently they were originally allocated to all B.R. regions except the western region.

As for the Holloway bank well from memory I went up it many times on the front of diesel locos during the early/mid 1970s especially on class 31s and there was always a 'funny feeling' a bit hard to describe here being on the loco after passing under the Caledonian road over bridge and about passing Holloway South Down box for a length or two a bit like the loco was 'sinking' for some strange reason?. Maybe it was the combined weight of the coaches behind the loco on the rising gradient climbing the bank that was 'dragging' on the loco that caused it?.

[rockinjohn]

Hi all think I mentioned the last ex.works I saw in a past reply,another memory comes to mind of an N2 grubby but ok straddling the cross over @Wellington Sidings just past the curve on to the "Palace" branch awaiting shunting @ Cranley Gdns?this dates it between '54, no passenger trains witnessed, &'57 no goods sent up the branch, I"m told the LNER royal train was stabled there pre-war&2nd world war for safety.