The end of the old GN suburban as we knew it 1976

[Dave Cockle]

The "Ladies Only" compartments on the GN Inner Sub block enders were adjoing the guards brake to enable the guard to exercise a degree of supervision. From memory there were a couple of compartments so labelled.

I ran up the stairs at Finsbury Park one evening peak as the guards whistle, for my down Hertford service, was blowing for imminent departure and dived into the first compartment I came to. The train pulled out immediately and as I got my breath back
I became aware of frosty glares from my fellow passengers, all of whom were of the fairer sex. To my horror and embarrasment I then noticed the green "Ladies Only" sticker on the compartment windows. Oh no!!

Two minutes later, when the train pulled into Harringay, I was out like a shot and tranfered compartments with a rather red face.

Whilst on the topic of these compartments I remember riding with the guard in his brake compartment on my way down to Hertford N to work a 18:00 - 06:00 shift. This was towards the end of their life and the stock was getting a little tatty. Some wag had drilled a small spy hole from the "Brake Compt" giving a view into the adjoining "Ladies Only" compartment. The guards side of the spy hole was adorned with a felt tip pen sketch of a pair of binoculars with the caption above "What the Butler saw!!"

[Mickey]

Good one Dave it just goes to show how public attitudes have changed even in the last 35-40 years to such things i would guess that a fair amount of guy's nowadays (20s-40s age group?) wouldn't pay any notice to getting into a LADIES ONLY COMPARTMENT.

Yes you are correct Stevie the 'stickers' on the compartment windows in the 'block enders' were of a 'permanent nature' rather then just a 'peel off' sticker sort that i may of implied.

Also talking about DMUs i do recall some of the Cravens having a 1st class compartment right behind the driver with some carpet, curtains and a more comfortable seat as well i recall.

I believe that there was several other G.N. suburban stations other then WGC that had LADIES ONLY WAITING ROOMS but i can't recall exactly which stations they were maybe WOOD GREEN up slow/up Enfield platforms but i wouldn't swear to it?.

[hq1hitchin]

Ladies only accommodation on trains became illegal in, I think, 1975 when the Sex Discrimination Act became law. In addition to suburban 'block enders', a lot of overnight trains had 'ladies only' compartments using paper labels, not transfers. Eastern Region policy, bless them, was to use compartment stock on their overnight services where possible rather than open stock, it being considered more restful for the passengers.

[StevieG]

" .... Eastern Region policy, bless them, was to use compartment stock on their overnight services where possible rather than open stock, it being considered more restful for the passengers. "

Talking of 'overnight's, though open accommodation, not compartments ;
When looking for where we could get our first house while I was working in KX DMO Control @ Great Northern House ("79-81 Euston Road", opposite Somerstown Goods Depot; GNH is now the St.Pancras youth hostel, with the British Library opposite), we ended up in Werrington where things were somewhat less expensive than Herts.

I never liked shift changeover 'arrangements' where one would arrive late and accrue time owed to others, to be given back at some time. So, as the service from Peterborough then meant arriving at KX at roughly either 0640 or 0810, I always opted for the former, which was 1E39 or 1E40 'overnight' (I forget which) with its deal of TSO accommodation. It wasn't usually dificult to find a vacant '4 seats + table' somewhere and then settle down to about 80 minutes of warm, steam-heated, dozy trip Up to London, with windows sopping wet with condensation and 'hissing' from under the floor, thanks to leaking steam up some windows and in the gangway connections (and considerable 'hunting' of bogies when at speed on straights).

[silverfox]

Steve,
I too lived in werrington 1973, at 1260A Lincoln road, it was the old police house made into two flats. next door to a garage and a place that sold caravans. There was a pub just up the road on the dog leg corner
Moved from there to a new place in Bretton. Might go back one day to see how much has changed

[Mickey]

Makes me feel old - but on the other hand, it seems like yesterday.

It was possibly without a doubt the 'finest train working' to watch ever either during the morning or evening peaks in & out of Kings Cross and along the whole of the GN suburban route including on the 'Holloway bank' or at Finsbury Park, Harringay, Hornsey, Wood Green, New Southgate, Oakleigh Park, New Barnet, Hadley Wood, Potters Bar, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City, Welwyn North, Knebworth, Stevenage & Hitchin i'm just glad i witnessed it (1968-1975) and played a very small part in it during it's long sunset period of the early 1970s.

Happy days...

Mickey

[StevieG]

Steve,
I too lived in werrington 1973, at 1260A Lincoln road, it was the old police house made into two flats. next door to a garage and a place that sold caravans. There was a pub just up the road on the dog leg corner
Moved from there to a new place in Bretton. Might go back one day to see how much has changed

...We were in what was, by the sound of your old address, a newer part, silverf.; - The Steynings, from Nov.'75 to Jan.'78.