Track Formation at Brentwood after 1934 widening

[JASd17]

I have a query about the running directions and designation of the running lines through Brentwood on the GE Main Line after 1934.

Can anyone help?

John

[Dave Cockle]

I believe the lines on the North side were known as the Up an Down Local and the one on the South side the Up and Down Through.

[JASd17]

Thanks Dave.

As far as I can tell, from north to south it was Down, Up, Down, Up.

Thanks for the information that the north lines were the Local ones.

John

[kudu]

Thanks for the information that the north lines were the Local ones.

West of Ilford the flyover reverses the sequence so the local lines are on the south side. Then at Bethnal Green a further pair of local lines come in on the north side so that at Liverpool Street the main-line platforms are in the middle, straddled by local services on each side - to Chingford, Enfield etc on the west/north side and to Shenfield etc on the east/south side. (I haven't got the precise designation of the tracks to hand.)

Kudu

[Dave Cockle]

Just to bring things up to date, today the six running lines between Bethnal Green and Liverpool Street are from West to East:-

Down Suburban
Up Suburban

Down Main
Up main

Down Electric
Up Electric

Always seems strange to me to use the name "Electric" when all six running lines are now electrified. I guess that's down to history.

[Mickey]

West of Ilford the flyover reverses the sequence so the local lines are on the south side. Then at Bethnal Green a further pair of local lines come in on the north side so that at Liverpool Street the main-line platforms are in the middle, straddled by local services on each side - to Chingford, Enfield etc on the west/north side and to Shenfield etc on the east/south side. (I haven't got the precise designation of the tracks to hand.)

Liverpool Street and the GE section of the Eastern Region in 1970 was definitely a change of scenery after being 'brought up' on all things GN and Kings Cross up till then with 'rarely seen' Stratford allocated 'toffee apple' Brush type 2s and 'not usually seen' Brush type 4s & 'never seen' EE type 3s everywhere along with the ever present 'tramcars' running Up & Down the suburban lines plus multi-aspect colour light signalling and the OHLE 'wires' everywhere.

A few names worth a mention from yesteryear Bethnal Green, Bow Junction, Thornton Fields CS, Stratford, Stratford loco, Forest Gate Junction, Ilford flyover & Ilford training school & hostel.

Mickey

[65447]

Just to bring things up to date, today the six running lines between Bethnal Green and Liverpool Street are from West to East:-

Down Suburban
Up Suburban

Down Main
Up main

Down Electric
Up Electric

Always seems strange to me to use the name "Electric" when all six running lines are now electrified. I guess that's down to history.

The first two mentioned will probably be soon known as Down and Up Crossrail...TfL commandeers ever more of the ex-GE way and works

[StevieG]

Just to bring things up to date, today the six running lines between Bethnal Green and Liverpool Street are from West to East:-

Down Suburban
Up Suburban

Down Main
Up main

Down Electric
Up Electric

Always seems strange to me to use the name "Electric" when all six running lines are now electrified. I guess that's down to history.

The first two mentioned will probably be soon known as Down and Up Crossrail...TfL commandeers ever more of the ex-GE way and works

I'm thinking that it's the last two that Dave listed which might suffer any such fate, 65447, (though I don't think any will be involved between Liv. St. and Bethnal Green), as it's these (and the Mains) that run to Shenfield : The Down and Up Suburban turn north from Bethnal Green, and (along with the Fasts which start/end there) mainly serve the 'west anglia' (Abellio Greater Anglia / Overground) services to Chingford, Enfield Town, Cheshunt, Hertford East, Bishops Stortford, Stansted Airport, Cambridge etc., although there are single-lead junctions at BG connecting across to the Mains and Electrics.

[John Palmer]

Major Wilson's report upon the accident at Brentwood on 11th February 1940 states that the four tracks between Harold Wood and Brentwood are, taken in order from north to south, designated Down Local, Up Local, Down Through and Up Through.

[StevieG]

Major Wilson's report upon the accident at Brentwood on 11th February 1940 states that the four tracks between Harold Wood and Brentwood are, taken in order from north to south, designated Down Local, Up Local, Down Through and Up Through.

Thanks John.
No doubt their renaming to Electrics and Mains (north-to-south) at some time, resulted from the c.1949 Liv. St. - Shenfield Electrification.