Forward - the LNER's plans in 1946

[Coronach]

Some of the work, such as the resignalling with MAS between Newcastle and Berwick and new yards in Edinburgh and on Tyneside seem to have gone on to be incorporated in BR's own modernisation plan. I suppose, like the Woodhead and Southend electrifications, these plans were straightforward adoptions.

Dave.

[52D]

HQ is the aforementioned Hall the same place as where De Havilland had an office?

[2002EarlMarischal]

SNG lived at Salisbury Hall, London Colney. After a period empty, it became a base for De Havilland's design team, and they built the prototype Mossie there in 1940/1. It was far enough away from their main factory at Hatfield to avoid the German bombers, but close enough to get a plane there by road for testing etc.

[Hatfield Shed]

Salisbury Hall is now the site of the Mosquito museum. Double interest for many of us I would expect. The Hall itself is not generally open to the public. (My Pa was a DeHavs employee post war and knew folk who had worked there, the local pride in the mossie still lives - just.) http://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/history.html

...40 years on it's probably different now trains probably stop regularly in the Hadley Wood fast line platforms?.

Not that often off peak, but since I avoid peak hours travel as much as possible cannot comment about what happens then. Generally though, stopping in platforms is restricted to the slow lines as much as possible, because the line occupancy requires the fast to keep moving to carry the traffic.

[StevieG]

" ....

...40 years on it's probably different now trains probably stop regularly in the Hadley Wood fast line platforms?.

Not that often off peak, but since I avoid peak hours travel as much as possible cannot comment about what happens then. Generally though, stopping in platforms is restricted to the slow lines as much as possible, because the line occupancy requires the fast to keep moving to carry the traffic. "

Would certainly go along with that.
I commute the route five times a week during early-mid peaks on non-local services, and I'd say stoppers using the Fasts at HW is even less likely then than at other times : E.g. of the approx. 16-18 Up trains per hour passing Woolmer Green (all en route to King's Cross) in the busiest part of the morning peak, none stop at HW, so stoppers would be confined to the Up Slow if at all possible, and are almost certainly booked to do so. I'd say that the most likely use of a Fast line platform by calling trains would be if a Slow line became unavailable (unexpectedly or for a planned track Possession) somewhere between New Barnet and Potters Bar.

[Mickey]

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[Eightpot]

Salisbury Hall is now the site of the Mosquito museum. Double interest for many of us I would expect. The Hall itself is not generally open to the public. (My Pa was a DeHavs employee post war and knew folk who had worked there, the local pride in the mossie still lives - just.) http://www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk/history.html

...40 years on it's probably different now trains probably stop regularly in the Hadley Wood fast line platforms?.

Not that often off peak, but since I avoid peak hours travel as much as possible cannot comment about what happens then. Generally though, stopping in platforms is restricted to the slow lines as much as possible, because the line occupancy requires the fast to keep moving to carry the traffic.

My late father was one of the Mosquito design team based at Salisbury Hall.

[40C]

I think this is the first time that I have seen in an official publication of the (long rumoured) intention to build a Grimsby Central station?

[2002EarlMarischal]

My late father was one of the Mosquito design team based at Salisbury Hall.

A colleague and I have set up The Flying Mosquito Trust with a view to restoring a Mossie to flying condition in the UK. If you have any information from your late father's time with D Havilland that might be relevant and would be willing to share it, please send me a PM.

[sandwhich]

As regards the Down Fast & Up Fast platforms at Hadley Wood they were only used when the slow lines were blocked for some reason, engineers or train failures, but i do remember an amusing incident during the 1960s when working a loco hauled all stations to Hitchin and the Driver let me in the seat to take the train all the way through, it was pouring with rain and when we stopped at New Barnet in the Down Slow platform the signal was red, the Driver commented that it was going to be my turn to get my head wet at Hadley Wood, then the aspect changed to a Green and the feathers as they were known to turn us out on the Down Fast and we were turned in at Potters Bar, he commented that it was not his day. Could not help but have a good chuckle but it was my turn at Welwyn GC and North so he was soon having a good laugh at me. It was one of the few times that I stopped at these platforms in either direction.

[Ladas]

Many thanks hq1hitchin.

An interesting read.

Regards,

Marcus.

[StevieG]

" .... i do remember an amusing incident during the 1960s when working a loco hauled all stations to Hitchin .... - .... when we stopped at New Barnet in the Down Slow platform the signal was red, the Driver commented that it was going to be my turn to get my head wet at Hadley Wood, then the aspect changed to a Green and the feathers as they were known to turn us out on the Down Fast .... "

Sandwhich,
Might your recollected occasion have actually been in mid-late 1970 or later? - Or, as you say, in the '60s, but on the Up at Potters Bar rather than the Down at New Barnet?
I only ask as the Down Slow signals at the end of NB Down platforms (Barnet North box's 14 & 16 signals, controlling going straight Down the Slow or 'turning out' Slow to Fast), remained semaphores underslung from the Slow + Goods lines signal gantry until the 1970 resignalling replaced them with NB509 colour-light which did indeed have a Position 4 'feather'.

[Mickey]

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[sandwhich]

Thanks Stevie G & Mickey.

It was definatly the 1960s at New Barnet Down Platform and you are probably right about semaphore signals rather than colour light signals, ageing process playing me up again! As regards New Barnet I also remember a bay platform on the Down side at the north end of the station where we placed a newspaper van around 5 am but that finished much earlier than than the other newspaper trains. Also in the 1960s we used to work a loco hauled train from Moorgate to New Barnet shunt it over to the Up Side (a bit sharpish) and then shunt some vans that formed a parcels train to Kings Cross. Hard to believe that sort of local traffic ran until the late 60s early 70s.

[Mickey]

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