Belle Isle in 1954

This forum is for the discussion of all railway subjects that do not include the LNER, and its constituent companies.

Moderators: 52D, Tom F, Rlangham, Atlantic 3279, Blink Bonny, Saint Johnstoun, richard

Post Reply
Mickey

Belle Isle in 1954

Post by Mickey »

Belle Isle Up side featuring the Randall's road mortuary in 1954 the site since the 1970s has been occupied by a cement works. In the distance is seen Belle Isle Up signal box that closed in 1968 and the tall North London line railway over bridge beyond which is Copenhagen Junction signal box that closed in 1967 and tunnel.

https://kingscrossenvironment.files.wor ... n-1954.jpg
User avatar
StevieG
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 2353
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:08 pm
Location: Near the GN main line in N.Herts.

Re: Belle Isle in 1954

Post by StevieG »

Not sure about functioning as a mortuary, but the building was the London end station from which the GNR's short-lived c.1870s funeral train service ran to the special station north of New Southgate for the Great Northern Cemetery, and did include a church and doubtless several other ancilliary rooms.
I believe I've read that this station's platform(s?) are not visible in the photo because they were demolished when the extra tunnel bores were driven, that cutting side retaining wall built, and lines laid, into KX, on the east side of the original main tracks.
BZOH

/
\ \ \ //\ \
/// \ \ \ \
giner
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 1558
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 5:17 am
Location: Alberta - ex. Stevenage

Re: Belle Isle in 1954

Post by giner »

I've never seen one, but I wonder if any photos exist of the 'special station'. Given the name of Cemetery signal box and its location just south of the tunnels, I'm guessing the station would have been where, in my day, was Standard Telephones and Cable was. It's the London Borough of Barnet offices these days.
Mickey

Re: Belle Isle in 1954

Post by Mickey »

A strange little story regarding Belle Isle is of my dad who died back in 1970 is of him telling me back in 1968 or 1969 that he had once visited Belle Isle signal box one day while delivering something or other to the box although he never worked on the railways at anytime as far as I ever knew and no dates were mentioned when this visit had taken place either but at a guess it would have been sometime between the 1920s or 1930s as I believe he did at sometime during those years work as a delivery driver and he also lived in the north London area either around Barnsbury or the Angel during those years anyway no mention of which box had it been either was it Belle Isle Down box or the more common Belle Isle Up box because to him a signal box was just a signal box plus the visit had by the time that he told me had taken place some 40+ years earlier!.
User avatar
StevieG
LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
Posts: 2353
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2009 9:08 pm
Location: Near the GN main line in N.Herts.

Re: Belle Isle in 1954

Post by StevieG »

Quite so, giner.
BZOH

/
\ \ \ //\ \
/// \ \ \ \
Post Reply