Hadley Wood

[Mickey]

Hadley Wood s/box located at the north end of the Down main line platform. Photos of Hadley Wood box are quite rare in my experience.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?view= ... .0ItDItGY6...

[StevieG]

Indeed they sre Mickey.

Noting the lack of visible semaphore signals, I'm thinking that this image post-dates the 1930s installation of "Automatic and semi - automatic signalling" between Greenwood snd Potters Bar boxes, after which the Down Siding was retained, worked by a 'ground frame' released by Greenwood, which 'GF' I suspect was actually the former SB, as might be evidenced by the structure still being there in that photo.

[Mickey]

I believe you are correct with your assumption Stevie.

An interesting photograph though and that Down siding couldn't have held anything other than one short wheel base wagon I presume?.

There appears to be an 'electric bell' fixed above the doorway of the box in the picture?.

The aspect in the colour light auto-signal at the entrance to Hadley Wood north tunnel appears to be showing a single yellow.

[Mickey]

With G.N.R. on the tender an Ivatt large boilered Atlantic No.278 thunders past Greenwood box with a heavy Down express with Hadley Wood's 'back board' showing a nice off!!.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?view= ... .tstdRdhzk...

According to Alan Driver who had just over 50 years service as a GN/LNER fireman and also a LNER/British Railways driver claimed that-

"Some driver's on the GN if they approached and passed a distant signal at 'caution' would some times glance back along the train to watch if the distant signal was finally pulled off to clear (I presume before making a break application?) because it could save 3 or 4 minutes."

[JASd17]

Looking at the foliage I think the photo of B17 1654 will have been taken in 1947.

It was renumbered by the LNER late 1946 and received its BR number in April 1948.

A 1935 OS map shows two sidings behind the Down platform, the shorter being very approximately 150 ft, there was also a short head shunt beyond the 'box', which I too think housed the GF.

John

[Mickey]

So assuming the date is circa 1947 it would have been about another 12 years before the quadrupling work between Greenwood & Potters Bar was completed.

Regarding using the old Hadley Wood box as a GF I guess it was a logical idea during the 1940s although in later B.R. days of the 1970s & 1980s I suspect the box would have been demolished and a small lever frame of 2 or 3 levers would have been provided trackside out in the open?.

For those people who don't know the two running lines shown in the picture on the completion of the Greenwood-Potters Bar quadrupling work became the Up slow line with the B17 and it's train on it and the other line next to it became the Up fast line which they both still are to this day.

[JASd17]

I am not sure how long the sidings at Hadley Wood lasted.

There is evidence of them being there, at least partially, in early BR days.

Colour-rail slide BRE 1298 shows everything lifted by June 1953, although the 'box' is still there.

John

[Mickey]

I assume the Down sidings were abolished when the construction work on quadrupling commenced although that is only an assumption on my part it may have been abolished and lifted a few years prior to the quadrupling work?.

[JASd17]

Mickey,

I have looked at a photo of 2509 at Hadley Wood in 1935. the sidings behind the down platform have already gone, leaving just a short stub and the headshunt, enough for a wagon as you suggested,. The OS map was therefore out-of-date before it was published.

John

[Mickey]

Ok John thanks. From looking at the picture the trailing points leading off the Down line just beyond the box and disappearing behind the box does look to me like it is of a very limited length of holding one or maybe two short wheel base wagons only.

[manna]

G'day Gents

I have a picture of P2 2002, about to pass Hadley Wood, the pic would have been taken from behind the signal box, as it shows the exit from the goods yard, the loco and train, and a small ramp (up) to a couple of boxes on a post, the pic is stamped with Getty images, and a name, Douglas Miller.

Sorry I can't print it.

It's a great pity, the're so few pictures of Hadley Wood in LNER days, and very popular in four track days.

manna

Edit, I managed to find a un-credited copy on the 'Net', so here it is.

[Mickey]

A nice picture manna. Yes it shows the head shunt as well.

Yes Hadley Wood station didn't appear to be popular with many photographers back in GNR and LNER days not like the nearby Greenwood to the south.

[Mickey]

According to the Middleton Press book called Kings Cross To Potters Bar Hadley Wood s/box opened in 1884 and also the Down goods siding closed in 1950.

[Atso]

As someone who is looking to model Hadley Wood c. 1935 in N gauge, I've found this discussion most enlightening. In particular I'm very interested in the discussion about the sidings and their removal. Old-maps.co.uk has a 1938 (1:10,000 scale) that suggests that the sidings were still in place by this date (in addition to the 1:2,500 scale 1935 map).

Just out of question, is the 1935 picture of 2509 available online anywhere, I would love to see it. If anyone has a front or back view of the elusive signal box, I would be most grateful.

[JASd17]

Having had a PM from Atso I am prepared to think that the two sidings could still be there in 1935-6 and therefore potentially in place longer than that. More research/and or evidence required.

There appears to be a gate involved, does that suggest a siding for a specific trader?

John