9F's on the East Coast Main line in the 50's & 60's Pt 1

[neildimmer]

Hi All

I have added some new photos of BR Standard 9F's to the steam loco website, including photos of
92141 at Kings Cross
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87767.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87766.html
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87768.html
92036 unknown location
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87769.html
92041 unknown location
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87760.html
92044 unknown location
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87757.html
92047 Stockport 10/8/67 (Bill Wright)
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87753.html
92090 Annesley 1961
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87764.html
92094 Chester 31/1/66 (Bill Wright)
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87772.html
92134 preserved unknown location
http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87752.html

Neil

[YNMR]

Neil,
92134 is on the NYMR at High Mill, Pickering in the early 1980's - It had not long arrived from Barry.

regards
Graham

[neildimmer]

Neil,
92134 is on the NYMR at High Mill, Pickering in the early 1980's - It had not long arrived from Barry.

regards
Graham

Thanks Graham, caption updated

Neil

[chaz harrison]

The picture of 92199 is of a down fitted goods (heading north) at Welwyn North. The overhanging signal bracket used to carry an up home and the post on the left had co-acting down starters. Beyond the platform railing were a couple of sidings, one from the goods shed, that trailed into the down line just before the tunnel.

I spent many a happy hour at Welwyn North watching 9Fs etc, whilst hoping for a streak!

Chaz

[neildimmer]

The picture of 92199 is of a down fitted goods (heading north) at Welwyn North. The overhanging signal bracket used to carry an up home and the post on the left had co-acting down starters. Beyond the platform railing were a couple of sidings, one from the goods shed, that trailed into the down line just before the tunnel.

I spent many a happy hour at Welwyn North watching 9Fs etc, whilst hoping for a streak!

Chaz

Thanks Chaz

Captions updated

Neil

[R. pike]

http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87759.html

Is from the overbridge featured in the poster 'On early shift'..

http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/resu ... e=10173369

Some of the other shots are round there too nearer the new tunnel..

Edit.. I'm pretty sure this shot is near the site of Greenwood box..

http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87771.html

[StevieG]

Neil,

92044 is on the Down Fast, about to pass through Welwyn Garden City station.

[neildimmer]

Neil,

92044 is on the Down Fast, about to pass through Welwyn Garden City station.

Thanks, i have updated caption

Neil

[StevieG]

http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87759.html

Is from the overbridge featured in the poster 'On early shift'..

http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/resu ... e=10173369

Little doubt that this location is correctly identified by RP.
The 'local' railwaymen's name for this structure about 300 yards south of Greenwood box was 'Folly Farm bridge', and the colour-light signals in the background make the period almost certainly as post-the 1959 quadrupling north to Potters Bar.

Some of the other shots are round there too nearer the new tunnel..
Edit.. I'm pretty sure this shot is near the site of Greenwood box..

http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87771.html

It's entirely understandable to think of Greenwood as the location of this shot, in which case it would've been taken very close to Greenwood box's site, with Hadley South Tunnel just behind the photographer.
I also thought that's where it was, initially.
But now I don't think so (though I can't place where it would be instead).

Bearing in mind that the quadrupling included new 2-track bores on the west side of the originals, the tracks at Greenwood in such a view would be separating into two pairs (assuming there is a fourth, out of shot to the right), but those in the photo show one pair of tracks with a wideway on either side, and another line at far left. This (again, assuming a 4th line to right) would admirably fit the approach to Wood Green or Barnet tunnels, (with their single-track bores on both sides), yet the background doesn't suit the south or north end of those either.

The almost identical view companion photo of 92149 at the same location -

http://www.steamlocomotives.photos.gb.n ... 87756.html,

also reveals housing (possibly bungalows?) just over/beyond the top ridge of the low cutting in the left background : - - Puzzling indeed.
If definitely LNER, could it be somewhere much further north?
Are the tracks separating for something other than a tunnel; like bridge piers?
Is it in fact, only a 3-track location?
Any track experts recognise the little concrete posts in the 4-foot and just beside the track, as possibly used only in particular Regions/Grouping companies / areas?

[R. pike]

I am convinced it is Greenwood. A quick look at Google Earth clinches it for me. There is a public footpath on the down side that would give the view seen here with the tops of the housing just visible.

The concrete items in the four foot are alignment markers. They make very nice supports for garden railways..

[StevieG]

I take it back; Just realised there are two roads on the left, not just one : Yes, Greenwood it is.

But there was no footpath this close to the tunnel, not for the 25 years that I lived two miles away anyway; - From New Barnet (Station Road) to the Folly Farm overbridge, yes; and you could then carry on northwards along the boundary fence through the Hadley Woods to about halfway to Greenwood box and the tunnel, but then that was it; Back gardens of the housing on the down side reached right to the boundary fence for the rest of the way.

[R. pike]

I had a wander round the woods couple of years back while i was twiddling my thumbs and scratching other parts waiting for the permanent way to finish relaying the up slow so i could reconnect the signalling equipment. I'd say the whole quadrupling was a quality job apart from the culvert south of the tunnel on the new lines. It seems they didn't know what to do with it. Even on google earth it shows up.

Greenwood box in it's last weeks...

http://richard2890.fotopic.net/p55693668.html

[Bryan]

The concrete items in the four foot are alignment markers. They make very nice supports for garden railways..

Normally only found in the 6ft on double track and in the 4ft of single lines.
So why are they doubled up here?
Spacing seems a bit closer than normal as well.

[giner]

Re. the Greenwood location, it just looks to me that those bungalows, if that's what they are, are situated just too low. To my recollection, those bungalows are indeed on the down side with their gardens extending down to the railway fence, but they are at least on the same level or a smidge higher than the lines. They just seem way too low in the photo, and I don't remember any embankment of any kind between the railway and the houses. How I'd love to take a stroll along there again - one of the ECML's lovely spots.

[StevieG]

Through the 1960s and possibly for quite a time after, someone had a name-board from Greenwood signal box propped up, facing the line, at the bottom of one of those down side gardens, as if wanting to keep the location's name alive.
No doubt 'Greenwood' disappeared from official publications on the passing of the box and the completion of the quadrupling, leaving just four 'straight' lines with automatic signalling.