Belle Isle s/box.

[Mickey]

I was just wondering if Belle Isle (up s/box just north of Kings Cross) the one that most people know was the original s/box to be called Belle Isle?. I may be wrong but back in 1970 i bought an Ian Allan book called L.N.E.R. Album (there was subsequently an L.N.E.R. Album volume two mainly showing pictures from the northern division of the L.N.E.R.) and in one of the pictures there is a picture taken from the line side between the up and down lines looking south towards Gas works tunnel sometime around 1925-30 (i don't think the picture was dated?) that shows a signal box (presumedly Belle Isle?) which appears nearer to Gas works tunnel and a bit further south then where the other Belle Isle s/box was situated later on. Also the s/box in the picture looks to me more like a structure simular to that of Ashburton Grove or Cemetery s/boxes rather then the other Belle Isle s/box we know of?. I havan't seen this picture for 40 years so i maybe totally wrong and there wasn't a previous Belle Isle s/box but it stayed in my mind all these years so i just thought i would mention it and see if anyone knows if there was a previous Belle Isle s/box rather then the one everyone either remembers or has seen pictures of?. Micky G.N.R/L.N.E.R.

[AndyRush]

Micky

The first box named Belle Isle appears to have opened c.1878. It was renamed Belle Isle Down on 21.06.1886 when the new Belle Isle Up box opened in connection with the provision of the third Copenhagen tunnel. Belle Isle Down (at 0m 49ch) was closed in February 1935, and Belle Isle Up (at 0m 57¼ch) on 22.01.1968. Belle Isle Down can be seen in the F R Hebron picture on p57 of LNER Album Vol.1

Regards

Andy

[chaz harrison]

I was just wondering if Belle Isle (up s/box just north of Kings Cross) the one that most people know was the original s/box to be called Belle Isle?. I may be wrong but back in 1970 i bought an Ian Allan book called L.N.E.R. Album (there was subsequently an L.N.E.R. Album volume two mainly showing pictures from the northern division of the L.N.E.R.) and in one of the pictures there is a picture taken from the line side between the up and down lines looking south towards Gas works tunnel sometime around 1925-30 (i don't think the picture was dated?) .

Micky,
I've just got my copy of L.N.E.R. Album down from the roof and had a search through for the picture to which you refer. The loco is a B3, No 6169, on the down Harrogate Pullman. The signal box is a small one. Unfortunately I can't post the picture (copyright), but it is an interesting one with a D2 and a couple of Stirling saddle tanks visible in the yard beyond the wall. The picture is dated - July 13th 1926.

Chaz

[Mickey]

Thanks very much Andy and Chaz, believe it or not i have just seen a picture of said s/box this morning in a book called Eastern main line, Kings Cross to Potters Bar published by Middleton press (the series of books that i am sure most of you are aware of?) anyway you are correct Andy and Chaz thanks for confirming said photograph Chaz (i havan't seen it in 40 years!) there was a 'Belle Isle DOWN s/box' just outside Gas works tunnel back in GNR days lasting into early L.N.E.R. days. Well i'll be damned all the years that i've been interested in the GNR i NEVER knew that there was a Belle Isle DOWN s/box it just just goes to show one never knows everything about a chosen subject!. Thanks again guy's. Micky GNR/L.N.E.R.

[StevieG]

...... Despite B.I.D.'s earlier demise, I think (fingers crossed ! : probably much later photos in books/mags. might show ; or not), that Belle Isle Up kept it's "Up" nameboard for a very long time*; perhaps until the end.

* - (If the "Up" name did remain on display after 'Down' had gone, although arguably unnecessary, it would still have been helpfully descriptive to train etc. staff.)

[Mickey]

Blimey!. I have only seen 'one picture' taken in Belle Isle that shows Belle Isle down s/box and that picture was taken from a 'fair distance' the same picture that appears in the L.N.E.R. Album published in 1970. Talk about rare pictures of Belle Isle down s/box one picture in 40 years!!!. Maybe the location was a bit hard to get access to?. Anyway i foundout to day that not only was there a 'down south London goods line' at Belle Isle there turned out to be a 'up south London goods line' going in the other direction!!!. It's mentioned in the Middleton press book called Kings Cross to Potters Bar if anyones interested. Yes Stevie Belle Isle up s/box kept the 'up' until the end which according to whats printed in said book says that Copenhagen Junction s/box (down lines only) closed in 1967 and Belle Isle up s/box closed in 1968 just about the time i started travelling in and out of Kings Cross but i don't recall seeing Belle Isle s/box or even the redundent structure of it still standing?. Micky GNR/L.N.E.R.

[Mickey]

I am going to put my neck on the line (no pun intended because i am sitting in a signal box at the time i am writing this) but i would say that Belle Isle/Copenhagen Junction/Goods & Mineral Junction/Five Arch/Kings Cross goods yard & Top shed loco along side maybe the Finsbury Park, Ferme Park/Hornsey and the Doncaster area? was the 'most interesting place' on the whole of the GNR. Micky GNR/L.N.E.R.

[AndyRush]

...... Despite B.I.D.'s earlier demise, I think (fingers crossed ! : probably much later photos in books/mags. might show ; or not), that Belle Isle Up kept it's "Up" nameboard for a very long time*; perhaps until the end.

* - (If the "Up" name did remain on display after 'Down' had gone, although arguably unnecessary, it would still have been helpfully descriptive to train etc. staff.)

A 1960 photo I have shows the 'Up' suffix on the London end of the box at least. However the No.2 Supplement to the GN Line Sectional Appendix (August 1967) lists it as 'Belle Isle (signal up lines only)'. If anybody has pictures of the box between 1960 and 1968 we may be able to determine if it ever did actually lose the suffix.

Living in hope (St Neots actually!)

Andy

[StevieG]

Micky,
You might find it of signalling interest to look back to here : memories-t2586s150.html, within a long thread called "Memories" in the "Railway Chat" forum herein ; - the posts of between about 12th & 18th Nov. 2009.