Kings Cross

[Mickey]

Deleted

[strang steel]

Thanks Micky.

That was the first time that I remember seeing a plan with that curve on.

Just imagine the possibilities - Brush 2 and non vestibule coaches Welwyn Garden City through to Ealing Broadway.

[silverfox]

Srang, That site has ispired me to get out the french lessons again!

[Mickey]

Deleted

[sandwhich]

Yes you are all right about the trip cocks, normally just the banjo was checked and off you would go, but we had one Inspector who was a bit pedantic and who would just show up at anytime and anywhere, one evening he was at York Road to check that both handles were in the down position on all trains going down the widened lines.
Also it was at a time when Brush Type 2s were coming and going and of course any transferred in did not have a trip cock fitted, one morning we were given one and were told there was nothing more available so we had to take it, LU were informed and we went to Moorgate so some did get through without this equipment. Why they did not swop it for another loco on ECS work I dont know.
The BR Sulzers were used for both passenger and freight workings and were of course trip cock fitted, but when on freight workings the banjo had to in the up position both ends before leaving Ferme Park, the reason for this is that once these trains got up to the top of Snow Hill incline they ran onto third rail.
There never was a booking office at York Road because of its exit only status, but it was staffed in the morning peak hour with one platform member of staff and a couple of ticket collectors. Also the other Kings Cross platform at the bottom of the bank was also at that time exit only and the down platform I am led to beleive ceased to be used during the 1930s. As is well known both platforms were reinstated for Thameslink and at times became dangerously overcrowded before final closure and a new station at St Pancras International was constructed.

[Mickey]

Deleted

[StevieG]

Excuse my ignorance, but this page http://mediarail.be/UK_Thameslink/Metro ... 863_02.htm shows a west curve called Maiden Lane curve. Where did that begin? And how did it cross the hotel curve?

Was it all just a complex junction, or was the Maiden Lane curve taken out many years earlier?

Sorry, it may be explained in the text, but I dont do French very well.

Neither do I, but I've put the two sections of text under the heading Premieres exploitations (one section to the left of the Maiden Lane Curve diagram, the other below it) through the http://www.dictionary.com 'Translator' (a bit laborious as it seems to only handle a few lines at a time), and below is the mostly intelligible result (I've put in a few guessed (italicised) corrections of vocabulary) :

First exploitations
The argument between GNR and GWR directed the latter has to withdraw its park rolling (rolling stock) with broad way (gauge) until a solution was found. Metropolitan, deprived of equipment but having to hold its obligations to exploit, due then to temporarily take in hiring equipment 1,435mm of the GNR and the LNWR and a first commissioning took place on August 11th, 1863. The GWR remained absent until October 1st, 1863: at this date, the two companies roll on the mixed ways (dual gauge) 1,435/2,140mm of Metropolitan. Success is immediate on both sides, and even obliges to constantly create direct services of Paddington with Farringdon. In December 1865, the line pushes of Farringdon with Moorgate, in the middle of City, increasing still a little more traffic already close to saturation. Metropolitan meanwhile built its own vehicle fleet with the result that three companies are superimposed on a two-track line.

The local situation with King-Cross-country race in 1863 is represented above and on the left: one sees the curve there (2) is entitled later York Road Station framing the station of King-Cross-country race with the Western curve (3) known as Curve Hotel, of the name of Great Northern adjacent Hotel (4). A third curve does not appear yet towards St Pancras which will occur only in 1868 (5). Finally the curve known as Maiden Lane Curve (6), would have allowed the trains of the GNR directly continuing North of London towards Paddington. It will never be used and will quickly be removed iron (de-tracked) after 1868. Conversely, both curves of King-Cross-country race (-which continue directly) towards the line of Metropolitan will be used until June 1976. Widened Line does not appear yet on this diagram but is already in gestation.

[hyperion]

During my too short spell as second man at KGX 1965-1969 I recall an occasion on a Brush4 when we were stopped with - I think, I hope! it was ecs - outside Gasworks and when the board came off we were routed for York Way and the 'hole'. I was out of my seat and preparing to get down to the phone when my driver - who shall remain nameless - gave a chuckle, told me to sit down, said 'if that's what they want', dropped the brake off and away we rolled into the tunnel and so into York Road platform where, of course many things happened ! My memory of which way they eventually let us out, amid the clamour of hysterical inspectors of all departments, loco foremen exiled from the Passenger Loco, and various other varieties of staff, is unfortunately confused - probably over the above aforementioned points - but there was the jack-catch in the tunnel to get by ? I do know that at the end of it all and by the time we got across into a platform my driver was beginning to wish he hadna done it, was no longer chuckling - and I hadn't chuckled at all !

[Bryan]

Using Google Chrome I find that any foreign Language text comes up with a bar across the top of the page asking if I would like it translated automatically. Nothing to do just click the button.

[StevieG]

Thanks Bryan. Haven't gone to Chrome but didn't know it had that facility.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

Sorry Micky I missed your post, Yes, when pulling away from York Rd, you only needed a short burst of power to get the back end of the train over the hump, after that you daren't put power on or you'd speed up to much, even at the low speed we were doing, you'd be rattling around in your seat, hanging on, you only put power back on when you were going through Kings Cross Met.

I never knew there was another junction and tunnel down there, just shows how blind we were going down the drain, I cannot explain how incredibly noisy it was, especially if you were passing another loco going up the Hotel curve, the thump of a class 31, working flat out, in those tiny tunnels and combining that with the squeal of the flanges as it lurched and banged around the curves, then there was our train just putting on power, also you had a 'Tube' whining past, incredible memories.
All of that was with only the barest minimum of light, just the odd flicker from the passing train.
manna

[Mickey]

Deleted

[StevieG]

G'Day Gents " .... I never knew there was another junction and tunnel down there, just shows how blind we were going down the drain, .... "
manna

I'm not unduly surprised manna. A tunnel where few would've known or been bothered about, in that degree of darkness, that apparently never saw a train, said to be trackless since 1868, may even have been partly or completely bricked up, you're thinking about putting up with all that noise, and probably staring forward to see the next signal; - I'm not surprised!
It could've been as difficult to spot as some of the several Underground stations closed some 75-90 years ago from 'tube' passenger saloon windows.

[strang steel]

Interesting photo here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/72123072@N ... otostream/

I am a little confused as to exactly where the photo was taken from, but I am sure that many will know very well.

[Andy W]

Taken from the walkway to the Pass Loco portakabins, looking towards the surburban (former 16 and 17). Early to mid 1980's shot with the pass loco largely lifted apart from one line. 16 and 17 have been replaced by a staff car park, with a hole punched in the wall in Cheney Road to gain access via a ramp. The Sherpa could be the night crew bus for the drivers.

The 2 Motorail vans behind the cl.31 are TCVs, capacity two cars on the bottom tier and (nominally) four on top. The bottom tier was locked out on all these vehicles for a few years after a fatal accident to a member of staff at KX but by this time they were coming back into use, after modifications. The building behind the stock is the German Gym, now nicely restored.

The building to the right of the stock is Culross Buildings. The two facing windows you see on the first floor are the office of the KX C&W accomodation (actually the Supervisors office) and if your eyes follow the block on the right hand (Battlebridge road) side, you will see a light above the second archway. That doorway was the short cut between Battlebridge Road and the station, reached by wooden stairs on the station side. Culross Buildings also housed the City Mission and along from that doorway, a considerable number of flats, housing, in the main, railway staff or retired railway staff. The ground floor accomodation, reached only by the station side housed the local civils and was gas lit until the early 1980's, when they were closed up.

Really nice shot - now why didn't I take one like that!