Kings Cross on the BBC

[Mickey]

Deleted

[strang steel]

Last night's episode was quite interesting, as it concentrated on Leeds and all the external activities which can bring the railway to a halt.

I think it was aimed mainly at the complaining traveller, because it showed just how a simple thing like a blocked road drain in the wrong place, can lead to flooding of the nearby track, and a complete suspension of services until the water is diverted away.

Cable thieves and children trespassing were also given decent coverage.

I had no idea that there was a real ale "railway pub crawl" from Batley to Stalybridge, but judging by the appalling behaviour of the drunken adults, I will be giving that route a miss on summer Saturdays.

[kudu]

I had no idea that there was a real ale "railway pub crawl" from Batley to Stalybridge, but judging by the appalling behaviour of the drunken adults, I will be giving that route a miss on summer Saturdays.

I was unaware of the problems highlighted at Marsden in particular, but there is indeed a string of pubs along the Leeds-Manchester route. In the Manchester direction, there is direct access to pubs at Dewsbury and Huddersfield (2) and in the reverse direction at Stalybridge, with more pubs close to stations such as Marsden. Recommended to all responsible beer drinkers.

Kudu

[Mickey]

Deleted

[strang steel]

I have only been in one pub close by Kings Cross, and I don't remember the name. However, it was on the opposite side of Euston road to the station, or it may have been just at the start of Pentonville or Grays Inn Road.

I remember very little about it, except that it was a very dark and rather shabby joint, but the beer seemed expensive compared to prices we payed further afield. This would be in the mid 70s.

I used to like the bar at Marylebone, which served a selection of real ales and was a pleasant place to spend an hour or so.

Next weeks tv episode features Paddington to Reading, or so I was told.

[Mickey]

Deleted

[kudu]

Tonight's episode (5 March) is on the WCML. I should learn a lot from this, judging by the Radio Times piece on this programme. I quote: "But while there's a stampede in London (or Liverpool, if there's football on), there's a signalman at Blea Moor, near the Ribblehead viaduct in Cumbria, working old-fashioned levers and bells and reading books between trains."

I really must try harder to keep up with all the changes on the modern railway.

Kudu

[Mickey]

Deleted

[giner]

I caught some of the show on computer here this afternoon. Very nicely done. The signalman at Blea Moor seemed the most contented of the lot of them.

Couldn't believe the 'bible' on train delays, including the bit about bird strikes and the pheasant being the benchmark for size - smaller than that and one company gets the bill, larger than a pheasant and another company gets the bill - and to the tune of 200 quid a minute.

What else struck me was how angry people get at the customer service folks when they get delayed. I don't remember people getting abusive back in the day. You just went for a cuppa and hoped for the best.

[StevieG]

" .... Couldn't believe the 'bible' on train delays, including the bit about bird strikes and the pheasant being the benchmark for size - smaller than that and one company gets the bill, larger than a pheasant and another company gets the bill - and to the tune of 200 quid a minute. .... "

And IIRC, an on-track fatality which is a 'non-suspicious deliberate act' (suicide cannot formally be judged on site) goes down to Network Rail; UNLESS, it is at a station, and the unfortunate person can be proved, or is most probable, to have got onto the track from a public area of the station, in which case, the station operator (train operating company) takes the delay.

[ragtimer]

At Southall (Suicide City) they eventually employed a guy to patrol the platforms to prevent suicides.

[sandwhich]

Tuesdays episode was very good and although passenger figures were inflated in parts because of the FA cup, if any proof was needed that HS2 is needed, it was there on this programme, and this was made in 2012 and more people are travelling now.

[kudu]

Tuesday 5th episode included more on King's Cross, as well as the Ebbw Vale branch and Merseyrail. If anyone recorded it and has still got it they might be able to answer my "where is it?" question.

17 mins in, just before going to King's Cross there were some aerial pics. Some were of King's Cross/St Pancras itself but just before there were also a couple of views of what must have been the Southern. 4-track main line without o/h wiring, a station with 2 island platforms crossed by a double-track line without platforms. Another line crosses just beyond the station at an angle and then roughly parallel to the 4-track line is another double track line, 3rd rail clearly visible, with some pointwork. There are large blocks of flats in view. The 2 views of this scene are separated by a view of the main line out of Paddington (I think), and were immediately preceded by an aerial view featuring the Shard.

Can anyone help? It's frustrating not to be able to identify a scene crammed with so much rail activity, but nothing seems to fit.

Kudu

[watcheronthebridge]

Some were of King's Cross/St Pancras itself but just before there were also a couple of views of what must have been the Southern. 4-track main line without o/h wiring, a station with 2 island platforms crossed by a double-track line without platforms. Another line crosses just beyond the station at an angle and then roughly parallel to the 4-track line is another double track line, 3rd rail clearly visible, with some pointwork. There are large blocks of flats in view.

The station with 2 island platforms is Queenstown Road (Battersea). Those large blocks of flats are Turpin House, Park Court, Connor Court etc. on Strasburg Road, Battersea.

[kudu]

Many thanks, watcher! I had looked at Battersea but was wrong about 2 island platforms - a closer look shows just 3 faces (which is one more than I thought Queen's Road had anyway).

Another triumph for the Forum.

Kudu