Ashburton Grove

[StevieG]

Richard, is this what you mean

Quite believe you saw these from the Up line, RP, but I think this view is from roughly just off the north end of Drayton Park platform, with the visible track being part of the long north end crossover (K2060) connecting the present-day Up and Down Moorgate lines, which lines are out of shot, respectively right and left: Old northbound GN&C tunnel on the left; southbound on the right.

[Mickey]

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[StevieG]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_City_Line

I think that the opening summary in this wickedpedia item is a bit 'iffy' in places, but from memories of what I've variously read over the years, I don't think there's much wrong with the "History" section.
Would only add that : -

- the Moorgate crash happened in Platform 9 (some may think of this as the 'Down' platform - it leads straight off into the Down Moorgate line) [a pity, because its overrun tunnel was quite short and confined, with sand drag, and it ends in a solid wall].
The LT guide of an official visit to the NCL platforms when in the 1975-76 'limbo' between end of LT service and beginning of BR trains, related that at the time, that it was fortunate that it happened in that platform, as, in the other platform (No.10), between the buffer stop and the 'Wikip'-mentioned still-present Greathead shield, there was a temporary mess-room hut for workers creating the new BR 'Finsbury Circus' Feeder Station in one of the station's disused lift shafts, in which, at the time of the crash, the men were having breakfast, so had the train entered Platform 10 and failed to stop, the toll of casualties might have been higher still.

- The GN&CR's 'original power station' site is still a TPH ('Track Paralleling Hut'), where the four DC conductor rail sections in the NCL tunnel section (71-74 ; two on each line) meet, and can be switched together or isolated from each other : This location is known as "Poole Street", and the side passage leading away perpendicularly from the Up 'tube' in a roughly NE direction, and in which the switching gear is situate (& which probably still leads to a staired vertical access shaft to/from open air), can be glimpsed from passing up trains, not much less than halfway from Essex Road to Old Street stations, thanks to its few 'ceiling' flourescent lights always being on.

- The commencement of through 'GN Electrics' inner suburban services over the Northern City Line [Actually Nov. (the 8th?) 1976; the services from Aug.'76 were only Drayton Park-Moorgate shuttles (good trial-running for the new 313 units perhaps; actually they initially carried no passengers either way between Old street & Moorgate, until Moorgate platform &/or escalator works were sufficiently complete], as well as causing the Fins.Pk.- Broad Street to cease, also saw the end of the GN line's Moorgate services via King's Cross, York Road; the 'City Widened lines', "Hotel Curve Tunnel", and King's Cross platform 14, (and led to closure of platforms 11-14).

- As well as the High Barnet branch being the "only part" of the 'New Works 1935-40' scheme to actually happen, the GN's Edgware line from Finchley Central (originally "Church End, Finchley") was also electrified and taken into the UndergrounD 'Tube' network, but only as far as Mill Hill East; I believe, given that this was then in wartime, that this part was done mainly because the Northern Line's train's could then serve for those travelling to/from the nearby military barracks: The section beyond Mill Hill East, to Edgware, was retained only for BR(E) goods traffic, which eventually ended, following which that section was closed and lifted.

[StevieG]

" .... I notice that underneath the Up starting signal towards Cannonbury Junction (North London Railway) there is a 'subsidary signal' i presume that this is a 'Warning signal' (section clear-Junction blocked). .... "

No, it was a Shunt-Ahead arm, Micky, so that long trains could drop forward prior to shunting back (for which 32 dolly was there, just to repeat 31, while being visible to drivers beyond the starter/SA arm and the adjacent quite sharp double bend in the Up line, to get the Up and Down lines together beyond where the Run-round loop spur/buffer stop ended in the middle.
I think I only knew of two shunt-ahead's in the whole area (the other was at Goods & Mineral).

" .... All in all a fairly complicated track layout for a bit of a 'backwater' location. "

... It was a 65-lever Saxby & F. frame of some sort IIRC, though there were at least around 15 spares by 1969.

[Mickey]

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[StevieG]

" I find the whole place quite complicated. I have diagrams for a few other FP boxes but where were they all? No7 was up top on the Highgate line i know. .... "

Still needing to know where any of the nine were, RP?
The Down and Up boxes (in that order) at the north end of the station were Nos. 5 & 6; at the south end they were Nos. 3 & 4, No.2 was on the 'low level' Down side lines, alongside FP Diesel Depot's sidings, and East Goods Yard was on the Up side, just north of Bridge 12, where three Canonbury lines and the Up Carriage pass under the main line.
The rest, I think either you, or we, have mentioned or shown their locations herein. (correct?)

[macduff]

StevieG, i took this photo back in May 2012. It is taken from br12 above the up/dn canonbury line. The back of the signal is K377 for the down Canonbury direction.The arches next to the old creep up can be seen going in to the jungle and the old track bed is still there.

[R. pike]

I am starting to like FINSBURY PARK No.1 i may even do a replica drawing of the track diagram for myself, i am thinking about it?.

I could just run you off a copy.

[R. pike]

This one is different..

[R. pike]

StevieG, i took this photo back in May 2012. It is taken from br12 above the up/dn canonbury line. The back of the signal is K377 for the down Canonbury direction.The arches next to the old creep up can be seen going in to the jungle and the old track bed is still there.

Where did the creep up join the main? I suspect it was here but who controlled the points?..

[macduff]

Richard, i am not too sure but i think it is on the diagram of Ashburton Grove.

[R. pike]

This is on the SRS website..

http://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/lner/E3.gif

[macduff]

That's the one Richard.

[Mickey]

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[StevieG]

I might like to think that Ashburton's diagram went to York, but I honestly don't know.

RP, the 'creep-up' joining the main line, which was your question I think, is seen on your Holl.N.Up diagram : It is the "Up Carriage", with No. 74 facing trap points (normally closed) just beyond the Home, from where trains could reach any Up line, including use of No.80 Home signal lever and stencil route indication to reach the Up Fast. (Ironically, if you look at the track layout and its home signal details, you will find that the UF could NOT be reached from the intervening Up Coal line - best that could be done from there was to the Up Slow, then go Up Slow --> UF at South Up box.)
Now you may be puzzled by the trailing points further back on the Up Carriage line, seemingly in no-man's land?

Now I never saw this used as such, but those were the top end sprung points, or possibly sometimes known elsewhere as '1-way handpoints', of an in-section run-round loop, not controlled by any box : The bottom end (two points) can be seen on the linked-to SRS website diagram of Ashburton.
Seems to me that ECS trains for King's Cross were probably hauled from Holloway Carriage Sidings to Fins. Park No.2, then allowed to propel along the "Up Carriage"/'creep-up' past Ashburton box and onto the slope, stop in-section, and run-round, using that sprung/hand points loop arrangement (3 sets of point switches in all), and then draw forward to, and away through, Holloway North Up.