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London to Woking via Staines

Discussion in 'Bullhead Memories' started by Big Al, Nov 26, 2015.

  1. Big Al

    Big Al Nat Pres stalwart Staff Member Moderator

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    We have come to accept that if you want steam out of London down the SWML, then the chances are that you will leave from Victoria and go to Woking via Clapham Junction and Staines. If you are lucky then you might get a path straight out of Waterloo (and occasionally back) but these have become increasingly rare events. An hour and a half to do a journey that would normally take 30 minutes on the direct route is hardly a good way to start a day out but there you go.

    That said, the fact that a diversionary route is available is quite useful and SWT use it a lot at weekends to take some of their longer distance trains in and out of London to avoid partial line closures in the Wimbledon/Clapham area. It was also a popular option when steam was around. We are almost exactly 50 years to the day of this post from when yours truly - the track basher - got wind of London bound diversions on Sunday 28/11/65. So never having travelled on a steam service train 'around the houses', I set off from Waterloo on a quick return to Woking.

    For a reason that I can't remember, down trains went via the normal route and I joined 34079 on the unusual 0934 excursion service heading for Bournemouth. We ran local line from Waterloo and I therefore enjoyed a passage through Clapham Junction at well above the normal 40 mph limit that applied on the main. We picked up at Wimbledon and Surbiton before joining the main for the final 12 miles to Woking. There I waited for the next up service that was going via Staines. In rolled 35013 from Bournemouth, on time and with 64 minutes (not an hour and a half) allowed for our journey to London.

    The train was pathed via Twickenham (not the tedious Hounslow Loop) and apart from a slight delay approaching Virginia Water, we ran straight through with no checks and came to a stand at the re-timed arrival of 1254.

    Nothing memorable from the point of view of loco performance but definitely memorable for the route, the train and the loco.
     
    Big Al, Nov 26, 2015
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  2. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    I seem to remember the Waterloo departure being 09.33 but we won't argue over 1 minute, it was a heavy train and I took quite a few pictures of it leaving Wimledon from the footbridge to the south of the station. I haven't yet scanned any of these but a shot at Farborough below shows it behind now preserved 34023.
    The route of your return journey is interesting, particularly as I'm sure MNs were barred from the Richmond line and Staines in those days so the Civil Engineer would have been a bit miffed. Who would have thought that almost 50 years later if your wallet was big enough you could travel the same route behind a MN in Pullman comfort. I think this sort of thing was quite common though, a Jubilee once got to Brighton on an excursion and the CE did find out and insisted it was towed back with an empty boiler, overlooking the fact that having successfully negotiated the Brighton main line there was every chance it would not come to grief on the way back. I also saw a B1 impounded on Redhill Shed as they were not allowed on the Brighton line while Black 5s were, very mysterious were the workings of the Southern CE department.

    Earlier in my spotting days I arrived at Holborn Viaduct Station to see a Parcels train running in behind a Hither Green N1. An overheard telephone conversation by the Station foreman went something like this. " I thought the Woolwich's weren't allowed over Blackfriars Bridge?" Pause " I'm station foreman at Holborn and I've got one here so what do you want to do?" I didn't wait around to see the outcome of that one.

    I think the largest engines allowed across Blackfriars Bridge were D1 and E1 4-4-0s which is why they always worked the much photographed 07.24 London Bridge - Ramsgate which started from Holborn Viaduct as a parcels train.

    image.jpg
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2015
    Johnb, Nov 27, 2015
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  3. CH 19

    CH 19 Well-Known Member Friend

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    Hi just want to say that there is something about this photo, can't rationally define it but one of the best captures of 'the machine at work'
     
    CH 19, Dec 12, 2015
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  4. Johnb

    Johnb Nat Pres stalwart

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    Thanks for your comments, it is unfortunately not a great reproduction. I made the mistake of using Agfa CT18 which has not aged very well but thank goodness for Photoshop that has given me the facility to bring back something of the original colours, pity about the grain.
    Back then it's hard to believe but Kodachrome 25 was 10 bob more and at 50 ASA Agfa gave an extra stop. Nowadays I'm quite often using the equivelent of 1000-2000 ASA with my DSLR camera.
     
    Johnb, Dec 12, 2015
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