Buckjumper
Flying Squad
I'd love to be able to replicate that Stratford ticket office in model form
All this GE talk is not helping me finalize my layout design
Go on. You know you want to...
Love Lane, B.R. (E) c.1956-59
- Thread starter Eastsidepilot
- Start date
Go on. You know you want to...
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Go on. You know you want to...
Yes I can hear the chant, in time with the rail joints, .....Shenfield stock, Shenfield stock, Shenfield stock......clickety clack, clickety clack
Col.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Go on. You know you want to...
Adrian, it'd be nice but I think nothing is left any more...for reference material. I don't know about other GE stations that might replicate that architecture as it was mostly LT inspired being under the main station, I still remember the long tunnel that led out and toward Stratford shed, there was a locked door in the tunnel and it only opened to the public on open days. I think Maryland was also a bit biased toward LT but had some GE features and the more East you went the less the LT influence became, less Art Deco, less tiles, walls and floors and more wooden floors, you know what I mean
Col the resounding sound I can hear is that wang as the 4th rail shoe hit the ramp on the Central line trains as they exited to the surface at Stratford, such a distinctive metalic sound, then the noise the doors made when opening and the dug a dug a duga of the westinghouse pump and across the platform the guards whistle and slam door stock doors over overground trains, I never heard or saw a quite Stratford interchange
even when coming out of the smoke at 11pm to our digs.Shenfield stock? or would that be Woodhead stock
mickoo
Western Thunderer
What follows is a blatant OT diversion back in time to my college days (83-85) in East London
Sunday afternoon at Manor Park, used to catch the train up for Sunday night at the digs so went early and took photos. The new order, I do like these, classics now but back then not popular....modern never is!. Class 315 Manor Park on the up electric line.
Class 312 on the Down Fast with a limited stopper to Colchester.
Next is Maryland and first a classic 309 accelerating hard after the Stratford junctions, the downhill bit helped but these units really got a shift on, I think it was 40 through Stratford but by this point she's doing a good 60 and will easily hit 75 out of the station. Those hoses and cab screens used to whistle at high speeds and the traction motor whine sounded like the motors were climbing out of the bogies.
Of GE note here is above the EMU, the remains above the power car (pantograph) are the original station buildings when the GE was 2 tracks, the electric lines came later in the late 30's note bricked up windows and the fireplace in the wall from the original building, on the right is the top of the original staircase roof down to the down platform, you can just see the markings in the brickwork where it was tied in. The shrubs cover where the floor beams would have crossed the tracks and were too low for the electrification. Maryland was converted to 4 tracks when electrification became fact in the mid 30's and those OHLE portals possibly pre date WWII by several years. The old station building was torn down to make headway for the OHLE and a new one added behind me with the entrance onto Leytonstone road. The war stopped the rebuild and it wasn't completed until the mid 50's
Not a good shot but she's now away at a right ole lick toward Forest Gate. Note original electrification 4 aspect light from 1500V DC days, maybe even before? Seem to recall the GE was resignalled before the electrification, they're all gone now I think.
I think this one is the same day which is odd as Freightliners don't tend to run on Sundays so maybe an extra but this one is bound for Fords car factory at Dagenham, she's pulling hard to minimise delays on the down fast and will shortly cross over all the lines and take the Barking branch just before Forest Gate. This was and still is a major headache for Railtrack, switching freights from the electric lines across the fast line and then onto the North London just creates massive jams, that's why there's now a massive push to send these trains north from Ipswich to basically free up this crossover bottle neck, certainly of Felixstowe bound trains, Tilbury and now Gateway still have to cross over here, actually, the paths gained by sending FLX trains north will now be used by new Gateway services, there's no or few paths left for all three services across this junction.
My platform for the up electric services at Manor Park, this is a non stopper from Southend on the up electric line, these services never stopped, nor Chelmsford or Colchester services, only Shenfield services stopped at Manor Park and they were all 315s by that time, anything else that came under that bridge was going pretty fast and not stopping
There will now be a short intermission, where upon normal service shall be resumed.
Sunday afternoon at Manor Park, used to catch the train up for Sunday night at the digs so went early and took photos. The new order, I do like these, classics now but back then not popular....modern never is!. Class 315 Manor Park on the up electric line.
Class 312 on the Down Fast with a limited stopper to Colchester.
Next is Maryland and first a classic 309 accelerating hard after the Stratford junctions, the downhill bit helped but these units really got a shift on, I think it was 40 through Stratford but by this point she's doing a good 60 and will easily hit 75 out of the station. Those hoses and cab screens used to whistle at high speeds and the traction motor whine sounded like the motors were climbing out of the bogies.
Of GE note here is above the EMU, the remains above the power car (pantograph) are the original station buildings when the GE was 2 tracks, the electric lines came later in the late 30's note bricked up windows and the fireplace in the wall from the original building, on the right is the top of the original staircase roof down to the down platform, you can just see the markings in the brickwork where it was tied in. The shrubs cover where the floor beams would have crossed the tracks and were too low for the electrification. Maryland was converted to 4 tracks when electrification became fact in the mid 30's and those OHLE portals possibly pre date WWII by several years. The old station building was torn down to make headway for the OHLE and a new one added behind me with the entrance onto Leytonstone road. The war stopped the rebuild and it wasn't completed until the mid 50's
Not a good shot but she's now away at a right ole lick toward Forest Gate. Note original electrification 4 aspect light from 1500V DC days, maybe even before? Seem to recall the GE was resignalled before the electrification, they're all gone now I think.
I think this one is the same day which is odd as Freightliners don't tend to run on Sundays so maybe an extra but this one is bound for Fords car factory at Dagenham, she's pulling hard to minimise delays on the down fast and will shortly cross over all the lines and take the Barking branch just before Forest Gate. This was and still is a major headache for Railtrack, switching freights from the electric lines across the fast line and then onto the North London just creates massive jams, that's why there's now a massive push to send these trains north from Ipswich to basically free up this crossover bottle neck, certainly of Felixstowe bound trains, Tilbury and now Gateway still have to cross over here, actually, the paths gained by sending FLX trains north will now be used by new Gateway services, there's no or few paths left for all three services across this junction.
My platform for the up electric services at Manor Park, this is a non stopper from Southend on the up electric line, these services never stopped, nor Chelmsford or Colchester services, only Shenfield services stopped at Manor Park and they were all 315s by that time, anything else that came under that bridge was going pretty fast and not stopping
There will now be a short intermission, where upon normal service shall be resumed.
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Thanks for that Mick, would some of the later text explain why I don't see many freights at Stratford these days?
Right then... I've been given the water tower to do something with... Having had a quick look at some lner water towers on google it seems to be a pretty firm trend that the tank at the top is wider than it's brick base. The skytrex tank is very definitely smaller than its base... Shall I look at making a new tank... Then we can have it open topped with a few naked bathers in the top
Seriously though, it's a shame as the tank isn't a bad moulding. But the more I stare at it now, the sillier it looks.
Now thinking from a different angle... This was Peter Cavaliers kit for his railway... Shall I just build it as it comes...?
JB.
Right then... I've been given the water tower to do something with... Having had a quick look at some lner water towers on google it seems to be a pretty firm trend that the tank at the top is wider than it's brick base. The skytrex tank is very definitely smaller than its base... Shall I look at making a new tank... Then we can have it open topped with a few naked bathers in the top
Seriously though, it's a shame as the tank isn't a bad moulding. But the more I stare at it now, the sillier it looks.
Now thinking from a different angle... This was Peter Cavaliers kit for his railway... Shall I just build it as it comes...?
JB.
Osgood
Western Thunderer
Was Peter the kind of modeller who would respond positively to constructive criticism of the kit and suggestions of how the tank might be modified to better capture the GE atmosphere? If so, carry on! 
To me as a youngster in swede country the tank at Aylsham held a real charm - such a simple piece of architecture but the tight radius tank edges and solid brick base with lean-to summed up the characteristic GE style. I even measured it up when I was about 12, but lost the drawing and info long ago.
To me as a youngster in swede country the tank at Aylsham held a real charm - such a simple piece of architecture but the tight radius tank edges and solid brick base with lean-to summed up the characteristic GE style. I even measured it up when I was about 12, but lost the drawing and info long ago.
Oz7mm
Western Thunderer
JB
Could you cut down the sides if the brick building to get the overhang? Or would that look disproportionately small?
Alternatively we could draw up the building and ask Phil double barrelled to do a laser cut. Could you do a card mock up of a smaller base so we could see how it looks. Seems a shame to ditch the tank casting.
Alternatively were there any water towers with steel frames (like the one lurking behind my avatar). Looks like it's a bigger job than we thought. Why aren't I surprised?
John
Could you cut down the sides if the brick building to get the overhang? Or would that look disproportionately small?
Alternatively we could draw up the building and ask Phil double barrelled to do a laser cut. Could you do a card mock up of a smaller base so we could see how it looks. Seems a shame to ditch the tank casting.
Alternatively were there any water towers with steel frames (like the one lurking behind my avatar). Looks like it's a bigger job than we thought. Why aren't I surprised?
John
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Mick
Some great blue and grey pictures there, I didn't realise you were so old !
I used to work for RFD in the mid 90s just before and after the channel tunnel opened. There was still lots of Ford traffic including the daily one from spain in dedicated wagons it ran 7 days a week.
The other issue we always had back then and I'm sure it still exists today is that of empty containers always being in the wrong place, I bet your train to Tilbury is empties going where they are needed.
How many trains a day leave Felixstowe, are there many on a Saturday ?
Richard
Some great blue and grey pictures there, I didn't realise you were so old !
I used to work for RFD in the mid 90s just before and after the channel tunnel opened. There was still lots of Ford traffic including the daily one from spain in dedicated wagons it ran 7 days a week.
The other issue we always had back then and I'm sure it still exists today is that of empty containers always being in the wrong place, I bet your train to Tilbury is empties going where they are needed.
How many trains a day leave Felixstowe, are there many on a Saturday ?
Richard
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
I'm sure that Adrian or Colin will know the shot I'm after, it's a shot from slightly above a branch line station (possibly with a level crossing) showing the water tower very well, and that it's open topped.. I couldn't tell you what station it was though...
Any ideas chaps?
JB.
Any ideas chaps?
JB.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Richard,
Cheers, I've hundreds of old 35mm photos from the early 80's, I really should scan more in and upload to my Flickr site, 78 to 82 were my serious spotting days, then work, girls and college got in the way but still grabbed photos as and when up until around early 85 and then got out of it. A brief return in the early 90's I think, mainly locally as we had 56's on Freightliners and then virtually nothing for 20 years. I'll start a new SPAM thread this evening, Mickoo's BR corporate blue spotting days and upload some photos I've taken from way back then.
Old!, pish, your only as old as you feel, which in my case is about thirteen
We have 30 services a day and we're looking at 35 soon. There's plenty of services on Saturday, mostly in the morning and it tapers off mid afternoon and I think the last departure is around five.
Here's a link to our officialy arrivals and departures. The page may not load properly for y'all (works at home but HTML seems broken here on the works PC) but all the times and trains are there http://www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk/rail/rail-schedule
They haven't revised the terminals yet to show all those that have moved from Central (FLXC) to North (FLXN) but both terminals feed into one track up to Trimley station, so for spotting they may as well all originate/terminate at FLXC. South terminal (FLXS) heads up through Beach Station and joins the other branch at Trimley. If your up this way, give me a call, I can give you a whizz along the quayside if you wanted to see vessel operations
Cheers, I've hundreds of old 35mm photos from the early 80's, I really should scan more in and upload to my Flickr site, 78 to 82 were my serious spotting days, then work, girls and college got in the way but still grabbed photos as and when up until around early 85 and then got out of it. A brief return in the early 90's I think, mainly locally as we had 56's on Freightliners and then virtually nothing for 20 years. I'll start a new SPAM thread this evening, Mickoo's BR corporate blue spotting days and upload some photos I've taken from way back then.
Old!, pish, your only as old as you feel, which in my case is about thirteen
We have 30 services a day and we're looking at 35 soon. There's plenty of services on Saturday, mostly in the morning and it tapers off mid afternoon and I think the last departure is around five.
Here's a link to our officialy arrivals and departures. The page may not load properly for y'all (works at home but HTML seems broken here on the works PC) but all the times and trains are there http://www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk/rail/rail-schedule
They haven't revised the terminals yet to show all those that have moved from Central (FLXC) to North (FLXN) but both terminals feed into one track up to Trimley station, so for spotting they may as well all originate/terminate at FLXC. South terminal (FLXS) heads up through Beach Station and joins the other branch at Trimley. If your up this way, give me a call, I can give you a whizz along the quayside if you wanted to see vessel operations
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
I love these photos! Just wondered, do my photos of Clacton units (616 and 622) in maroon passing Stratford, August 1965, trump your blue/grey one?
Brian
Brian
Eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Peter certainly would have welcomed constructive criticism and would have altered it himself if needed.
He was concerned with the detail but didn't let it rule, and would have wanted the architecture to reflect the GER atmosphere.
Col.
Osgood
Western Thunderer
….Old!, pish, your only as old as you feel, which in my case is about thirteen
I feel old sometimes but that doesn't stop me acting like a 13 year old (according to other people)
40126
Western Thunderer
Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen
Western Thunderer
Excuses time. The duff trackwork is on a base board joint although I was going to suggest that this is where we join S7 to narrow gauge, sorry I should say finescale track. The real reason is that some of Peter's shop dates from 400 years ago; as a result the floors are not level and they seem to move from week to week. At present there is a difference in level from one end of Love Lane to the other of some 6 inches and from front to back 2 to 3 inches. Being a lazy devil I didn't level the track before the last meeting but this seems to have been a good test for S7 loco suspension; yes there are locos that move on our trainset
atb
Tim
. The real reason is that some of Peter's shop dates from 400 years ago; as a result the floors are not level and they seem to move from week to week. At present there is a difference in level from one end of Love Lane to the other of some 6 inches and from front to back 2 to 3 inches. Being a lazy devil I didn't level the track before the last meeting but this seems to have been a good test for S7 loco suspension; yes there are locos that move on our trainsetatb
Tim
Buckjumper
Flying Squad
Yep. OTTOMH I can think of two photos which show open-topped GE water towers; there's one of Somersham, but I think the one you've got in mind is actually Whittlesford on the Cambridge main line. I'll send it over tomorrow.
40126
Western Thunderer
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Buckjumper
Flying Squad
It will, and you definitely should! It was built in 1899 as a replacement for the 1875 tower so is pretty much contemporaneous with the building of the Fairlop Loop.
This anally-retentive post was written especially for Mickoo to do his head in.