This day in history 29 November
Images
Balornock Shed: A3 60052 'Prince Palatine' on the coaling line at Balornock (St Rollox) engine shed in November 1963.
Barassie Junction: Looking south from the road overbridge at Barassie Junction, Monday, 29 November, 1982, the line straight ahead is the Troon avoiding line, closed Saturday, 27 November to allow the alterations to the junction to be completed. The new double track deviation, joggled behind the Signalbox (itself officially closed the day before and already being demolished), had opened that morning and would be slewed across onto its final and faired up alignment, next weekend I think it was, after demolition of the 'box was completed. The southbound line onto the Troon loop was retained as a loop off the main line, the former junction points becoming the access to Barassie run-round loop and yard. Note also that the connection of the deviation to the Troon loop at its south end took out the connection to the sidings on the old K&TR alignment, these lifted soon afterwards as part of the general tidying up process around the junction.
Barassie Junction: 27021 & 20152 double-heading an Ayr-bound freight off the Kilmarnock line at Barassie Junction, 29 November, 1982, its only option for onward travel being the former southbound line onto the Troon loop, seen curving away to the right behind the Signalbox. The 'box had officially closed on the day before and the Troon avoiding line closed on Saturday, 27 November, the junction modified over that weekend and re-opened (deviation behind the 'box and the original 'up' line, which became the loop) that morning, all other track out of use. The Signalbox was already being demolished, one intrepid workman up on the roof stripping slates off as the train passed.
Barassie Junction: Barassie Junction old and new looking SSW, Monday, 29 November, 1982, the rear end of the freight hauled by 27021 & 20152 swinging round onto Troon loop towards Troon station on the original alignment, the Troon avoiding line closed Saturday, 27 November to allow the junction to be altered (signalboxes at Barassie Junction and Lochgreen Junction, at the south end of the avoiding line, officially closed, Sunday, 28 November). The new deviation, temporarily laid behind Barassie Junction Signalbox, opened that morning, hence the shine on the rails already, the track realigned onto a fair curve after the Signalbox had been removed (not particularly clear in what is a rather poor photo are the workmen up on the 'box roof - it didn't last too much longer and was gone before the end of the week).
Barassie Junction: Unidentified Class 47 diesel photographed heading north with a freight train on the newly opened (that morning) junction deviation at Barassie, Monday, 29 November, 1982, the redundant Signalbox (officially closed the day before) already being demolished and its funeral pyre emitting plenty of smoke. The old 'Down' (to Irvine) line behind the Signalbox was later lifted but the 'Up' line was retained, the Kilmarnock line running into this line (with facing connection off the re-aligned main line at the south end of Barassie station platforms), the route south onto the Troon avoiding line became the run-round loop in Barassie Yard, and the old alignment onto the Troon Loop and Troon station became the 'up' loop.
Barassie: Looking north from the road bridge over Barassie Junction and the line to Irvine (left) plus that to Kilmarnock (right), Monday, 29 November, 1982, a coal train heading north on the main line past the civil works associated with the remodelling of the junction during the preceding weekend. The Kilmarnock line platform edges had been cut back some time previously (that part of the station closed to passengers in 1969), with part of the junction modifications involving singling the line to the converging point to pre-existing single line to Kilmarnock outside the station to the northeast and slewing the remaining track to accommodate the crossover off the Irvine line. Note also that the Irvine line platform ends had been cut back too, this to accommodate the slewing of both main lines onto the new alignment towards Troon station (this unaffected by the temporary 'joggle' around the Signalbox, which was 'faired out' after the 'box was demolished) and also for the crossover onto what was to become the 'Up' (to Ayr) loop. Old semaphore signals were in process of being felled, whilst the new colour-light versions can be seen beyond the footbridge.
Brundall: Early arrival at Brundall, Norfolk, on a chilly November morning in 2002.
Milford Junction [Yorkshire]: View north to Milford Junction and yards on a foggy day in 2004.
Scunthorpe Steel Works: A small part of the extensive Appleby Frodingham Steelworks by Scunthorpe. Part of the Caparo works is visible to the left and beyond are two of the blast furnaces. View looks east.
Birmingham International: A Central Trains service comes to the end of its journey as it arrives at Birmingham International on a sunny 29 November 2006.
Birmingham International: A class 350 EMU pauses at Birmingham International on its journey eastwards to Coventry on 29 November 2006.
Birmingham International: A Euston to Wolverhampton Pendolino calls at Birmingham International in November 2006. To the left of the station is the airport and on the right the NEC.
North Woolwich: A wet 29 November 2006, with only a few weeks left for services on the North Woolwich branch. Silverlink dual-supply unit 313104 prepares to leave the terminus with a North London Line service to Richmond.
North Woolwich: Last month of train services from North Wooolwich. A Silverlink dual voltage unit waits to leave the station for Richmond via the North London Line on 29 November 2006.
North Woolwich: The modern looking ticket office at North Woolwich in November 2006. Quite a contrast with the original terminus of the line standing just off to the right, built by the Eastern Counties Railway in 1847 see image [[30650]]. This replacement lasted less than 20 years, being effectively 'replaced' itself by the nearby Docklands Light Railway station at King George V on the DLR extension to Woolwich Arsenal.
Birmingham International: Fastline 56302 with a rake of container flats is 'stuck' on the 'slow line' eastbound at Birmingham International on 29 November 2006 as a Virgin Voyager arrives with a westbound cross country service. One of the halls of the NEC can be seen on the left behind the Class 56 loco.
Kincardine: Scene at Kincardine station level crossing on 29 November 2007. To the left is the old station and platform remains, to the right is the entrance to the site of the former Kincardine Power Station. Part of the Kincardine Bridge can be seen beyond the station site, while in the right background construction work continues on the new upper Forth crossing.
Cambus Loop: View towards Alloa from Cambus level crossing on 29 November 2007 showing Alloa West loop with work in progress on one of the signals. In the background stands the imposing spire of the church of St Mungo (1819) in Bedford Place.
Alloa: Early signs?...new road sign... new roundabout....new station... Alloa, 29 November 2007. (The 'unveiling' of the Station part of the sign had been carried out 'unofficially' as the first passenger services were still 6 months away at this point.)
Hayes Knoll: Interior shot of the Swindon & Cricklade Railway shed at Hayes Knoll on 29 November. Engines seen are Barclay 0-6-0ST Salmon and Hunslet 0-6-0ST Gunby, the latter being the precursor to the Austerity class J94, with the original design having been modified by Riddles for wartime use.
Hayes Knoll: Slough Estates No 3, a Hudswell-Clarke 0-6-0ST No 1544 from 1928, masquerading as one of Santa's reindeers at Hayes Knoll on the Swindon and Cricklade Railway on 29 November!
Branchton: The appropriately named Branchton, photographed on a freezing 29 November 2008 looking west towards Wemyss Bay. A Spartan location, as with all intermediate stations on this branch.
Perth New Yard: Photograph taken in the control tower at Perth New Yard shortly after opening [with acknowledgement to O S Nock]. Built in the 1950s, the yard and its associated infrastructure, were recently demolished and the area cleared for redevelopment. See image [[21561]]
Ayr: 334 009 and 334 003 side by side at Ayr on 29 November 2009.
Ayr: 334038 stands at Ayr on 29 November 2009 with a service from Glasgow Central.
Airdrie: View east over Airdrie station on the evening of 29th November 2010 following a snowfall.
Dunblane: The abandonment of all passenger services is nigh... A non stop Aberdeen-Glasgow service whips up a cloud of fine powdery snow as it dashes through Dunblane station on a very cold November 29th 2010. The build up of that disturbed snow underbody had nasty consequences for the turbostars and within a couple of days the platform monitors were displaying 'All services suspended'.
Llandudno Junction: Slowly negotiating the tight checkrailed curve, 175105 comes off the Llandudno branch at the main line junction on a service for Manchester Piccadilly. The gantry on the left marks the Conwy road tunnel and this image was taken from the modern road bridge that replaced a very congested level crossing on the old road to Conwy see image [[37693]].
Glan Conwy: The 1457 from Blaenau Ffestiniog runs alongside the Conwy estuary towards the last station on the branch, Glan Conwy. The ATW Class 150 Sprinter will continue through to Llandudno and make a further two trips along the branch before the day is done.
Deganwy: A short working from the junction to Llandudno for 175105, seen here leaving Deganwy but it will return immediately as a through service to Manchester Piccadilly. To the right of the train, across the estuary, Conwy Castle and bridges can be seen.
Llandudno Junction: The 1450hrs Llandudno to Manchester service, formed by ATW 175105, leaves the branch at Llandudno Junction heading east. The tracks on the right are for Bangor and Holyhead with the large junction signal box on the left and the station beyond.
Deganwy: The small signalbox at Deganwy sees ATW 175105 pass on a Llandudno Junction to Llandudno service. The semaphore protecting the level crossing has already been returned to danger as the train heads for the terminus. It will soon be back on a Manchester Piccadilly service.
Llandudno Junction: Seen from the modern day bridge over the Llandudno branch a 10-car Voyager approaches the station at Llandudno Junction on a Holyhead to Euston Service. 221111 was leading 221110 on this occasion.
Conwy: Although the area inside Conwy's town walls is very small the Chester and Holyhead Railway still went to the trouble of punching through from the east, building a station inside and then immediately tunnelling out again on the western side. 158819, on a Holyhead to Cardiff service, pulls away from a stop at Conwy to pass under the arch of the wall, just beyond which is the Conwy tubular bridge.
Conwy: The cramped little station at Conwy, tucked inside the walls of this small town. This view looks towards Holyhead and shows the tunnel under the west wall while just behind the camera is the arch that takes the line under the south wall See image [[36726]]. The station operated from 1848 to 1966 as Conway but, despite its central location, it closed under Beeching. However, it reopened in 1987 as Conwy and sees a healthy service of local and long distance trains.
Fairlie: The 12.38 to Largs about to disappear into Fairlie Tunnel on 29 November 2012.
Barry: 66250 heads east through Barry (Town) Station after off-loading coal at Aberthaw power station. The currently disused left side face of the island platform seen forward of the signal box is to be brought back into use for Barry Island services as part of the Vale line re-signalling project due for completion in early 2014.
Barry: Unrestored but almost complete Collett GWR 6600 class 0-6-2 tank 6686 has recently been moved out of Barry shed into the yard. The locomotive is now stabled at the end of road 6 alongside Black 5 44901 and 9F 92245 on road 7. View from the footbridge at Barry (Town) station on 29 November 2012.
Fairlie: ...but the memory lingers on. Entrance to the former nuclear flask transfer sidings alongside Fairlie High station on 29 November 2012.
Fairlie Tunnel: The ventilation shaft for Fairlie Tunnel in November 2012. There used to be a playpark here - you could see the smoke from a loco starting a down train at High Station and 2 minutes later the exhaust would erupt here. Not that long ago really - only half a century or so...
Fairlie Pier: View from the trackbed at Fairlie Pier, north of the sometime island platform, looking towards the junction with the main line. You'd never know there had been a station here. See image [[21385]]
Arniston Catchpoints: Waverley trackbed looking north from an unclassified road just west of the A7 at Arniston, between Newtongrange and Gorebridge, on 29 November 2013. The headgear of Lady Victoria Colliery is visible top right.
Arniston Catchpoints: View south along the Waverley trackbed at Arniston on 29 November 2013, with the route starting to veer south east prior to crossing the A7 on the new Gore Glen bridge.
Eskbank and Dalkeith: View south into the sun over the remains of the old Eskbank station on 29 November 2013. Beyond the bridge work is in progress on the section running towards the new station.
Glasgow Queen Street High Level: Carols at Queen Street on 29 November 2013
Quinton: Tree growth on the S+MJ embankment is no longer the most exciting development here see image [[30934]]. A wind farm is being built on the far (West) side of the M1, towards Roade; with the trackbed under the M1 bridge (highlighted by an excavator with its headlights on) being used for access. The accommodation bridge (right, towards Northampton) would clearly be less commodious. Good to see old infrastructure being re-used; even if the lovely crumbling abutments either side of the road in the foreground had to be sacrificed.
Littleborough: A few Class 155s remain in their original form (not reduced to single car as a Class 153) with Northern. Here 155344 arrives at Littleborough whilst working between Leeds and Manchester Victoria on 29 November 2014. [Ref query 10 February 2018]
Abergavenny: Two steam specials were meant to pass through Abergavenny on 29 November 2014. Only one made it unfortunately see image [[49590]], with 5029 Nunney Castle failing its fitness test and being replaced by 67016, seen here heading north towards Abergavenney station on its way from Eastleigh to Shrewsbury.
Manchester Victoria: At the head of the 1Z40 Southport to York railtour on 29 November 2014 was the Class 40 Preservation Society's immaculately turned out No.345, seen here following its arrival at Manchester Victoria.
Smithy Bridge: 158908 passes Smithy Bridge on 29 November 2014 with a Leeds to Manchester Victoria semi fast service.
Liskeard: Due to an engineering possession, services between Liskeard and Plymouth were bustituted on 29 November. The driver has already changed the destination indicator before drawing forward and reversing towards Penzance. see image [[29653 for a similar view in daylight]]
Castleton: A Northern Class 150 DMU departs from Castleton on 29 November on a Manchester Victoria - Leeds service.
Boscarne Junction: Crompton 33110 runs round a BLS brake van special at Boscarne Junction on 29 November 2014. Notice the Camel Trail footpath and cyclepath to the right: the trackbed ahead leads to Wadebridge see image [[35696]] and Padstow.
Littleborough: 150270 arrives at Littleborough with a westbound service to Manchester Victoria on 29 November 2014. The main station building on the eastbound platform is now a local history centre.
Bodmin Parkway: A little on the low side - a closer look at former Port of Par 0-4-0ST locomotive Judy [Bagnall 2572/1937] at Bodmin in November 2014 see image [[29956]].
Salford Central: Supplementing Northern services into and out of Manchester from the Chorley area on Saturdays until Christmas is a 6 coach Mark 2 set with a DRS loco on either end. On 29 November 47818 is on the rear of the set calling at Salford Central heading for Manchester Victoria.
Newquay: Bring me sunshine - exceptional weather for the time of year, but at Newquay, not Morecambe. The single car diesel unit, no. 153318, will soon travel back to Par on 29 November. The palm trees on the right certainly add 'That Riviera Touch'.
St. Austell: Old and new at St. Austell: the mothballed signal box can just be seen over the young lady's shoulder as an up HST pulls in on 29th November. The new footbridge is almost ready for use.
Manchester Victoria: A Northern service from Leeds arrives at Manchester Victoria platform 4 on 29 November 2014. Electrification at the west end of Victoria is well advanced but there are fewer clues at the east end of the station with a pair of stanchions visible in this view.
Colesloggett Halt: A BLS brake van special on 29 November, hauled by 08444 at this point, pauses at a distinctly leafy - and surprisingly warm for November - Colesloggett Halt. This halt was built in the preservation era, and is located between Bodmin Parkway and Bodmin General see image [[20941]].
Chorley: DRS 47790 on the rear of one of the extra Northern services operating on Saturdays between Buckshaw Parkway or Chorley and Manchester Victoria. 47790 is seen at Chorley on 29 November 2014 having terminated with a service from Manchester and departing with the ecs to Preston as the leading diesel (47818) tries to mimic a steam locomotive.
Bodmin Parkway: Arrival of the 11.47 to Penzance at Bodmin Parkway on 29 November 2014 - a large train for a small station; which, commendably, has an hourly bus to Padstow, some 50 years after the latter station closed. The lie of the land, and the use of the up platform for Bodmin and Wenford trains, reminds me of Norchard in the Forest of Dean see image [[31050]]. The signal box just visible on the right is now used as a cafe.
Boscarne Junction: A closer look at the trackbed heading for Wadebridge in November 2014 see image [[49620]]. The Bodmin and Wenford Railway want to extend along this section; but there are local concerns that the trackbed is too narrow to accommmodate both a steam railway and a cyclepath.
Salford Crescent: Northern unit 156426 calls at Salford Crescent on 29 November while working from Kirkby to Todmorden.
Mills Hill: A Manchester Victoria to Leeds semi fast service passes Mills Hill in east Manchester on 29 November 2014 as passengers wait on both platforms for the next stopping services.
St Blazey: Dead straight and level, but a bit short of stone blocks - this could be flood defence, but looks very much like the tramway past St Blazey depot. Photographed on 29 November 2014 from a Newquay to Par branch train. [Ref query 4769] [Railscot note: may simply be an embankment of the former canal seen here.]
Salford Crescent: DRS operated on behalf of Northern, 47818 enters Salford Crescent on 29 November 2014 with the 1352 from Manchester Victoria to Chorley extra service to assist with moving the extra passengers on Saturdays in and out of Manchester.
Preston: DRS 47818 waits at Preston station on the rear of the 1512 departure to Manchester on 29 November 2014, another of the additional services being operated by DRS on behalf of Northern during the pre-Christmas period.
Plymouth: All quiet on the Western front - embarkation at Plymouth on 29 November was distinctly less rushed than egress at Liskeard see image [[49614]].
Colesloggett Halt: A 'seminar shot' in preparation at Coleslogett Halt on 29 November; the trip organizers being the Branch Line Society. See image [[49647]]
Castleton: Northern 155343 calls at Castleton on 29 November 2014 with a service heading for Manchester Victoria.
Smithy Bridge: 158844 and 150220 run non stop through Smithy Bridge with a semi-fast Manchester to Leeds service on 29 November 2014.
Bodmin Parkway: Now that's what I call a wheel. It is fitted to a Shark brake van (DB993895 - formerly allocated to Tavistock Junction), also useable as a ballast plough - but looks as though it was formerly fitted to a schooner. See image [[38655]]
Bodmin Parkway: It's not every day that you see a Sprinter from the verandah of a brake van. Two eras meet at Bodmin Parkway on 29 November 2014, courtesy of the Branch Line Society.
Par: Par-ting shot: down and up (nearest) HSTs meet at Par on 29 November. The signal box on the platform is reminiscent of Abercynon see image [[31939]], but is still in use. The branch to Newquay is visible on the right.
Bodmin Parkway: Another view of the former signalbox at Bodmin Parkway in November 2014. Its use as a cafe provides a useful facility and 'recycles' a building with plenty of life left. Notice the modern station building on the right. [a considerable improvement on that seen in image 36651] The station staff were helpful and efficient, and excited to see a surge in visitors as the Branch Line Society ran a special down the Bodmin and Wenford Railway.
Bodmin General: Variety is the spice of life: diesel locomotives from classes 08, 37, 47, and 33 lined up at Bodmin General in November 2014. The enthusiasts on the right had just been refuelled with genuine Cornish pasties.
Abergavenny: Black 5s 44871 and 45407 with a northbound special at Abergavenny on 29 November 2014, steadily climbing the gradient south of the station with lots of the right kind of noise and steam.
St Austell: The Network Rail Track Rationalization Team has obviously not visited St Austell, with a crossover on the left, and at least two sidings by the car park on the right. View towards Penzance on 29 November.
Forton: Fresh from a C6 overhaul at Glasgow Works, Northern Sprinter 156468 runs south on the WCML at Forton on 29th November making its way back to its home depot at Allerton.
Crathes: Remains of the old station at Crathes on the Deeside Railway in November 2016, more than fifty years after closure. View is east towards Aberdeen. [Ref query 2743]
Dundee West Goods: Close up of Building 1: Spot the difference from an intermodal railhead - one of the much-promoted new office buildings on the 'digital media park' adjacent to Dundee West yard is constructed of three dozen 40 foot containers. Oh the irony.
Milton of Crathes: Platform scene looking east at Milton of Crathes, headquarters of the Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society, on 29 November 2016. The station has been created on a site a quarter of a mile west of the original Crathes station, with the help of the former (beautifully restored) station building from Oldmeldrum see image [[12433]]. The long term objective of the Society is to reinstate the railway west to Banchory.
Crathes: Platform view west towards Banchory from the closed Crathes station in November 2016, showing the replica signal box. The RDRPS Milton of Crathes site is located a quarter of a mile away in the distance.
Barton and Broughton: Having been passed by several passenger services, Freightliner 66953 pulls out of the Down Loop at Barton & Broughton to continue its journey from Daventry to Coatbridge on 29th November 2016.
Milton of Crathes: All ready for Christmas... Ex-BR class 03 DM D2094 at Milton of Crathes on 29 November 2016 complete with a 'Santa Special' headboard, with the RDRPS battery EMU standing beyond.
Milton of Crathes: Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST 'Salmon' stabled in front of the small shed at Milton of Crathes on 29 November 2016 see image [[31987]].
Dundee West Goods: Close up of Dundee West: Dundee West yard, seen on 29th November. Dundee is one of the largest cities in Britain with no rail freight facilities - but development of an intermodal railhead at Dundee West has not yet materialised, in part due to the City council's opposition to rail container handling adjacent to its 'digital media park'. The wider site formerly hosted a Freightliner terminal, closed in 1987. Dundee station is to the right.
Polmont: A Dunblane to Edinburgh service calls at Polmont for the 1300 departure on 29 November 2017. These services are due to be electrified, but experience with the EGML electrification makes it unwise to specify a date...
Polmont: A Dunblane to Edinburgh service calls at Polmont for the 1300 departure on 29 November 2017. These services are due to be electrified, but experience with the EGML electrification makes it unwise to specify a date...
Corby Gates Signal Box: Corby Gates signal box at Great Corby, Cumbria on 23rd October 2017. A still working mechanical box on the Carlisle to Newcastle line on the east side of the Wetheral viaduct.
Ayr: I never realised we had a four-track main line to the south of Ayr station! I was actually stood in the pouring rain on 29th November 2018 to take the arriving train from Stranraer but, as it approached running late, the camera frazzed out...! I'll go back on a better day.
Accrington: A Blackburn to Wigan Pacer (going the long way round) calls at Accrington as dusk falls on a very dreary afternoon on 29 November 2018. The dark clouds had earlier brought large amounts of water to the area but high winds had helped to keep them moving.
Didcot Parkway: Although a bright and sunny day on 29th November 2019, it all came to a grinding halt due to a signal failure in the Didcot area. Several trains were cancelled with others moved to a different platform much to the annoyance of the traveling public. One chap was convinced that only nationalisation would cure all the ills until it was pointed out that the fault lay with the Government owned Network Rail signalling system. Comments there came none. 387169 prepares to depart Didcot for Paddington.
Garstang and Catterall: DRS 66302 appears to have been commandeered from RHTT duties to haul this late running Mossend to Daventry intermodal on 29th November 2019. The grubby loco powers through the site of Garstang and Catterall on a crisp sunny morning. To the right of the train the old station house can just be seen, and further right the Kenlis Arms, which was once the hotel for this rural station, over two miles from Garstang town centre.
Oxford: A bright and sunny day at Oxford as 66588, on a southbound Freightliner, crawls through due to adverse signals on 29th November 2019. There was a signal failure in the Didcot area which impacted on traffic.
Didcot Parkway: 66093 static in the Didcot freight sidings on 29th November 2019.
Oxford: 66095 on a northbound freight through Oxford on 29th November 2019.
Garstang and Catterall: TPE 397003 in bright winter sunshine at Garstang and Catterall, working empty stock from Preston to Glasgow on 29th November 2019.
Didcot Parkway: Colas 66849 with an engineers train at Didcot on 29th November 2019.
Oxford: GWR 802008 creeping past a stopped Freightliner service at Oxford on 29th November 2019. All trains were disrupted at this time due to a signal failure at Didcot.
Oxford: An unidentified X-Country 221 heading south to Reading at Oxford on 29th November 2019.
Oxford: Freightliner 70011 racing through Oxford with an intermodal service on 29th November 2019.
Garstang and Catterall: Station House at Garstang & Catterall, cheek by jowl with the WCML, is maintained in good condition and recently changed hands. Although the staircase, seen here in November 2019, was the main entrance up to the platforms the station building itself stood on the other side of the house. It was a substantial building, as can be seen in image [[61016]], supported at the rear on nine brick arches, but it was demolished soon after the 1969 closure to make way for electrification.
Didcot Parkway: Colas 66849 heads through Didcot with an engineering train on 29th November 2019.
Donibristle Platform: 37025 (owned by the Scottish 37 Group), and 37254 'Cardiff Canton' climb a foggy Donibristle bank with a Slateford - Inverness inspection train on 29 November 2020.
Donibristle Platform: Bringing up the rear on a Network Rail measurement train is Colas liveried 37254 'Cardiff Canton' as 37025 climbs a foggy Donibristle bank heading from Slateford to Inverness on 29 November 2020.
Stockwell: LU 2009 stock with a Victoria Line service to Brixton calling at its penultimate stop at Stockwell on 29th November 2011. This platform gives cross-platform same-level interchange with the southbound Northern Line to Morden. Similar interchange is available at the northbound platforms.
Crystal Palace: Looking down the stairs at the former Low Level station at Crystal Palace, on the afternoon of Monday, 29th November 2021. This has been the only station in the south London suburb since the closure of the totally separate High Level station in 1954. The neighbourhood still takes its name from the Crystal Palace that was destroyed in an horrendous fire on the night of 30th November 1936 so this photo is 1 day before the 85th anniversary of its sad destruction.
Crystal Palace: Crystal Palace, looking west, with 378148 waiting to depart at 13.47 with a London Overground service to Highbury & Islington, on a bright but bitterly cold 29th November 2021. The two outer side walls, dating from the station's opening in 1854, once supported a long dismantled all-over roof. A new shorter canopy has recently been added over part of the platforms near the steps leading up to the ticket hall. Formerly known as the Low Level, that was dropped when the totally separate and better-sited High Level station that had opened in 1865 was closed in 1954 and demolished in 1961. Overground trains first served this surviving station on 23rd May 2010 and it is also served by National Rail's South London Metro service from Victoria to London Bridge via Clapham Junction as well as National Southern services towards East Croydon and Beckenham Junction that use two separate platforms behind the wall on the left and which were added in 1857.
Broomhill Junction: With a combination of late running, snow showers, poor light and freezing conditions in the late afternoon, I still managed this passable shot of Ivatt Class 2 No.46512 heading for Broomhill at Tullochgorum.
Clapham Common: Clapham Common looking north on 29th November 2021. It was opened by the City & South London Railway as the terminus of the extension from Stockwell on 3rd June 1900 and remained so until the extension to Morden on 13th September 1926. This station and the preceding one at Clapham North comprise a narrow island platform in a single tunnel. Both provide a useful guide to how Angel station, on the northern section of the Northern Line, looked before its full scale rebuilding, completed in 1992.
Sydenham: 378148 with a London Overground service from Crystal Palace to Highbury & Islington departing from its first stop at Sydenham with 377323 overtaking on a fast Southern service to London Bridge, both heading away from the camera, on the afternoon of 29th November 2021. Stopping Southern services also call here but the station has been operated by TfL since 23rd May 2010 when Overground trains first started calling.
Clapham Common: From the lower concourse at the foot of the escalators at Clapham Common, Northern Line, a subway leads to steps down to the narrow island platform in a single tunnel, as seen here looking north on 29th November 2021. This provides a good idea of how Angel station on the northern section of the line looked before its 1992 reconstruction.
Sydenham: Exterior of Sydenham on 29th November 2021. This was one of the original stations of the London & Croydon Railway, opened with the line on 5th June 1839 but this entrance dates from 1844 when the station was re-sited, slightly to the south. The tracks here are quadruple but the station has platforms only on the slow lines which are served by both National Rail Southern and London Overground trains and has been under the control of Transport for London since 23rd May 2010 when LO trains were first extended from New Cross Gate to Crystal Palace and West Croydon. The northbound platform was re-sited slightly to the north in 1982.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1844 | Dublin and Drogheda Railway | Dublin Amiens Street partly opened. |
| 1971 | Vale of Neath Railway | Aberdare High Level to Middle Duffryn Junction closed. |
| 1971 | Taff Vale Extension | Middle Duffryn Junction to Mountain Ash sold to the National Coal Board. |
News
These are old news items which which occured on this day. This generally lists events after 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The full Edinburgh and Glasgow Service was achieved using TurboStars | |
| 2007 | Scotsman gets action on railway crossings [Scotsman Article] | ALL motorists who drive through red lights at level crossings are being prosecuted once more after the issue was highlighted by The Scotsman. |
| 2008 | Opencast coal for Longannet [Modern Railways] | Spanish-owned Scottish Power has signed a £700m contract with Scottish Coal which will see the company take nearly half Scottish Coal^s 4 million tonne annual output to help fire Longannet power station, reducing dependence on imports from Russia, South Africa and Columbia. Trial runs have been undertaken between the power station and both Chalmerston and Killoch. |
| 2010 | Train services - Monday 29 November [ScotRail] | ScotRail said it ran 86% of trains today (Monday 29 November), despite the arctic conditions. A spokesman reported that the vast majority of trains had run and that a resilient service had been maintained during a period when alternative road options were extremely daunting. Given the sustained freezing weather and heavy snowfalls, it is likely that contingency plans will remain in place tomorrow (Tuesday). |
| 2011 | Plan to safeguard Scottish sleeper service [BBC News] | Chancellor George Osborne is set to announce plans to safeguard the future of cross-border sleeper train services, when he delivers his Autumn Statement. The possibility of reducing the London to Scotland service was made by Transport Scotland earlier this month. |
| 2011 | Prestwick Town station is blooming lovely [Rail.co] | A splash of brilliant colour has been added to late autumn at Prestwick Town station. It follows more work on the floral displays and the window boxes at Prestwick Town by station ‘adopters’ Lorraine and Hugh McEvoy. The couple, who run the station cafe, first introduced half-barrel planters on the station platforms in May this year under train operator ScotRail’s ’adopt a station scheme.’ |
| 2011 | ‘Great news for city’ hailed as rail travellers set to get £6.6m new station [Yorkshire Post] | Railway bosses last night said funding had been approved for a new station building at Wakefield Westgate. The £6.6m project will see facilities including a travel centre, shops, First Class lounge, customer reception and information screens provided. The new station will be built adjacent to a multi-storey car park and provide better access for vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles directly off the inner ring road and local bus routes. [From David Pesterfield] |
| 2012 | ScotRail workers vote for strike action [BBC News] | ScotRail workers have voted to go on strike in a row over the dismissal of a union member. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said there was an overwhelming vote in favour of action among 2,000 employees. |
| 2013 | Urgent improvement call for ScotRail, Network Rail [Scotsman] | MINISTERS have told Network Rail and ScotRail their performance is unacceptable and must urgently improve, The Scotsman has learned. News of the dressing down to the track firm and Scotland’s main train operator came as rail regulators today also criticised their record. The Office of Rail Regulation said train delays caused by Network Rail had got worse, with track problems forcing speed restrictions, especially on the Stirling-Alloa line and routes north of Inverness. It also said passenger hold-ups caused by ScotRail were 22 per cent worse than target, mainly caused by train faults. |
| 2013 | West Somerset Railway sell-off considered by county council [BBC News] | A heritage railway in Somerset could be sold off under plans being considered by the county council. Minehead^s West Somerset Railway (WSR), which uses historic steam locomotives, is run by West Somerset Railway plc. The company leases the land from the authority, which owns the freehold, but now the council is looking to sell. A council spokesman confirmed it was "exploring potential interest from two parties who have expressed interest" but no decisions had been taken. |
| 2013 | Rarest and most historic railway signal boxes are listed [Northern Echo] | THE North of England’s rarest, best preserved and most historically important signal boxes have been given Grade II listed status as part of a project to safeguard the nation’s railway heritage. The Department for Culture Media and Sport listings come as Network Rail replaces mechanical signal boxes with 12 regional signalling centres. Shortly before the First World War signal box numbers peaked at about 13,000, of which fewer than 500 are still operated by Network Rail. The five listed boxes in the North East and North Yorkshire come in a wide range of styles and many retain their original operating equipment and have become popular local landmarks, while others have been listed partly for their historical importance. |
| 2014 | World class railway museum could come to Leicester if fresh £10m lottery bid succeeds [Leicester Mercury] | A fresh lottery bid has been launched for £10 million to create a world class railway museum in Leicester. If successful, it will be filled with priceless steam locomotives and hundreds of artefacts from the national collection in York. It will be built at the Leicester North end of the Great Central Railway (GCR) and tell the story of how railways helped Leicester thrive and develop. The new bid is being made in partnership with Leicester City Council and the National Railway Museum in York. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2015 | HS2 Birmingham to Crewe link to open six years early [BBC News] | The proposed high-speed rail link between Birmingham and Crewe will be opened six years earlier than planned, in 2027, Chancellor George Osborne has said. Improving transport links with the North is a key part of the government^s transport policy. Mr Osborne also announced that ex-head of the CBI business group John Cridland would chair Transport for the North. This new body will look to improve transport links across the North. The new timetable means a part of the second phase of the project is due to open only a year after the first phase from London to Birmingham is due to be operational. |
| 2016 | Calls for devolved Network Rail backed [BBC News] | Calls for the Scottish Parliament to be given full responsibility over Network Rail have been backed by a think tank. Reform Scotland said its research suggested more than half of delays to trains in Scotland were due to Network Rail faults rather than ScotRail. It said devolving the organisation would allow a ^clear line of accountability^ when things go wrong. Network Rail is funded by Transport Scotland but is ultimately accountable to Westminster, not Holyrood. A spokesman for Network Rail said: ^We work closely with the Scottish and UK governments to continually enhance and improve our railways. Any discussions over further devolution of Network Rail in Scotland would be a matter for those governments^. The full devolution of Network Rail - which is responsible for maintaining rail infrastructure - has been a long-standing ambition of the Scottish government. |
| 2016 | ScotRail publishes 249-point improvement plan [Rail Technology Magazine] | Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf has called for “immediate improvement†in Scotland’s rail services as ScotRail’s performance improvement plan was published in full. The Scottish government had come under pressure from opposition parties, including Scottish Labour, to reveal the details of the improvement plan due to a plague of recent problems affecting Abellio ScotRail services, including a train breakdown near Edinburgh and overhead wiring issues near Glasgow. ScotRail’s 249-point plan includes measures to improve punctuality and reliability through various local and national initiatives such as numerous infrastructure developments, better communication with customers and the launch of an ‘On Time Every Second Counts’ campaign. Yousaf, who visited Edinburgh Waverley Station before speaking at a rail conference, said that he was “delighted†that the plan was being published, hoping that the publication will spur “immediate improvement†in ScotRail’s performance. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2017 | Some lost rail routes may be ^restored^ [BBC News] | Railway lines closed in the 1960s could be reopened if they boost the economy, the government has said. The plan forms part of a wider rail strategy under which the government will consider splitting up two of the biggest train operators. The move would affect Great Western and GTR, which comprises Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern. The government also plans to devolve running the track and train services to local companies. |
| 2018 | Cairngorm funicular company placed into administration [BBC News] | The company which operates the CairnGorm Mountain Funicular Railway and snowsports centre has been placed into administration. The administrators said they would continue to trade in the hope of selling the business and assets as a going concern. |
| 2018 | Campaigners hit out at ^shambolic^ record of new Network Rail Scotland boss [The Herald] | Campaigners have raised concerns over the ^shambolic^ track record of the incoming boss of Network Rail in Scotland. |
| 2018 | Nicola Sturgeon condemns performance of Milngavie trains as ^unacceptable^ [The Herald] | Nicola Sturgeon has condemned ScotRail after it emerged three in four trains on a popular commuter line are late or cancelled. |
| 2018 | ScotRail adds extra carriages in lead up to Christmas [ScotRail] | Customers across Scotland are set to benefit from more seats in the run-up to Christmas. With the Christmas party season getting in to full swing, ScotRail is adding extra carriages to the busiest services on key routes across the central belt and beyond every Friday night and during weekends until Christmas. Services are still expected to be busy so customers are advised to buy their ticket before they board “ either on the ScotRail app, website, or at a ScotRail ticket office. |
| 2018 | ScotRail driver who failed drugs test resigns before hearing [Scotsman] | A ScotRail driver who failed a drugs test has resigned the day before a disciplinary hearing, The Scotsman has learned. |
| 2018 | Former boss of Network Rail given CBE as regulator savages firm [Daily Mail] | Mark Carne, who was chief executive of railway infrastructure company for nearly five years, was handed his medal at Buckingham Palace this afternoon - but refused to talk to journalists. |
| 2018 | Rail regulator orders Network Rail to improve performance [BBC News] | The rail regulator has ordered Network Rail, which manages tracks and other infrastructure, to improve its performance The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said punctuality and reliability on the UK^s rail network were at their worst for five years. If Network Rail fails to comply with the ORR^s demands it could be fined. |
| 2019 | Fury as rail firm locks train toilets on Aberdeen service to tackle fare-dodgers [Press and Journal] | A rail firm has sparked fury by locking toilets on trains leaving from Aberdeen in an effort to crack down on fare-dodgers. |
| 2019 | Track workers ^narrowly avoided^ 125mph train [BBC News] | The incident happened [at Kirtlebridge] during an inspection of the West Coast main line in southern Scotland. |
