2. Journey to central London & run out to Potters Bar-12.07.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 51. Trip to London-11-13.07.19 > 2. Journey to central London & run out to Potters Bar-12.07.19

An early morning return dash up to town from Richmond to drop the Brompton off for a service at the Covent Garden shop. I then accompanied my wife and son to the Westfield shopping centre at Shepherd's Bush where I promptly left them and took the tube to King's Cross. I then took a run out to Potters Bar and back stopping at every station as far as Alexandra Palace. I finally took the tube back to Waterloo and then a Southwest service the short distance to Richmond.

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Images 1-41 of 41 displayed.

458505, SW 06.54 Reading-London Waterloo (2C88, 2E), Richmond station
Morning commuters waiting in the morning sun at Richmond station as 458505 arrives forming the 06.54 Reading to Waterloo train. I took this train as far as Vauxhall where I then alighted with the Brompton and took an interesting ride through central London along the Thames to Covent Garden.
Keywords: 458505 06.54 Reading-London Waterloo 2C88 Richmond station

458514, SW 09.23 Windsor & Eton Riverside-London Waterloo (2U22, RT), Richmond station
458514 comes to a halt at Richmond station working the 09.23 Windsor and Eton Riverside to Waterloo service. I think that the livery of that Southwest trains applied to these units was smart, this one still wears its old operators livery with South Western Railway branding. The 458 units are now extremely reliable having had an extensive overhaul and re-configuration following legendary unreliability issues some years ago.
Keywords: 458514 09.23 Windsor & Eton Riverside-London Waterloo 2U22 Richmond station

450099, SW 09.50 London Waterloo-Reading (2C23, 3L), Richmond station
Desiro 450099 arrives at Richmond about to pass under Church Road bridge forming the 09.50 Waterloo to Reading service. To the left in the middle distance is Richmond's super SR type 13 1940 signal box. It is still in use with an NX panel controlling the North London Line (and District Line) from Richmond to Bollo lane.
Keywords: 450099 09.50 London Waterloo-Reading 2C23 Richmond station

378256, LO 10.40 Richmond-Stratford (2N49, 1L), Richmond station
London Overground's 376256 waits at Richmond's platform four with the 10.40 to Stratford. My wife, son and I took this train as far as Willesden Junction where we changed for the short journey back south to Shepherd's Bush. These functional units offer incredible views through the entire length of the train when on a completely straight section of track having no gangwayed coach interconnections.
Keywords: 378256 10.40 Richmond-Stratford 2N49 Richmond station

66154, 08.50 Purfleet-Acton (7V39), Willesden Junction station
Whilst waiting for our connecting train at Willesden Junction 66154 eased around the sharp curve from the east with the 7V39 08.50 Purfleet to Acton stone train. Here at Willesden the train was not far off its destination just having to pass Acton Wells Junction signal box (a remarkable survivor) and then head west to Acton yard adjacent to the GWML.
Keywords: 66154 08.50 Purfleet-Acton 7V39 Willesden Junction station

66135, 08.09 Dollands Moor-Scunthorpe Redbourn (4E26), Willesden viaduct
66135 crosses Willesden viaduct with the 08.09 Dollands Moor to Scunthorpe empty steel train. With the closure of the vast Scunthorpe steelworks a possibility this would be one of a number of trains to disappear from the network. In the background, behind the Powerday recycling facility, is a huge amount of development in the vicinity of Old Oak Common largely associated with HS2.
Keywords: 66135 08.09 Dollands Moor-Scunthorpe Redbourn 4E26 Willesden viaduct

378208, LO 10.23 Stratford-Clapham Junction (2Y42, RT), Willesden Junction station
378208 arrives at Willesden Junction station forming the 10.23 Stratford to Clapham Junction service. We took this train the short distance to Shepherd's Bush station where my wife and son enjoyed some full-on retail therapy at the Westfield shopping centre; I found a trip to King's Cross a far more rewarding, and cheaper, experience!
Keywords: 378208 10.23 Stratford-Clapham Junction 2Y42 Willesden Junction station

82203, GR 12.33 London King`s Cross-Leeds (1D14, 6L) & 82227, GR 12.30 London King`s Cross-Newcastle (1N17, 1L), London King`s Cross station
A pair of class 82 DVTs rest in the sunshine at King's Cross station. To the left, 82203 will be at the rear of the 12.33 to Leeds and to the right, 82227 the 12.30 to Newcastle. In the final months of their working lives on the ECML these DVTs and their paired class 91s have entered a reliable phase after many problems that resulting in failures.
Keywords: 82203 12.33 London King`s Cross-Leeds 1D14 82227 12.30 London King`s Cross-Newcastle 1N17 London King`s Cross station

43208, GR 13.06 London King`s Cross-York (1N85, 11L) & 82212, GR 13.30 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh (1S19, 8L), London King`s Cross station
The windscreen of 43208 gets a wash to remove the summer detritus of dead flies at King's Cross. The HST will form the 13.06 1N85 'stopper' to York. A service that requires fast acceleration between stops to maintain quite tight timings is ably handled by an HST but these services will soon go to Azuma operation. Next to the HST 82212 will be at the rear of the 1S19 13.30 to Edinburgh. Within three weeks of this picture being taken, Azumas will start to operate these Anglo-Scottish services. For those who remember King's Cross station of old with its heavily pollution stained glazing and stonework, the environment of today is a massive improvement.
Keywords: 43208 13.06 London King`s Cross-York 1N85 82212 13.30 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh 1S19 London King`s Cross station

Site of former King`s Cross depot
It's hard to imagine that this area of land now occupied by a huge development of some kind was once the home to Deltics, class 40s and LNER A4 Pacifics! This was the site of the former King's Cross 'top shed' as it was referred to. A similar image was recorded in 1978 that shows the fueling and stabling point towards the end of its life at.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/25304838004/x40057-47447-london-kings-cross-stabling
Keywords: Site of former King`s Cross depot

Seat, 700030, GN 12.51 London Kings Cross-Cambridge North (2C26, 6L)
Why a picture of a seat in a class 700 you may ask? Why, because it is possibly the most uncomfortable seat on a train that I have sat on! Apart from the backrest being almost vertical from the base meaning that one feels like one is sitting up and begging, it is so hard. I was only on the train for about fifteen minutes as far as Potters Bar but I found myself having to shift from buttock to buttock as they were going numb and I am not kidding! I jest but a serious point here, whilst these are commuter trains where perceived journey times are short, this one goes as far as Cambridge North, a traveling time of over one and a half hours. This would be absolute misery for a passenger doing the whole journey. It's not just these train that are in receipt of complaints about their seating. WHEN are manufactures and operators going to take any notice of what is being said and act upon it? And, absolute piffle to the points raised about them having to be fire retardant to meet H & S legislation, just compare them to the new and deep seats on the Vivarail class 230s.
Keywords: Seat 700030 12.51 London King's Cross-Cambridge North 2C26

700121, TL 12.24 Cambridge-Brighton (9S31, RT), Potters Bar station
700121 passes through Potters Bar station working the 12.24 Cambridge to Brighton Thameslink service. I was surprised at the number of services I observed formed by these units, their takeover seemed complete.
Keywords: 700121 12.24 Cambridge-Brighton 9S31 Potters Bar station

91108, GR 13.03 London King`s Cross-Leeds (1D15, 10L), Potters Bar station
I was of the understanding that all Leeds' services had moved over to Azuma operation. However, this one, the 13.03 off King's Cross was firmly in the hands of 91108 leading a set of Mk. IV stock. It is seen passing Potters Bar at speed being about fifteen minutes into its journey. Little did I know that a week later this locomotive would be the first of the class 91s to come off-lease and be stored to become a source of spares for the remainder of the fleet.
Keywords: 91108 13.03 London King`s Cross-Leeds 1D15 Potters Bar station

800112, GR 11.15 Leeds-London King`s Cross (1A26, 1E), Potters Bar station
800112 is approaching journey's end as it passes through Potters Bar being twelve miles from King's Cross working the 11.15 ex. Leeds. The Azuma still looks extremely smart with its fresh paintwork but I have to question as to how fresh the white paintwork will look in a year's time after a winter?
Keywords: 800112 11.15 Leeds-London King`s Cross 1A26 Potters Bar station

43315, GR 13.06 London King`s Cross-York (1N85, 11L), Potters Bar station
HST power car 43315 leads the 13.06 King's Cross to York through Potter Bar station with its first stop coming in ten miles time at Stevenage. 43208 is at the rear of the train that was seen having its windscreen cleaned at King's Cross a little earlier.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/27085853204/x43208-13-06-london-king-s-cross Of the two power cars, the oldest is 43208 being an an early Western Region one as part of 253004 dating from 1976, having now given an amazing forty-three years in service!
Keywords: 43315 13.06 London King`s Cross-York 1N85 Potters Bar station

43296, GR 09.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross (1E08, 9L), Potters Bar station
Having left Edinburgh at 09.00 43296 is approaching journey's end passing Potters Bar leading the 1E08. From the first of the next month (August), LNER will commence Azuma operations on their Anglo-Scottish workings so their reliance on HST availability will ease allowing them to be taken out of service. This power car has been racing up and down the ECML since its introduction, as part of set 254021, in the autumn of 1978.
Keywords: 43296 09.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross 1E08 Potters Bar station

717005, GN 13.28 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate (2K80, 1E), Potters Bar station
My first trip on a class 717 if only for two miles! I took 717005, that was working the 13.28 Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate, from Potters Bar to Hadley Wood. With that kind of new train/car smell, the ambiance inside these units was good. Once again, the seats were far from comfortable appearing to be identical to those in the class 700s; lucky I was only on the train for five minutes.
Keywords: 717005 13.28 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate 2K80 Potters Bar station

Former NSE signs, Hadley Wood station
Despite Network SouthEast ceasing operations in April 1994 as a prelude to privatisation, there is still evidence of its existence. Here at Hadley Wood station, the three-car stop sign is in their distinctive, if a little faded, blue with remnants of the characteristic red, blue and grey flashes at the bottom.
Keywords: Former NSE signs Hadley Wood station

313052, GN 13.39 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate (2K82, RT), Hadley Wood station
The withdrawal of the veteran class 313s commenced in April 2019 as the class 717s entered service. There are still a number in operation but withdrawals are taking place on a weekly basis with them being dispatched pretty much immediately for scrapping. At the time of writing, exactly half of Great Northern's fleet had been withdrawn. In its twilight weeks of operation, 313052 enters Hadley Wood with the 13.39 Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate service.
Keywords: 313052 13.39 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate 2K82 Hadley Wood station

Class 313, GN 13.39 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate (2K82, RT), Hadley Wood station
The driver departure mirror at the north end of Hadley Wood station reveals a class 313 leaving with the 13.39 Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate service. Hadley Wood was a very quiet station some ten miles north of King's Cross. Its four platforms seemed a little excessive given the train calling pattern and passenger numbers but, in common with several others in the vicinity, the up and down fast platforms were closed off and out of use unless in an emergency.
Keywords: 313052 13.39 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate 2K82 Hadley Wood station

180111, HT 13.48 London King`s Cross-Hull (1H04, 2L), Hadley Wood station
180111 gets into its stride as it heads north through Hadley Wood station forming the 13.48 King's Cross to Hull service. The train has just emerged from Hadley Wood south tunnel that was opened in the 1890s some thirty years after the left-hand tunnel (out of sight behind the train) was completed. This was when the track was quadrupled as the original double track layout was prooving inadequate. It is said that Hadley Wood has such a large station, totally out of proportion to the area it serves, as one local resident was no less than Sir Nigel Gresley!
Keywords: 180111 13.48 London King`s Cross-Hull 1H04 Hadley Wood station

700111, TL 12.23 Horsham-Peterborough (9J36, 7L) & 313060, GN 13.30 Moorgate-Welwyn Garden City (2V75, 1E), Hadley Wood station
Two trains from totally different eras pass at Hadley Wood station. To the left, 700111 working the Thameslink 12.23 Horsham to Peterborough service passes on the down fast whilst to the right, veteran 313060 slows for its stop with the 13.30 Moorgate to Welwyn Garden City. It will not be long before the forty-year-old class 313 will be scrapped along with its remaining class mates bringing to an end another era on the network.
Keywords: 700111 12.23 Horsham-Peterborough 9J36 313060 13.30 Moorgate-Welwyn Garden City 2V75 Hadley Wood station

313045, GN 13.30 Moorgate-Welwyn Garden City (2V75, 1E), Hadley Wood station
313045 leaves Hadley Wood station at the rear of the 13.30 Moorgate to Welwyn Garden City. This could possibly be one of the last times that I will photograph these 1976-1977 built dual voltage electrics as withdrawal is now halfway through. I remember when I first travelled in one from King's Cross to Finsbury Park back in 1978 and thinking that they were so modern and up to date with their sliding doors!
Keywords: 313045 13.30 Moorgate-Welwyn Garden City 2V75 Hadley Wood station

717016, 13.58 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate (2K84, 1E), Hadley Wood station
Looking a little odd with no hi-viz front yellow panel, 717016 drifts into Hadley Wood station with the 13.58 Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate service that I took the short distance to New Barnett. Out of all the stations that I visited on this short trip, Hadley Wood was the most pleasant, largely down to its rural location that felt a little incongruous being so close to London.
Keywords: 717016 13.58 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate 2K84 Hadley Wood station

313059, GN 13.50 Moorgate-Welwyn Garden City (2V77, 1L), New Barnet station
313059 leaves New Barnett station as the rear set of the 13.50 Moorgate to Welwyn Garden City service operated by Great Northern. In the distance, a new class 700 is seen heading north on the down fast with a 'fast' service probably going to Cambridge. Notice that the main subject matter is in the shade with the 700 in full sun....such is the art of railway photography!
Keywords: 313059 13.50 Moorgate-Welwyn Garden City 2V77 New Barnet station

43277, GR 12.02 York-London King`s Cross (1Y84, 9L), New Barnet station
43277 leads the 12.02 York to King's Cross service through the north London suburbs at New Barnet. Once again, the sun has spoilt the occasion with the back end of the train in brighter light than the front! New Barnet was not the most attractive of stations that once again had the fast line platforms fenced off preventing access by the public with locked gates for emergency use. 43277 (origonally as 43077) has always been an ECML power car being delivered in 1978 as part of set 254011.
Keywords: 43277 12.02 York-London King`s Cross 1Y84 New Barnet station

717013, TL 14.09 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate (2K86, RT), New Barnet station
With the smell of new paintwork in the air, 717013 arrives at New Barnet station with the 14.09 Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate working. I travelled on this train just over one mile south to Oakleigh Park. I hope that the maintenance crews can keep these virgin units looking as clean and smart as they are at present over the coming few years.
Keywords: 717013 14.09 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate 2K86 New Barnet station

82208, GR 10.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross (1E10, 8L), Oakleigh Park station
At last, a picture in full sun! DVT 82208 is within a few miles of its destination having covered the 348 from Edinburgh with the 10.00 express. With access to the up and down fast platforms denied by railings, I leaned over them with the camera used remotely by utilising its excellent fold-out screen. Notice the elevated booking office at footbridge level. It sits a little incongruously on a narrow base that it overhangs on both sides.
Keywords: 82208 10.00 Edinburgh Waverley-London King`s Cross 1E10 Oakleigh Park station

91120, GR 14.30 London King`s Cross-Newcastle (1N21, 7L), Oakleigh Park station
91120 just catches some summer sun but this does create some awkward lighting and contrast issues, as it approaches Oakleigh Park station with the 14.30 1N21 King's Cross to Newcastle. The twenty-nine chain long Barnet Tunnel can be seen in the background, one of a number of this section of track. This one, along with the others started out as single bores when the railway was opened in the 1870s but within twenty years another bore was dug as the track layout went from double to quadruple to cope with the massive rise in traffic, something that the Great Northern had not reckoned on....sound familiar?
Keywords: 91120 14.30 London King`s Cross-Newcastle 1N21 Oakleigh Park station

800110, GR 14.33 London King`s-Cross-Leeds (1D18, 2L), Oakleigh Park station
It has to be admitted that the LNER livery applied to the Azumas is so much better than the drab green of Great Western's IET equivalents. 800110 sweeps through Oakleigh Park some eight miles into its journey forming the 14.33 King's Cross to Leeds. Again, the camera's flip-out screen has been utilised with me holding it over the railings to secure this photograph. It's lovely to see the front ends of these trains looking so pristine, but after a summer of hitting insect up and down the ECML I wonder if they will become a little work-stained?
Keywords: 800110 14.33 London King`s-Cross-Leeds 1D18 Oakleigh Park station

313045, GN 14.28 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate (2K88, 1E), Oakleigh Park station
313045 forms the 14.28 Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate and is seen arriving at Oakleigh Park station. I took this train the two miles to New Southgate and it will more than likely be my final trip on a class 313 as the complete withdrawal is likely to be in the next month or two.
Keywords: 313045 14.28 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate 2K88 Oakleigh Park station

43320, GR 07.52 Aberdeen-London King`s Cross (1E11, 10L), New Southgate station
43320 races through New Southgate station, probably in an attempt to make up a little of the time that it lost on its journey from Scotland. The 07.52 Aberdeen to King's Cross is a journey of 523 miles and one that an HST takes in its stride, something that it has done since its introduction on the ECML in 1977. However, by this time next year, their work on this line will be a thing of the past as they are completely withdrawn from service.
Keywords: 43320 07.52 Aberdeen-London King`s Cross 1E11 New Southgate station

43319, GR 15.00 London King`s Cross-Stirling (1W22, 6L), New Southgate station
43319 leads the 15.00 King's Cross to Stirling just six miles into its 415-mile journey as it passes through New Southgate station. At the risk of simply repeating what I have said before, I think that the ex Virgin East Coast livery with LNER branding is very smart and a fitting way for the these ECML stalwarts to bow out as they will over the coming few months.
Keywords: 43319 15.00 London King`s Cross-Stirling 1W22 New Southgate station

43367, GR 13.54 Newark Northgate-London King`s Cross (1B85, RT), New Southgate station
43367 'Deltic 50 1955-2005' leads the 13.54 Newark Northgate to King's Cross through New Southgate station. As 43167, the power car was named in October 2005 and it has carried the nameplate since, an occurrence that is not particularly common as numbers change and new operators take over. As this power car will be withdrawn soon it would be nice to think that the nameplates could be removed and donated to the Deltic Preservation Society, but as a life member, I have a vested interest I suppose!
Keywords: 43367 13.54 Newark Northgate-London King`s Cross 1B85 New Southgate station

43295, GR 15.06 London King`s Cross-York (1N87, 7L), New Southgate station
43295 just gets its nose into the afternoon sunlight at New Southgate station as it heads north leading the 15.06 King's Cross to York 'stopper'. As 43095, this power car was introduced in September 1978 as part of east coast set 254020. Its work, racing up and down the ECML, is almost done some forty-one years later as withdrawal beckons in the comming few months.
Keywords: 43295 15.06 London King`s Cross-York 1N87 New Southgate station

717009, GN 14.58 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate (2K02, 1E), New Southgate station
717009 comes to a halt at New Southgate station forming the 14.58 Welwyn Garden City to Moorgate service. I took this train to its destination deep under London's streets. On arrival at Moorgate I was hoping to simply touch in on my Oyster card and get a Northern Line service to London Bridge. But, for some reason, the machines at platform level were all out of use so I had to ascend to concourse level pass the gateline with my NR ticket and then touch back in again on my Oyster to then descend to platform level again.....a little silly! All this had be done in a rush as it was fast approaching 16.00 and I was keen to touch in before the off-peak cut off.
Keywords: 717009 14.58 Welwyn Garden City-Moorgate 2K02 New Southgate station

458526, SW 16.20 London Waterloo-Reading (2C49, 1L), London Waterloo station
This is the first time that I have taken a train from the former Eurostar platforms at Waterloo since 2004! They have recently re-opened again having been reconfigured for use by NR services. 458526 waits at the new platform 24 with the 16.20 service to Reading, the train that I took back to Richmond. A class 450 Desrio sits at the adjacent platform 23.
Keywords: 458526 16.20 London Waterloo-Reading 2C49 London Waterloo station

Tickets, London King`s Cross-Potters Bar-Moorgate
I got pretty good value out of the £9.90 off-peak return from King's Cross stopping off at a number of stations on the return journey.
Keywords: Tickets London King`s Cross-Potters Bar-Moorgate

Oyster Card, Richmond-Vauxhall, Richmond-Shepherd`s Bush & Moorgate-Richmond via London Waterloo
My Oyster card took quite a bashing over the trip to London that we had. On this day, it was used for a peak hour trip from Richmond to Vauxhall in the morning, followed by an off-peak from Richmond to Shepherd's Bush via Willesden Junction and, finally, an off-peak (by minutes!) journey from Moorgate to Richmond. In between, there was also a couple of zone one and two tube journeys.
Keywords: Oyster Card Richmond-Vauxhall Richmond-Shepherd`s Bush & Moorgate-Richmond via London Waterloo

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