2. Run to Shepherd's Bush, Paddington & King's Cross-29.12.19

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2019 > 88. Trip to London-28-30.12.19 > 2. Run to Shepherd's Bush, Paddington & King's Cross-29.12.19

After accompanying my wife and son to Shepherds Bush I took the tube to Paddington to experience its new quiet ambience with 800s gliding silently in and out of the station and also for a quick look at CrossRails new Class 345 'purple' trains now operating out to Reading and back. I then took a long walk from Baker Street to King's Cross due to planned closure of the Circle, Bakerloo and Hammersmith & City lines. I found King's Cross still busy with Class 91s and Mk. IV stock but devoid of all HSTs, the first time it has been like that since 1977.

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Images 1-21 of 21 displayed.

378256, LO 10.26 Richmond-Stratford (2N15, 2E), Camden Road station
Even on a quiet Sunday morning between Christmas and New Year, the North London Line enjoys a regular service operated by London Overground. At Camden Road station 378256 pauses with the 10.26 Richmond to Stratford service.
Keywords: 378256 10.26 Richmond-Stratford 2N15 2E Camden Road station London Overground

378212, LO 10.50 Stratford-Clapham Junction (2Y26, RT), Camden Road station
Dubbed the Capitalstar, the Class 378 units operate on various routes mainly in North London. They are operated by London Overground and have been in service for about ten years. My wife son and I took 378212 working the 10.50 Stratford to Clapham Junction from here at Camden Road station to Shepherd's Bush.
Keywords: 378212 10.50 Stratford-Clapham Junction 2Y26 Camden Road station London Overground Capitalstar

Frontage, Bayswater LU station
Located on the busy Queensway, Bayswater tube station serves the Circle and District lines. It was constructed by the steam-operated Metropolitan Railway (MR) and opened in 1868. The line is close to the surface and was constructed using the cut and cover method with the platforms at Bayswater open but covered by a roof.
Keywords: Frontage Bayswater LU station

Crossrail construction, Paddington station, Eastbourne Terrace
Now laughably behind schedule and chronically over budget, Crossrail may open during 2021 with partial operation coming a little earlier. This view shows the interchange station located on Eastbourne Terrace with Paddington station looming large behind. I am sure that when Crossrail opens it will be an excellent line that will provide superb service to Londoners but it's such a shame that it has taken so long to complete. I have a nagging feeling that the same thing will be said about HS2 over the coming few years.
Keywords: Crossrail construction Paddington station Eastbourne Terrace

802107, GW 14.00 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads (1H67, RT), London Paddington station
Almost the clutter of the electrification paraphernalia in the throat of Paddington station, 802107 leaves the station working the 14.00 to Bristol Temple Meads. The IETs have changed both the look and the sound at Paddington since their squadron take over earlier this year.
Keywords: 802107 14.00 London Paddington-Bristol Temple Meads 1H67 London Paddington station Great Western Railway IET

800315, GW 11.31Weston-super-Mare-London Paddington (1A16, 6L) & 802003, GW 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance (1C84, RT), London Paddington station
Paddington station is a very different place to the one that I knew from my time as a young spotter in the 1970s. Visually it is much altered with the arrival of the electrification wiring and of course, the actual trains are all new. However, the thing that I noticed during this particular visit was that it was so quiet. There was not one diesel train observed on this Sunday afternoon with IETs gliding silently in and out of the station all very different to when Class 50s and Westerns sat at the blocks after arriving from the West Country. In this scene, 800315 has just arrived with the 11.31 from Weston-super-Mare whilst 800003 will soon leave with the 14.03 to Penzance.
Keywords: 800315 11.31Weston-super-Mare-London Paddington 1A16 802003 14.03 London Paddington-Penzance 1C84 London Paddington station Great Western Railway IET

345006, XR 14.16 London Paddington-Reading (9R74, 2E), London Paddington station
The so-called 'purple' trains started operation on 25.11.19 exclusively on the Paddington to Reading services. In a strange move, they are being operated by TfL (under the Elizabeth Line banner even though the actual route is over a year from opening) on behalf of Great Western Railway. At the moment they are operating on the stopping services on a regular basis and provide an interesting alternative to all things green! I think that this slightly odd arrangement is to get the sets actually operating and earning their keep as they have been delivered and stored for many months now due to the huge delay to the Crossrail line. 345006 waits to leave Paddington with the 14.16 all stopper to Reading. The well-known blogger, Geoff Marshall, was one of the first to travel on a service and gave a good account of the new trains, see.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXV95PR7pEc
Keywords: 345006 14.16 London Paddington-Reading 9R74 London Paddington station Purple Train TfL

Clock tower, London St
In beautiful winter sunshine, the clock tower of Sir George Gilbert Scott designed Midland Grand hotel is seen keeping correct time according to my camera's timecode. The hotel, that was built after William Henry Barlow's better-known trainshed opened, was opened in 1873 and represented the last thing in Victorian opulence. The hotel building is primarily of polychromatic brick construction and in a style derived from the Italian gothic. Could you ever consider a situation where the hotel and the conjoined station could be demolished as was seriously being considered by BR in the 1970s?
Keywords: Clock tower London St. Pancras station Sir George Gilbert Scott

374013, ES 15.31 London St. Pancras-Paris Nord (9036) & 374025, ES 16.01 London St. Pancras-Paris Nord (9038), London St
Looking more akin to the entrance to a cathedral than a railway station at St. Pancras! Looking through the huge arch of the Midland Grand hotel into the station trainshed two Eurostar services can be seen. To the left 374013 will soon leave with the 15.31 to Paris Nord whilst to the right 374025 will leave slightly later with the 16.00 service.
Keywords: 374013 15.31 London St. Pancras-Paris Nord 9036 374025 16.01 London St. Pancras-Paris Nord 9038 London St. Pancras station Eurostar

91126, GR 15.30 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh (1S23, 7L), London King`s Cross station
On arrival at King's Cross, I was greeted by many class 91s and sets of Mk. IV stock however, this was my first visit to King's Cross since 1977 with no HSTs present, very strange! 91126 'Darlington Hippodrome' waits at the head of the 1S23 15.30 to Edinburgh Waverley. It looks like 91116 has been in receipt of a new lower spoiler given how clean it appears to be. I wonder if it was a stock item from the stores or if it was donated by one of the 91s now withdrawn and being stripped for parts?
Keywords: 91126 15.30 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh 1S23 London King`s Cross station Darlington Hippodrome LNER

800210, GR 15.33 London King`s Cross-Lincoln Central (1B88, 5L), London King`s Cross station
Having gone over to Azuma operation last month, the 15.33 King's Cross to Lincoln (I refuse to refer to it as Central) service leaves King's Cross formed by 800210. This Azuma is one of the five-car sets that is replacing a nine-car HST, even with its slightly greater seating capacity, the HST will trump it when it comes to space and comfort....progress?
Keywords: 800210 15.33 London King`s Cross-Lincoln Central 1B88 London King`s Cross station LNER Azuma

91122, GR 16.00 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh (1S24, 6L) & 91130, GR 16.05 London King`s Cross-Leeds (1D21, RT), London King`s Cross station
As it's late December, the sun has already gone sufficiently low in the London sky to be putting King's Cross into full shadow and it's only 15.30! Two class 91s wait to head north with services that have yet to go over to Azuma operation. Nearest the camera is 91130 'Lord Mayor of Newcastle' that will leave at 16.05 with the 1D21 to Leeds. Behind it on platform zero is 91126 that will leave five minutes earlier with the 16.00 to Edinburgh. This background is familiar at King's Cross with the low brick building to the far left featuring in many of my contemporary images, see .....https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/25366392204/x40101-stabled-london-kings-cross This building on York Road, named York Central, has recently been converted into rather expensive flats.
Keywords: 91122 16.00 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh 1S24 91130 16.05 London King`s Cross-Leeds 1D21 London King`s Cross stationLNER Lord Mayor of Newcastle

387129, GN 16.11 London King`s Cross-King`s Lyn (1T44, 5L), London King`s Cross station
387129 stands at King's Cross whilst being prepared to work the 16.11 King's Cross to King's Lyn service. This is a former Thameslink unit now devoid of a fancy paint scheme but for some Great Northern branding being in plain white rather like many of the ex Virgin Pendolinos.
Keywords: 387129 16.11 London King`s Cross-King`s Lyn 1T44 London King`s Cross station

Class 800, GR 16.35 London King`s Cross-Leeds (1D22, 1E), London King`s Cross station
Inside the grandeur of King's Cross' trainshed, two LNER services are seen. By way of comparison, the five-car class 800 Azuma looks positively short compared to the Mk. IV set in the adjacent platform. The generous room and relative comfort of the older stock will be missed when they are finally withdrawn from east coast operation over the coming couple of months.
Keywords: Class 800 16.35 London King`s Cross-Leeds 1D22 London King`s Cross station Azuma LNER

82227, GR 16.05 London King`s Cross-Leeds (1D21, RT) & 180112, GC 15.50 London King`s Cross-Bradford Interchange (1D93, 1L), London King`s Cross station
Platforms one and two at King's Cross are occupied by two services heading for northern cities just a few miles adjacent to each other. To the left, 82227 will be at the rear of the LNER 16.05 to Leeds whilst, to the right Grand Central's 180112 will soon leave with the 15.50 to Bradford Interchange. Over on platform three, a Class 800 Azuma will also work north, out of all these three trains, the Mk. IV stock would be my favourite any day!
Keywords: 82227 16.05 London King`s Cross-Leeds 1D21 180112 15.50 London King`s Cross-Bradford Interchange 1D93 London King`s Cross station LNER Mk. IV DVT Grand Central

91122, GR 16.00 London KIng`s Cross-Edinburgh (1S24, 6L), London King`s Cross station
With the later afternoon light fading fast, 91122 waits at King's Cross' platform zero. It will work the 1S24 16.00 to Edinburgh Waverley. Notice the material stored to the left of the train, this was part of much more that was stored being used as part of the works to re-configure the throat of King's Cross including the re-opening of the third bore of the Gassworks Tunnels.
Keywords: 91122 16.00 London KIng`s Cross-Edinburgh 1S24 London King`s Cross station

91132, 91130, 91112 & 91124, unidentified services, London King`s Cross station
A line up of four class 91s at King's Cross with no Azuma in sight! In the foreground is 91132 that is numbered out of sequence being originally numbered 91023. However, after being involved on both the Great Heck and Hatfield disasters it was given its present-day number rather than 91123 that it ought to have carried. Beyond is 91130 'Lord Mayor of Newcastle', then 91112 and 91124.
Keywords: 91132 91130 91112 91124 London King`s Cross station LNER Lord Mayor of Newcastle

800201, GR 17.22 London King`s Cross-Hull (1H10, 3L), London King`s Cross station
Looking very smart in its shiny new paintwork, Azuma 800201 will soon be leaving with the 17.22 to Hull. Along with Hull Trains' new 'Paragon' 800s passengers to North Humberside suddenly can travel in thoroughly modern trains that I hope that they appreciate even though the seating on offer is not the most comfortable!
Keywords: 800201 17.22 London King`s Cross-Hull 1H10 London King`s Cross station

Nameplate & crest, 91101, GR 18.00 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S28, 17L), London King`s Cross station
The lovely cast nameplate and crest attached to the side of 91101 as it stands at King's Cross station. When this locomotive is taken out of service in the next couple of months, I wonder what will happen to this, and the rest of the nameplates attached to the 91s? Perhaps they could be auctioned off by the owners with the money going to charities?
Keywords: Nameplate crest 91101 18.00 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S28, London King`s Cross station Flying Scotsman LNER

91101, GR 18.00 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh Waverley (1S28, 17L), London King`s Cross station
Wearing its unique graphics 91101 looks very smart as it sits at King's Cross leading the 18.00 to Edinburgh Waverley. A 91001, this locomotive was one of the three first built during April 1988 entering service a year later after exhaustive testing and the rectification of a number of technical issues. However, since then they have proved well up to the job of operating fast and heavy trains up and down the ECML, especially since their extensive re-builds in the early 2000s. However, the curtain is about to come down on these fine trains with the Azuma take-over due for completion over the next few months.
Keywords: 91101 18.00 London King`s Cross-Edinburgh Waverley 1S28 London King`s Cross station

802302, HT 14.36 Hull-London King`s Cross (1A94, 3L), London King`s Cross station
This is my first view of one of Hull Trains' new class 800 Paragons and very smart it looks too! Looking slightly odd with no yellow front panel it has just arrived at King's Cross with the 14.36 from Hull. Notice the vinyl graphics stretching the entire length of the train. I walked from this end to the other studying the very cleverly created images. At this end, the northern 'country' end, is an image of Beverley station, the northernmost point of Hull Trains' present operations. Working down there was imagery of all the towns that their services serve, such as Goole, Doncaster, Grantham, Stevenage and finally with images of London adorning the leading cab at the 'city' end.
Keywords: 802302 14.36 Hull-London King`s Cross 1A94 London King`s Cross station

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