1. Journey to Wellingborough-17.08.80

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-1980 > 14. East of England Summer Tour-17-22.08.80 > 1. Journey to Wellingborough-17.08.80

Graham picked me up around lunchtime in the Mini. We headed east toward the MML stopping off at Oxford, Bicester and Wolverton. We camped near Sharnbrook.

Click here to search The Archive Files

Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.

Oxford Station South signal box (GW, 1908)
On a sunny August afternoon, the rear of Oxford Station South signal box is seen from the road that used to cross the line at this point over what would have been a very busy level crossing. The box is a Great Western structure with a timber top sitting on a brick base dating from 1908. In this image, it looks in a very sorry state having been closed for seven years following Oxford's resignalling. Not long after this photograph was taken the box was demolished.
Keywords: Oxford Station South signal box

Former GWR posters, Bicester North station
Bicester North station was in 1980 a bit of a railway backwater with BR's determined rundown of what is now known as the Chiltern Line in full swing. There had been very little investment in the line with much of its infrastructure remaining back in the Victorian era! Inside the waiting room at North station, Graham and I stumbled across these quite extraordinary survivors, even back in 1980. Hanging on the walls, that themselves were much in need of a lick of paint, were these two very faded but unmistakeably GWR posters. The one to the left shows Windsor Castle and the Thames with the one to the right appears to be Cheddar Gorge. In an amazing turnaround, it's ironic that the present-day TOC GWR have adopted this style of artwork as the backdrop to their 'Famous Five' advertising campaign. I hope that when the renovation of the station occurred that somebody saved these posters and they were simply not skipped by some contractor who did not recognise them for what they were.
Keywords: Former GWR posters Bicester North station

Slow lines, looking South, Wolverton station
Little did I know when I visited Wolverton station back in August 1980 that I would be living some ten miles away forty years later! Graham walks up platform three of the former LN&WR station dating from 1881 with the waiting rooms, footbridge and the elevated station building in view. Over the coming few years the station was completely remodelled as the old structures were deemed unsafe and not fit for purpose. Platform three is the down slow line with four the up slow, a situation that remains the same today. However, this is the only similarity as everything in this view has been wiped away. The closest present-day view I have is to be found at.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/28936787604/x66502-07-50-felixstowe-north-lawley
Keywords: Slow lines looking South Wolverton station

Fast lines, looking South, Wolverton station
Platforms one and two at Wolverton station remain the down and up fast lines respectively and today see very view stopping services with even access to the platforms denied by sliding barriers that remain padlocked. Back in 1980 the situation was different on so many levels. The platforms are fully open and accessible with an up stopping service is due judging by the number of passengers mingling about in their summer clothes. Today, Pendolinos pass through these platforms with incredible frequency making stoppers impossible to path. Also featuring in this photograph are Wolverton's former station buildings. These survived, in various forms, until 1992 with just the wooden footbridge remaining to the end. All have been replaced by a faceless and characterless station with very few facilities but at least the newly constructed station building represents a bit of an improvement over what BR first built to replace the LN&WR structure.
Keywords: Fast lines looking South Wolverton station

Frontage, Wellingborough Station
The frontage of Wellingborough station looks smart in the evening sunshine making the red brickwork look particularly 'warm'. Apart from one or two cosmetic changes, the appearance of the station changed very little until more recent years with much work taking place to prepare for electrification. In addition, a new road has been constructed in front of it (Driver Way) linking to a vast new housing development at Stanton Cross. The Midland Railway commissioned the esteemed architect C. H. Driver (hence the name of the new road just mentioned) to design the station that was opened in 1857. It is Grade II listed noted for its distinctive 'Venetian Gothic style'.
Keywords: Frontage Wellingborough Station

Wellingborough Station Signal Box (MR, 1893)
The superb Wellingborough Station signal box sits between the fast and slow lines to the northern end of the station. It was a Midland Type 2b box opened in 1893 replacing an earlier structure the other side of the fast lines to my left. The box survived until 05.12.87 when signalling was passed to Leicester PSB. By a complete irony, this was the same week that I attended an interview in Wellingborough for a job that I secured, a day that shaped the next forty years or so of my life with me moving to Northamptonshire from my beloved Wiltshire.
Keywords: Wellingborough Station Signal Box

45112, unidentified up working, Wellingborough station
45112 'Royal Army Ordnance Corps' sweeps through Wellingborough station leading and unidentified express service to St. Pancras. It is about to pass the Station signal box (just out of sight to the right) with Wellingborough Junction signal box's up main home banner repeater signal to the extreme right of the photograph. This stayed in use until 13th November 1983 when Wellingborough Junction signal box was closed. With the two arms raised in the foreground, a through down express was pegged. This vintage scene has changed beyond all recognition most notably with a vast new concrete road bridge installed between where I am standing on the platform ramp and Mill Road bridge in the background as well as the electrification paraphernalia. 45112 had just less than seven years in service but has survived into preservation.
Keywords: 45112 up working Wellingborough station Royal Army Ordnance Corps

47502, 18.00 London St. Pancras-Sheffield, Wellingborough station
With a characteristic plume of exhaust from its Sulzer 12LDA28-C engine 47502 passes through Wellingborough station leading the 18.00 St. Pancras to Sheffield. In recent years this scene has changed dramatically as can be seen at .... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/29451578204/x66103-08-58-elstow-redland-mountsorrel with the reinstatement of the second slow line and the electrification equipment. Also, the new footbridge has been built to once again enable platform four to be brought back into use after being closed for many years. In addition, 47502 is still with us preserved at the Wensleydale Railway numbered as 47715 'Haymarket'. I remember being a little frustrated back in 1980 at Wellingborough when this train produced this Class 47 as it was a West Country faithful that I had seen and photographed many times, for example.... https://www.ontheupfast.com/p/21936chg/25473983004/x47502-09-55-plymouth-paddington
Keywords: 47502 18.00 London St. Pancras-Sheffield Wellingborough station

45146, 18.10 London St. Pancras-Nottingham, Wellingborough Junction
I am not too sure as to how I had the confidence to get to this spot at Wellingborough Junction a fair way south of the station platform ends? Standing in this location now would put me at the very end of the station's huge and extended car park. The truncated lines off to the right once led the short distance to Wellingborurgh London Road station just near to the Whitworth Mills. Here they joined the line from Peterborough, the western end of which is now part of the Nene Valley Railway, that led westwards to Northampton. If only this line remained open today it would ease the chronic congestion caused by commuters travelling along the A45 to and from Northampton. 45156 is seen leading the 18.10 St. Pancras to Nottingham past the rather austere wartime designed and built signal box dating from 1943. Unfortunately, there is a little motion blur of the Peak spoiling what is otherwise a photograph taken on a perfect late summer evening.
Keywords: 45146 18.10 London St. Pancras-Nottingham Wellingborough Junction peak

45121, 17.30 Sheffield-London St. Pancras, Wellingborough Junction
In the perfect evening light, 45121 gets away from Wellingborough station with the 17.30 Sheffield to London St. Pancras stopper. The low light illuminating the bulk of the Peak picks out its 1Co-1Co wheel arrangement carrying their rather overweight one hundred and thirty-three tons. As can be seen, Graham and I are in a rather exposed position right opposite Wellingborough Junction signal box but the signalman seemed unperturbed by our presence.
Keywords: 45121 17.30 Sheffield-London St. Pancras Wellingborough Junction

Wellingborough Junction signal box (LMS, 1943)
Wellingborough Junction signal box is the signalling equivalent of a WD Austerity locomotive, indeed, it was built during the same year, 1943. But, despite its somewhat austere appearance it was built to ARP specification including such features as 14" thick brick walls, a flat reinforced concrete roof of 12" thickness and metal window frames in an effort to reduce the risk of fire. It replaced a smaller box located a few yards north of this location. It carries its original London Midland & Scottish Railway Company post-1935 design name board. The box continued in use for another three years from when this picture was taken closing in November 1983 and was demolished some three years after that. In the background is the water tower of the British Leyland foundry; a town landmark for many years even after its closure by the nationalised car maker in 1981. In a nod to its heritage today, the site is home to the Leyland Trading Estate.
Keywords: Wellingborough Junction signal box

Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.