Lines through Balham - originally paired by direction?

[Sad Sprinter]

Great signalling diagram from signalbox.org showing the track arrangement in Balham in 1895. It seems, unless the author has made a mistake, the LBSCR paired the track by direction instead of the current paired by use layout. Is this correct and if so why was it changed to PBU? The layout of Balham Junction in the diagram gives credit to the theory that the Balham to Streatham Hill section was going to be quadrupled. Hence the unused bridge spans across Tooting Common.

 

[Cricketer8for9]

I believe this right. Balham Jct would have been even harder to work than it is now if paired by direction and getting trains over at Victoria would also have needed work.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

The implications for conflicting moves at the major terminal location (ie Victoria in this case), will have been the driving factor in relation to line direction.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Does anyone know how this track pairing worked on the LBSCR and when it was changed? It makes sense as the signal diagram portrays the 1895 layout, but quadrupling south of Balham didn't happen until after 1900. Meaning it would make sense to use a PBD formation when two tracks fanned into four.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

The change of track pairing between Clapham Junction South box and Balham Junction box took place between April and June 1906, although the roads through Clapham Junction station remained paired by direction. This was overcome by a flat 'scissor's crossing immediately South of CJ South box, between St. Johns Hill bridge and Strath Terrace bridge.
This comes from 'The London Railway Record', and I would highly recommend issues 81 (Oct 2014) which includes an article about Wandsworth Common from its earliest days through to the quadrupling and beyond, and also issues 85 (Oct 2015) and 88 (July 2016) for a two part in depth article about Clapham Junction. You will not regret purchasing copies of those if you can find them for those articles mentioned alone!

 

[Sad Sprinter]

The change of track pairing between Clapham Junction South box and Balham Junction box took place between April and June 1906, although the roads through Clapham Junction station remained paired by direction. This was overcome by a flat 'scissor's crossing immediately South of CJ South box, between St. Johns Hill bridge and Strath Terrace bridge.
This comes from 'The London Railway Record', and I would highly recommend issues 81 (Oct 2014) which includes an article about Wandsworth Common from its earliest days through to the quadrupling and beyond, and also issues 85 (Oct 2015) and 88 (July 2016) for a two part in depth article about Clapham Junction. You will not regret purchasing copies of those if you can find them for those articles mentioned alone!

Interesting, so it was only PBD between Balham and Clapham Junction? I would have thought the old route via Stewarts Lane at Pouparts Junction would have been a convenient ready made place to swap the track pairings. But then I suppose you wouldn't be able to serve Battersea Park station - unless it was exclusively on the South London Line.

Where can I get a copy of the London Railway Record?

 

[Big Jumby 74]

Where can I get a copy of the London Railway Record?

I should try their own web page in the first instant:

www.londonrailwayrecord.co.uk
(sorry, this isn't an actual link)

But they still list under 'back numbers', issues 78-89, so those I mention all included, as priced at £4-25 each, so I presume still available via them? If no luck, there's always a certain well known internet auction site, where I'm sure they might be found (but not looked myself).

PS: the link has just turned 'live' a few minutes after posting -- scary !

 

[Steven Taylor]

Interesting, so it was only PBD between Balham and Clapham Junction? I would have thought the old route via Stewarts Lane at Pouparts Junction would have been a convenient ready made place to swap the track pairings. But then I suppose you wouldn't be able to serve Battersea Park station - unless it was exclusively on the South London Line.

Where can I get a copy of the London Railway Record?

I an the author of both Clapham Junction and Wandsworth Common articles. I still have several copies of Clapham Junction Parts 1 and 2. available. If I can help please contact me.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

I an the author of both Clapham Junction and Wandsworth Common articles.

Thanks for your input. Hope you didn't mind my mentioning those works! I wonder if The Falcon is still as I remember it. Not always a good idea to revisit places after decades of absence I find!

 

[Steven Taylor]

Thanks for your input. Hope you didn't mind my mentioning those works! I wonder if The Falcon is still as I remember it. Not always a good idea to revisit places after decades of absence I find!

Don't mind at all. The Falcon is much the same - I think it has listing. It has not really changed in 60 years.