Which was the one up at high level, accessed from the upper walkway, that looked out across the platforms? I was working in an office near Liverpool Street at the time and had bought John Betjeman's book about London termini (still one of the best accounts of same). In that he eulogises about sitting up in that buffet looking out across the station. So I went as well. It had lost much of its charm by the mid-1980s, but some, along with the view, was still there. It used to keep rather limited hours, it was closed all weekend.The "Jazz" term was not lost in the interim - the very basic and orange plasticked buffet at Liverpool St was named so , as well as "The East End Bar" and a much more upmarket and excellent Bistro. The station was a miserable and dark place in those days and the tube access was pretty poor.
The 305s used to sit in platforms 1-4 alongside one another, all with their Jazz decals showing to the gateline. I wonder how many knew the origin, or even noticed them.
I wouldn't agree about the Tube access - coming in from the Bishopsgate side by platform 18, there was an entrance down further steps directly into an underground passageway which ran underneath the gatelines, straight to the Central Line. Lost in the rebuilding. It had a distinct hump at one point, which I worked out was it going over the Post Office mail railway. Yes, I remember the Central signalbox door always being open as well. I always looked in to look at the diagram lights. Must have been a bit of a stygian gloom working in there. The operator was also in charge of signalling in from the reversing sidings and presumably maintaining the intervals westwards, so a bit more of interest than a wayside box.
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