And a nice scotch block on the rail just beyond it.
It's very hard to tell. The photographer is evidently standing at platform height, but that does not mean they are standing on an actual platform served by a track. Partridge Green was a very basic 2-platform station on the Steyning Line, so this is unlikely to be a 'homecoming' event, Although later rebuildings of stations by the Southern Railway may make it hard to place an accurate location on this picture.
The location is definitely not Partridge Green!
It's certainly not the current Canopy or Footbridge at Lewes, which I understand to be the original pattern (certainly it's the same pattern as was around in the 50's and 60s from photos of the end of the Uckfield/Bluebell lines I've seen) from the 1889 rebuild, and E4s entered traffic after that so it is unlikely to be an earlier incarnation of Lewes station. The footbridge is unusual for all the ex-LBSCR stations I could see, which prefer a narrow lattice. I'm afraid I can't help at all on what it might be, but I suspect the footbridge is your best hope for a positive identification.
That bracing at Hove doesn't match the photo to me. Unless the footbridge has been replaced outright.
On reflection, it doesn't.
I don't think that it can be Guildford as the view of the nearer track would be blocked by the edge of the next platform. For the loco to be in the position shown under the footbridge, it would have to be in 3 or 5, and in both cases there's only room for two tracks between those and platforms 2 and 4.Hi,
I think this is Guildford.
The bridge has quite distinctive support shapes that are wider at the bottom and then have triangular supports heading back inwards and upwards. These can be seem today on the bridge but the lattice work is now covered up. The lateral spacing seems to match.
The stairs descending through the canopy is moderately rare - that's the pattern that still there at Guildford.
Compare it this view Guildford of platform 2/3 on the Geograph website:
https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3383795
Cheers,
Mr Toad
It does look as though there are check rails on the nearer rail of both tracks, and maybe a third rail next to the platform. Might the nearer track be a siding, or even part of a goods yard, where staff would be working on the ground, hence the juice rail being next to the platform edge?
I think the apparent 'juice rail' may be point rodding running along between the platform face and the track? Looks too low for a third rail and before they were introduced anyway?
Yes, looks like point rodding to me. LBSCR electrification was at first overhead. Not many places the LBSCR and LSWR overlapped that were electrified with third rail in the pre-grouping era, either. None in the Brighton/Newhaven area.
Additionally because Guildford did not have a footbridge in pre grouping days iirc.
Bingo! I think it is Clapham Junction pre-electrification. See this photo: (https://flic.kr/p/2mthq3w)I'm going to throw this in to the ring, but bear in mind since the image was taken (late 18xx ?) the footbridge is liable to have been rebuilt (widened) to it's present size, but can't find any details to hand to support what rebuilding work may have taken place over that area of the station 100 years ago, but could it be Clapham Junction. The loco standing on what is now the UWSL (platform 3) facing London. The road nearer the camera is what was the 'Middle Siding', which as I recall was (is?) positioned very close to the UWSL (sleeper end to sleeper end), and the road not in view (bottom of image) would be what was platform 2 track. The photographer standing on the old platform 2.
A brief foray for an LB&SCR loco & crew on to the L&SWR via Stewarts Lane & Longhedge perhaps?..
Yes, I think we have it - and it is definitely the Brighton side: the relevant OS may shows the "middle road" as having a very narrow platform. Both locos are on the (operational) precursor of the present P15 but the location is more like the present P13. The wooden platform in the foreground is the equivalent of P12.
Thanks - would that area ever have had the LBSCR overhead electrification? And if so would that help narrow down the date of the image.
Electrified as part of the Crystal Palace lines electrification project opening 12 May 1911. I can browse for some pictures if you would like.
Thanks - does not take much off the date window given in post#14 as it happens then.
Very good points (both).
Absolutely, but at the time the footbridge was widened (whenever that was?) any demolition/rebuilding of the awning would have also taken place.
Have left replying to your comments until next to last, and bear with me with this. My original suggestion was that the original image posted was taken on the SW side (UWSL, p3 as it is now). My thinking being that the canopy (awning) is noticeably narrow, and of a symmetrical width (as far as the pic shows), which suggested what is now plats 3/4 (UWL). The 'Middle siding' I referred to being that which allowed access to what we knew as the 'Kenny (Kensington) sidings. These were located behind C box alongside the UWSL.
Thank you indeed (just for sharing that image). I am utterly gob smacked such pics still come to light..! A couple of things: I am still more inclined to think LSWR p3 side rather than LBSCR side, and no dis-respect to 30907 (I hope I have been able to explain my thinking clearly enough?) Loco direction of travel as per your (devon_belle) image, not so fussed with, as back then signalled movements may well have been different coming off Longhedge were concerned. They may have been able to bring trains off Longhedge in to (in order) p1, p2, Middle Siding or p3 (the latter now being the UWSL). In my day (cough, splutter) we could only bring trains off Longhedge in to p1, p2, Middle siding, or across the UWL's (both) and down through p5 and p6 (I'm ignoring access to the yard as that doesn't come in to this).
Please can you tell me where I can get access to these? The history of Clapham Junction is a long-standing point of intense interest for me.
I don't think the footbridge on that side was built until the 30s - see this 1920s map:
Just a thought - would the design of the dagger boards on the LBSCR side have been different from the dagger boards on the LSWR side and would this help if it would be seen the style of such canopy dagger boards at other stations in pics of similar period? Bit of a long shot given that such canopies would date from different times at different stations and presumably the style altered over time as well as by company.
See my last post, but I do understand where you are coming from, as I am (now) questioning this myself. That said I still think it is CJ, on the basis (if nothing else) that where else matches the various details in the overall context? I am struggling to think of anywhere else?
