London stations in the 1980s / 1990s esp Stratford

[telstarbox]

Does anyone have any interesting photos of London stations in the 80s and 90s, i.e. the transition from Network South East to the privatisation era?

I'm particularly interested in Stratford (before the rebuild to accommodate the Jubilee line) but any other stations apart from the central London termini would be great too.

Cheers

 

[55002]

A Flickr search may result in few

 

[TheSel]

17 June 1989. Class 104 'BRCW' set L701, car 53437 leading arrives at Upper Holloway.



(As the picture shows, in those days, pensioners and those encumbered by children in pushchairs were able to use stairs, a skill seemingly lost to humankind in the 21st Century).

 

[Cowley]

(As the picture shows, in those days, pensioners and those encumbered by children in pushchairs were able to use stairs, a skill seemingly lost to humankind in the 21st Century).

To be fair it does look like he’s struggling a bit...

 

[Mag_seven]

I remember visiting Stratford station on a couple of occasions in the 80s during trips to London. Most trains to Colchester etc clattered through without stopping as I don't think there were platforms on the "main lines" (i.e. platforms 9 and 10 today). I recall stopping pattern announcements such as "the next train at platform XX is for Ilford, Romford and all stations to Shenfield". In those days there was no Westfield etc and the area surrounding the station and the station itself was a bit intimidating and a bit of a dump to be quite honest.

 

[Cowley]

I remember visiting Stratford station on a couple of occasions in the 80s during trips to London. Most trains to Colchester etc clattered through without stopping as I don't think there were platforms on the "main lines" (i.e. platforms 9 and 10 today). I recall stopping pattern announcements such as "the next train at platform XX is for Ilford, Romford and all stations to Shenfield". In those days there was no Westfield etc and the area surrounding the station and the station itself was a bit intimidating and a bit of a dump to be quite honest.

Those were my experiences too back then, and I remember walking through the tunnel on at least three occasions to have a look around Stratford depot.
The 302 EMUs were a bit rough as well.

 

[superjohn]

Not photos but I recommend Soi Buakhao’s YouTube channel. Lots of 80s and 90s transport videos with many of trains around the London area. Stratford of the era you mention features in several of them.

Soi Buakhao

Hi all, welcome to my channel. I have a varied amount of transport videos shot by myself since 1985, originally filmed direct onto E180 VHS tapes but since t...

www.youtube.com

 

[Bevan Price]

Does anyone have any interesting photos of London stations in the 80s and 90s, i.e. the transition from Network South East to the privatisation era?

I'm particularly interested in Stratford (before the rebuild to accommodate the Jubilee line) but any other stations apart from the central London termini would be great too.

Cheers

Stratford & plenty of other stations appear on the RailScot site, but not all for the date you want:

Stratford - RAILSCOT

Scroll through the A-Z index to see if any other stations of interest are included, but note that some station pages have no photographs.

Other stations with photos available include Clapham Jn

Clapham Junction - RAILSCOT

and Ealing Broadway

Ealing Broadway - RAILSCOT

 

[Snow1964]

As the Op wanted stations in transition
A pic of Ludgate Circus with the approach bridge over Ludgate Hill that led to Holborn Viaduct being demolished (only 2 of the 4 tracks were still up at this date)

Second picture shows the concrete shell of the Thameslink station on left, original road surface is on left, the temporary partition along the road, and the road switched to the new raised section (about metre higher), but obviously couldn’t be used until bridge was removed due to clearances. Subsequently the other half the road was raised to match it. I can’t remember now but I think the roof of Thameslink station wasn’t laid in until road was raised

 

[telstarbox]

Thanks for these! Happy to see any more and associated stories.

 

[Carlisle]

station itself was a bit intimidating and a bit of a dump to be quite honest.

I remember the underpass leading to the depot had a large ‘No Spotters’ sign about halfway through it .

 

[Cowley]

I remember the underpass leading to the depot had a large ‘No Spotters’ sign about halfway through it .

Yes I remember that. There never seemed to be any bother though.

 

[Pinza-C55]

I visited Stratford TMD on 10.1.81 to see two of the remaining 4 Class 15s and this is a photo of them with the second photo a general line up of locos. In a shed there was a "Toffee Apple" Class 31.

 

[Cowley]

I visited Stratford TMD on 10.1.81 to see two of the remaining 4 Class 15s and this is a photo of them with the second photo a general line up of locos. In a shed there was a "Toffee Apple" Class 31.

View attachment 85528


View attachment 85529

Superb. I saw one of the last class 15s (D8243?) at Marylebone shed in 1986 before heading over to Stratford on the North London line and bunking the shed. That was on one of the first Network Southeast days and everything was still blue and grey before they’d got to the point of painting all of the lampposts red.
Actually the class 15 was still in green but with double arrows...

 

[Pinza-C55]

This is 73114 + a 73 + a 71 in the yard at Norwood Junction, I think on the same day as the photo above. It was remarkable that in those days I could just walk around these places unchallenged. * second loco actually looks like a 33 but when I wrote these details down I would have came overnight from Newcastle Deltic hauled and was barely awake,

 

[racyrich]

I remember the underpass leading to the depot had a large ‘No Spotters’ sign about halfway through it .

Hahaaha. I used to cycle there from Basildon every other week in 78 and 79 (alternating with riding to WGC) and crash the shed. No one cared that 2 14 year olds were wandering around. Somehow I seemed to miss the exotic stuff, though I did see one of the Departmental 15s there. Saw another of them at Colchester in 79 too.

 

[route101]

As the Op wanted stations in transition
A pic of Ludgate Circus with the approach bridge over Ludgate Hill that led to Holborn Viaduct being demolished (only 2 of the 4 tracks were still up at this date)

Second picture shows the concrete shell of the Thameslink station on left, original road surface is on left, the temporary partition along the road, and the road switched to the new raised section (about metre higher), but obviously couldn’t be used until bridge was removed due to clearances. Subsequently the other half the road was raised to match it. I can’t remember now but I think the roof of Thameslink station wasn’t laid in until road was raised

View attachment 85521View attachment 85522

What date were these pictures?

 

[Pinza-C55]

This was Merton Park station in 1980. It had the unusual feature that the main building was situated on the disused line to Tooting so you had to walk across a causeway to get to the actual platform. The Tooting line closed to passengers in 1929 and goods in 1975.

 

[306024]

I remember the underpass leading to the depot had a large ‘No Spotters’ sign about halfway through it .

I‘m pretty sure that sign is the one that has found its way to Mangapps museum at Southminster, along with a whole host of other wonderful stuff. I remember the first time I went to a Stratford depot for a meeting with the ASLEF reps. Being able to walk past that sign knowing you were on official business was a whole different feeling to when I was a 14 year old trying to sneak round.

For class 15 fans, one is being restored in Bury, all donations welcome:
http://www.d8233.org.uk/

Stratford station obviously has changed out of all recognition. One particularly difficult task was demolishing the old signal box and extending the central subway. A whole lot of rails had been dumped and the signal box built on top. Took a while to cut through and remove them all then drive the subway through.

Driving the huge bridge across which links the old town centre to Westfield was a major engineering job. The final moves being done without blocking the railway below.

While the rebuilt station is confusing to first timers it still has a certain character, and for totally inexplicable reasons remains my favourite on the whole network. If only they could afford a roof on platforms 9, 10 and 10A.

 

[30907]

This is 73114 + a 73 + a 71 in the yard at Norwood Junction, I think on the same day as the photo above. It was remarkable that in those days I could just walk around these places unchallenged. * second loco actually looks like a 33 but when I wrote these details down I would have came overnight from Newcastle Deltic hauled and was barely awake,


View attachment 85531

And, sadly, the 71 behind the 33 is another 73

 

[Snow1964]

What date were these pictures?

Didn’t note an exact date, but I think it was early 1990
I know Ludgate Hill bridge was being demolished as you can see sparks where metal deck was being cut

I think the new station was originally called St Paul’s Thameslink when it opened under the raised road

 

[telstarbox]

I‘m pretty sure that sign is the one that has found its way to Mangapps museum at Southminster, along with a whole host of other wonderful stuff. I remember the first time I went to a Stratford depot for a meeting with the ASLEF reps. Being able to walk past that sign knowing you were on official business was a whole different feeling to when I was a 14 year old trying to sneak round.

For class 15 fans, one is being restored in Bury, all donations welcome:
http://www.d8233.org.uk/

Stratford station obviously has changed out of all recognition. One particularly difficult task was demolishing the old signal box and extending the central subway. A whole lot of rails had been dumped and the signal box built on top. Took a while to cut through and remove them all then drive the subway through.

Driving the huge bridge across which links the old town centre to Westfield was a major engineering job. The final moves being done without blocking the railway below.

While the rebuilt station is confusing to first timers it still has a certain character, and for totally inexplicable reasons remains my favourite on the whole network. If only they could afford a roof on platforms 9, 10 and 10A.

The area isn't my favourite but I do like the station for the sheer amount of people and trains under one roof!

 

[frodshamfella]

17 June 1989. Class 104 'BRCW' set L701, car 53437 leading arrives at Upper Holloway.

View attachment 85518

(As the picture shows, in those days, pensioners and those encumbered by children in pushchairs were able to use stairs, a skill seemingly lost to humankind in the 21st Century).

nice pic ; -) . I guess Woodside, Addiscombe and the stations to Selsdon would have all gone around this period.

 

[Roger1973]

The Flickr user David Flett (don't know him personally) often posts railway pictures from the 1980s.

Some recent highlights include 4 SUB at very un-modernised Victoria, and some of gas-lit Selsdon shortly before closure.

 

[telstarbox]

Oh lovely, thanks Roger.