Old Timer
Established Member
The year 1980, and the month of August finds me working at Engine Shed Jct signalbox, which was just north of Kentish Town station.
Photo 1
45106 works a set of Mk1 ECS to Cricklewood CS pass Engine Shed Box.
The track layout comprised of six lines, from left to right the Up and Down Moorgate, the Up and Down Passenger, and the Up and Down Goods. The lines running round the back of the box are the Down and Up Branch lines which ran to Upper Holloway Junction just around the back, where they joined up with the Gospel Oak - Barking line.
Prior to the introduction of the EMU services, there was a half-hourly service between Kentish Town and Barking. Following the Electrification these services were diverted to a new turnback platform at Gospel Oak where they gained connection to the NLL.
As part of the commisssioning of the Carlton Road Jct to Hendon section of the route, the Goods lines were slued into the Fast lines north of Finchley Road Jct and renamed the Fast lines, and the Passenger lines were renamed the Slow Lines.
Engine Shed Jct had the distinction of being the last Midland mechanical box to be closed as part of the MSE. These photographs were taken during the last few months of Engine Shed Jct box's life.
Photo 2
An afternoon St Pancras to Nottingham PCD service passes Engine Shed Jct box. Here in the late 1970s the signalman was taken knife hostage by a mental patient for several hours, subsequently being forced to leave the box with the man when a signalman's Inspector arrived to establish why the signalman was working "erratically". This demonstrated the risks faced by many Signalmen in remote signalboxes, and subsequently a special bell signal was introduced which a Signalman could use to summon Police assistance with out alerting an intruder.
Photo 3
A Barking to Kentish Town DMU passes along the Up Branch from Upper Holloway. Note the tail lamp on the rear. These services, which were worked by Cricklewood men arrived and departed from Platform 1 at Kentish Town station, which was situated on the Up Moorgate line.
Owing to the construction of the station, the Fast lines had no platforms at Kentish Town so only trains from the Moorgate lines, and running over the Slow lines could actually call at Kentish Town.
Photo 4
Sadly I cannot track down the origin of this very unusual working right now, but as can be seen an unidentified 45/1 creeps round the corner from Upper Holloway with a parcels train for St Pancras. I have a feeling it may have originated at Southend Central PCD or possibly Barking.
The train is passing around the NW corner of the former Kentish Town MPD, which was the steam depot serving St Pancras. The building has been used as a depot by J Murphy Construction for more years than I care to remember !
Photo 5
45129 with a youthful secondman, passes out from the bridge underneath the NLL as it works an Up Mk 1 ECS towards St Pancras to work the 1625 St Pancras to Derby service. The loco would then shunt release to work the 1650 St Pancras to Sheffield service.
Photo 1
45106 works a set of Mk1 ECS to Cricklewood CS pass Engine Shed Box.
The track layout comprised of six lines, from left to right the Up and Down Moorgate, the Up and Down Passenger, and the Up and Down Goods. The lines running round the back of the box are the Down and Up Branch lines which ran to Upper Holloway Junction just around the back, where they joined up with the Gospel Oak - Barking line.
Prior to the introduction of the EMU services, there was a half-hourly service between Kentish Town and Barking. Following the Electrification these services were diverted to a new turnback platform at Gospel Oak where they gained connection to the NLL.
As part of the commisssioning of the Carlton Road Jct to Hendon section of the route, the Goods lines were slued into the Fast lines north of Finchley Road Jct and renamed the Fast lines, and the Passenger lines were renamed the Slow Lines.
Engine Shed Jct had the distinction of being the last Midland mechanical box to be closed as part of the MSE. These photographs were taken during the last few months of Engine Shed Jct box's life.
Photo 2
An afternoon St Pancras to Nottingham PCD service passes Engine Shed Jct box. Here in the late 1970s the signalman was taken knife hostage by a mental patient for several hours, subsequently being forced to leave the box with the man when a signalman's Inspector arrived to establish why the signalman was working "erratically". This demonstrated the risks faced by many Signalmen in remote signalboxes, and subsequently a special bell signal was introduced which a Signalman could use to summon Police assistance with out alerting an intruder.
Photo 3
A Barking to Kentish Town DMU passes along the Up Branch from Upper Holloway. Note the tail lamp on the rear. These services, which were worked by Cricklewood men arrived and departed from Platform 1 at Kentish Town station, which was situated on the Up Moorgate line.
Owing to the construction of the station, the Fast lines had no platforms at Kentish Town so only trains from the Moorgate lines, and running over the Slow lines could actually call at Kentish Town.
Photo 4
Sadly I cannot track down the origin of this very unusual working right now, but as can be seen an unidentified 45/1 creeps round the corner from Upper Holloway with a parcels train for St Pancras. I have a feeling it may have originated at Southend Central PCD or possibly Barking.
The train is passing around the NW corner of the former Kentish Town MPD, which was the steam depot serving St Pancras. The building has been used as a depot by J Murphy Construction for more years than I care to remember !
Photo 5
45129 with a youthful secondman, passes out from the bridge underneath the NLL as it works an Up Mk 1 ECS towards St Pancras to work the 1625 St Pancras to Derby service. The loco would then shunt release to work the 1650 St Pancras to Sheffield service.
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