Were the lines into Snow Hill (Holborn Viaduct) electrified?

[rogercov]

In my childhood in the 60s, I remember looking over the parapet opposite Holborn Viaduct station and seeing the Snow Hill platforms. Due to subsequent redevelopment this part of the line was covered over later in the 60s. These lines were not electrified at that time. There was no reason for them to be as the only traffic through that tunnel was a few freight trains.

However, a railway enthusiast friend of my Dad showed me a photo of an EMU in an under-cover platform. I seem to remember that it had a number in the 12xx range, which would suggest it was a 3-car suburban unit. The date of the photo was probably the 1930s or 1940s as these units were later renumbered 4xxx with the addition of a 4th car in the 40s. He told me at the time that it was at Holborn Viaduct (low level platforms) and I'm not sure if I believe him.

Take a look at this 1953 picture on Wikipedia

Holborn Viaduct railway station - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It looks like at least one of the lines into the Snow Hill tunnel was electrified. How far did the electrification go and why was it necessary?

Were the Snow Hill platforms ever used for stabling of EMUs?
Were there EMU stabling sidings beyond Snow Hill?

Is there any other reason why an EMU would have been down there? An enthusiasts' special maybe? There certainly wouldn't have been any such specials during the wartime years. Did any 3-SUB units retain the 12xx numbers for a short time after the war?

Any information would be gratefully received. Thanks.

 

[nlogax]

As per http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/holborn_viaduct/

It is interesting to note that electrified services commenced running from Holborn Viaduct High Level on 12 July 1925, and that the third rail was installed along the double track of the line to the Low Level station for some distance, in order to reach a sub-station.

Where that substation is or was, I can't tell.

 

[steamybrian]

I have been unable to find any photographic evidence of any of the lines through or into Snow Hill station being electrified prior to the reopening for Thameslink services. Can you provide the photograph in question so that this forum members can discuss the location. For further information on Snow Hill station see Nick Catford's excellent web site article. Finally the Snow Hill lines were heavily used by freight trains until the 1960s so unlikely to be used to berth trains there. The occasional enthusiast specials did travel over the line either steam or diesel hauled with the last possibly being a "Hastings " DEMU just prior to closure in 1969.

Disused Stations: Snow Hill/Holborn Viaduct Low Level Station (disused-stations.org.uk)

 

[Beebman]

As per http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/holborn_viaduct/



Where that substation is or was, I can't tell.

This is something which has intrigued me for a long time after having seen a photo in a book some years ago of electrified tracks disappearing into the tunnel, yet photos from the same period of the old Snow Hill station show no electrification. The explanation about the substation seems to fit. This may well be the photo I saw, it's from a thread at RMWeb:

 

[randyrippley]

Read the two entries on "disused stations"

Disused Stations: Holborn Viaduct Station

Disused Stations: Snow Hill/Holborn Viaduct Low Level Station

the first one states

It is interesting to note that electrified services commenced running from Holborn Viaduct High Level on 12 July 1925, and that the third rail was installed along the double track of the line to the Low Level station for some distance, in order to reach a sub-station.

 

[rogercov]

As per http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/holborn_viaduct/
Where that substation is or was, I can't tell.

Thanks. Yes, it confirms that the line was electrified. I wonder where Nick C. got that information from. It's a pity he didn't elaborate on the substation.
His entry for Snow Hill station itself also includes a 1954 photo of the Snow Hill platforms and there is no electrification there. Either it never went that far or the third rail had been removed.

Can you provide the photograph in question so that this forum members can discuss the location.

Unfortunately not. It was shown to me at the time but I never had a copy.

The photographer was called John (or Jon?) Head. He was certainly an active railway photographer in the 50s. He had a few photos published in "Railway Magazine" at that time (credited to "J. Head"). I cannot say whether this particular photo was one of them.

He was a work colleague of my Dad's in the late 50s but we lost track of him. He didn't work for the railways but he must have been reasonably well connected as he arranged for visits to signal boxes for his colleagues. I personally have prints of a number of his steam photos which he gave me at the time, and I've since scanned. I'm guessing that he is no longer around and I've been wondering what happened to his photo collection, so any information about him would be useful (but that's a subject for a different thread).

This may well be the photo I saw, it's from a thread at RMWeb:

Thanks for posting that pic. That's the best proof so far of the electrification.

It seems we are now all asking the same questions.

 

[30907]

The only thing to add is that the sidings on the west side of the line were not electrified, but were for freight. Layout here:
https://signalbox.org/~SBdiagram.php?id= 375
Doesn't show the substation, obviously.

Whatever the official purpose of the 3rd rail, the northbound line could have been used in service disruption to reverse trains, or in air raids to protect them. However that is speculation.

 

[John Webb]

Another view which may be of interest to the readers of this thread (click on small photo to go to the larger original):
Rail Approaches to Holborn Viaduct

© Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Unfortunately, as the Low Level ('Snow Hill') station closed to passengers in 1916, the photographer of the above never had the opportunity to photograph that station!

 

[randyrippley]

Nick Catford also wrote the SubBrit page for the low level station, and he includes some photos from the 1950s which show the electrification didn't go north of the station

Snow Hill Station – Subterranea Britannica

Subterranea Britannica is a society devoted to the study and investigation of man-made (including Nuclear Bunkers) and man-used underground places.

www.subbrit.org.uk

descriptions are taken from the site

Snow Hill Station in April 1954 after the partial removal of the bomb damaged station building
https://media.subbrit.org.uk/10295/1552675451-snowhilloldrcriley-4-1954-3.jpg

Looking South from Holborn Viaduct Low Level Station in July 1954 the remains of the basement level of the the bomb damaged station building can be seen

https://media.subbrit.org.uk/10295/1552675456-snowhillold1.jpg

 

[steamybrian]

This is something which has intrigued me for a long time after having seen a photo in a book some years ago of electrified tracks disappearing into the tunnel, yet photos from the same period of the old Snow Hill station show no electrification. The explanation about the substation seems to fit. This may well be the photo I saw, it's from a thread at RMWeb:

Thanks for issuing this photograph. It appears the conductor rail on the left hand (northbound) track finishes in line with the second wagon of the freight train thus explaining why it does not appear in the 1954 photograph of Snow Hill.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Interesting thread and ive looked at G T Moodys Southern Electric book and this confirms that there was a substation in the arches at Holborn Viaduct so its possible the conductor rails on the Snow Hill lines were there to avoid long cables. The book also confirms the low level station wasn't electrified as the platforms were too short for the new trains.

 

[bramling]

Interesting thread and ive looked at G T Moodys Southern Electric book and this confirms that there was a substation in the arches at Holborn Viaduct so its possible the conductor rails on the Snow Hill lines were there to avoid long cables. The book also confirms the low level station wasn't electrified as the platforms were too short for the new trains.

This would figure, as there was a 1980s style containerised substation at Blackfriars, which itself was replaced recently by the new Ludgate Cellars substation as part of the Thameslink Programme works. Presumably the Blackfriars substation replaced the original Holborn Viaduct one.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

This would figure, as there was a 1980s style containerised substation at Blackfriars, which itself was replaced recently by the new Ludgate Cellars substation as part of the Thameslink Programme works. Presumably the Blackfriars substation replaced the original Holborn Viaduct one.

The original arches substation was eliminated when BR implemented the change of frequency scheme across the SE division and a new substation was built in the arches at the intersection of the CX and Holborn Viaduct lines (Southwark s/stn). The substation under Blackfriars bridge was installed when City Thameslink was built (1988ish) and the service levels increased. There was also a substation at Farringdon as well as the DC system at Farringdon had to be isolated from the rest of the Southern system due to high levels of DC leakage currents finding its way into various structures in part due the earthing of the OLE system and LUL at Farringdon station.