Sad Sprinter
Established Member
Where was it? I've read they had offices at Waterloo and Euston, but did they ever have a central building somewhere in London?
I so hoped that last comment about the basement was going to say there was still a OO gauge model railway - that would have been so cool ...Friars Bridge Court, Blackfriars Road (just south of Blackfriars Bridge)
I used to work there (long after the demise of NSE) but most occupants were still TOCs / NR / related organisations.
Lots of the signage / decor was still original, e.g. floor number signs in the railway alphabet in NSE colours.
The basement still had a fully fitted but sadly disused canteen fully decorated in NSE style.
In the early days of NSE, the headquarters were at Euston (the name of the building escapes me). I worked at Waterloo which was the headquarters for the SouthWest part of NSE, but also where there was a HQ projects team.
The canteen at FBC used to have a French cafe vibe - they even installed a couple of half 2CV cars to create a low relief street scene. Ah, happy days!
Even when I saw it empty and unused it still had that feeling - very French feeling hanging lights from lampposts. Difficult to describe in words but vivid in my mind.
Lots of us wished it was still open. I'd go back around there to reminisce but it'd only depress me, I know they've knocked down the block next door. I don't know what they've built, but our pub has gone with it - the Prince Albert around the corner.
Even when I saw it empty and unused it still had that feeling - very French feeling hanging lights from lampposts. Difficult to describe in words but vivid in my mind.
Lots of us wished it was still open. I'd go back around there to reminisce but it'd only depress me, I know they've knocked down the block next door. I don't know what they've built, but our pub has gone with it - the Prince Albert around the corner.
When FBC was built as the 'new' NSE HQ it was the newest building in an otherwise quite run down area. Now it is just about the oldest building there, there are gleaming new buildings all round it on Blackfriars Road. I loved the canteen there too, I was gutted when they shut it down.
Also: Southeastern objected to the planning application to knock down FBC, saying they didn't want to move out and have to relocate their control equipment etc.
When I worked at FBC in the mid 90s, it's nickname was "Fraggle Rock" (never knew why!)
When I worked at FBC in the mid 90s, it's nickname was "Fraggle Rock" (never knew why!)
Weren't they used to hide the air conditioning units?The canteen at FBC used to have a French cafe vibe - they even installed a couple of half 2CV cars to create a low relief street scene. Ah, happy days!
Does anyone know anything about the 1991-1992 NSE Strategic Plan? I heard that all copies of it was hunted down by the DfT and destroyed at privatisation.”
SR SE Division.Wasn't there a location at Beckenham at one point?
I don’t often hear that these days but yes it’s what I remember from the early 2000s that people knew it as.When I worked at FBC in the mid 90s, it's nickname was "Fraggle Rock" (never knew why!)
Seems like a long time ago now!The canteen at FBC used to have a French cafe vibe - they even installed a couple of half 2CV cars to create a low relief street scene. Ah, happy days!