Joe Brown

@joebrownlondon

Cartographer, author, railway historian, former train driver, current transport manager, LGBTQ+ network leader 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Visit Crecy Publishing for my titles

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Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· 25d

#OnThisDay 189 years ago the London & Birmingham Railway opened from Euston to Boxmoor (near Hemel Hempstead). The Euston Arch was demolished in 1961 and is a poster-child for the 1960s destruction of railway history in the name of modernisation. @ltmuseum buff.ly/PPZAuJq

The Doric Euston Arch, designed by Philip Hardwick in 1838, stood as a triumphal entrance to the London & Birmingham Railway's station at Euston. The arch stood 70 foot (21 metres) tall and was made of granite, proclaiming the name of the station proudly from the pedestal. The arch was demolished in 1961 under the orders of Harold Macmillan. This was in spite of a campaign by conservationists in the Victorian Society headed by John Betjeman. The destruction of the Euston Arch kick-started the Heritage lobby into action. Victorian and Edwardian architecture was considered ugly and old-fashioned by the modernists in the 1960s, and thus much was destroyed. Few major 19th-century buildings are completely demolished today.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· 26d

#OnThisDay 100 years ago three 'parks' opened: Brookmans Park, Dumpton Park, and Northolt Park... happy centenary! Opening day images of the first two: North Mymms Collection www.northmymmshistory.uk/2023/02/broo... and this blog thanetonline.blogspot.com/2019/11/myst...

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· 26d

#OnThisDay 51 years ago both the Piccadilly Line 1973 Stock was introduced, and the line was extended to Hatton Cross, known for its BOAC 'Speedbird' mosaics. Here’s a drivers eye view arriving at Hatton Cross westbound, wait ‘til the end for a surprise (clue: it’s not a ‘73!)

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· 27d

#OnThisDay 4 years ago Barking Riverside opened, now one end of the @TfL #Suffragette Line. In gloomy weather the brilliant @Tubemapper captures a Class 710 Aventura train before departure to Gospel Oak, using the wet platform for his trademark reflection buff.ly/Yt2gnaM

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· 28d

#OnThisDay: 87 years ago, the P Stock was introduced; these beautiful art deco trains feature in my earliest memories. Combined with the O Stock and converted (C) from 'metadyne' control system, CO/CP worked the District Line until 1981. bowroaduk buff.ly/3OGIS3l

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· 29d

#OnThisDay 167 years ago Plumstead station opened. 41 years ago, a Charing Cross to Dartford 4EPB service arrives at a deserted station in a typical Southern Region suburban scene from the 80s: 6089Gardener buff.ly/AFLjmDE

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 15

#OnThisDay 60 years ago BR abandoned its 'colour bar' - preventing black workers from occupying customer-facing roles at London railway stations - thanks to the campaigning of Asquith Xavier. Asquith pictured here in the role he fought for; Guard at Euston buff.ly/Riixw15

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 14

#OnThisDay 51 years ago the current Hounslow West opened replacing the original terminus, in the 5 intervening days prior to the extension to Hatton Cross trains ran empty there to reverse. A '59 Stock calls just as the '73s started taking over @ltmuseum buff.ly/OfP9nzU

View down the island platform at Hounslow West station, shortly after opening, showing the ribbed ceiling, tiled columns and walls, terrazzo floor tiling, plastic oval seating and station name in frieze. A train with open doors stands in platform no 1; a member of staff stands with his arm outstretched by the side of the train. Several people are making their way towards the exit.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 13

#OnThisDay 158 years ago, the Midland mainline opened to passengers between Bedford and London. As St Pancras would not be ready for a further 2½ months, initially trains used the City Widened Lines to Kings Cross / Moorgate. Coat of Arms: Science Museum Collection buff.ly/sptegwd

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 12

#OnThisDay 185 years ago the London & Brighton Railway opened from Norwood Junction to Haywards Heath (the Brighton section followed on 21/09/1841). The iconic and much-photographed Ouse Valley (or Balcombe) Viaduct opened with the line. Alistair Hall buff.ly/cLpizKF

Looking though the brickwork of the viaduct, the cut-out sections of each pier align to form a tunnel effect

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 11

#OnThisDay 178 years ago the London & South Western Railway opened Waterloo, replacing Nine Elms, Vauxhall also opened that day. It grew into a confusing collection of 3 separate stations until 1922 rebuilding combined them, the former Eurostar platforms 20-24 opened in 1994 buff.ly/QKgl4T6

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 10

#OnThisDay 104 years ago the London & North Western Railway commenced DC electric services from Euston to Watford Junction with the opening of a third pair of tracks between Queens Park and Euston. Services were provided by Oerlikon units like this preserved at the NRM in York.

LNWR Oerlikon motor car 28249 preserved at the National Railway Museum in York.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 9

#OnThisDay 170 years ago Bracknell station was opened by the Staines & Wokingham Railway (later absorbed by the LSWR). It was a charming station until 1975 when it was redeveloped, here's a 1970 view with a single 2-BIL unit approaching: Peter Nicholls buff.ly/wxFH4Qc

A London bound train enters Bracknell Station. July 1970.
Train is a 2-BIL – a 2 carriage bi-lavatory unit – each carriage was all compartments with a side corridor leading to a toilet - the units being designed for longish cross country journeys. Two carriages were sufficient in those quieter days for off peak services.
These units (together with another similar type) ran the Reading – Waterloo service from electrification in the 1930’s until withdrawal around 1970.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 8

#OnThisDay 181 years ago Scarborough station was opened by the North Eastern Railway. This fine Grade II listed station also boasts reputedly the longest railway seat in the world at 139m, on platform 1.

Viewed from behind the buffer stops, Northern Class 155 345 for Hull stands at platform 4 Scarborough alongside TPE Class 68 023 'Achilles' at platform 3

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 7

#OnThisDay 85 years ago Leman Street station closed. Barely a stone's throw from Fenchurch Street, halfway between there and Shadwell, it was one of several East End wartime casualties that never reopened. Photo / map: L A Blount/ Disused Stations buff.ly/zTeDJDN

A Fenchurch Street-bound train of a tank engine and four coaches calls at Leman Street

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 6

#OnThisDay 161 years ago the connection between the LSWR and SER crossing Waterloo concourse opened to passengers. Indicative of how awful crossing London by road was, it was a crazy service from Euston to London Bridge via Willesden and Clapham Junction buff.ly/bLbAGNb

A grainy shot taken from a position standing on the single-track connection between the two Waterloo stations, looking towards the main Waterloo station buffer stops where two steam hauled trains are standing loco-first. The councourse slopes down to the rails of the connection on either side of it, while between the camera and the buffer stops there is a level platform that crosses the connection via a moveable bridge.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 5

Northern City Line stock moves continued until 1970 when the route became unfit for trains, for the final 5 years that the GN&C was owned by LT, stock transfers had to follow a bonkers route which I've drawn here. Image at Highbury Vale (Robert Gadsdon) and the stock paths🧵3/3

Map showing the route taken with four reversals for 1938 stock to transfer from Neasden Depot to the Northern City Line between September 1970 and October 1975

A 1938 stock move sandwiched between two battery locos reverses in Highbury Vale goods yard, I have deduced the location from the tower block in the background (Clifton Court). Referencing the London Railway Atlas, it appears the stock moves would have had to clear the set of points under the middle car, so this train is just pulling away after reversal towards the ramp down to the Northern City Line (the Motorman's hand seems to be in a 'motoring' position). Credit: Robert Gadson https://flic.kr/p/26aLVRx

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 5

#OnThisDay 72 years ago BR closed Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace to passengers resulting in closure of Stroud Green, Crouch End, Highgate (high level), Cranley Gardens and Muswell Hill stations. What might have been: a 1938 stock transfer at Crouch End in 1969 (Jim Blake)🧵1/3

View of the rear of a 3-car 1938 Stock move through Crouch End station with a battery loco hauling on the far end. The saloon doors are open and a member of staff is visible standing in one of the open sets of double doors. In the distance is the station building straddling the tracks, a supporting strut can be made out underneath the bridge which had been installed to shore it up and reduced the route to one available track. The station had been closed 15 years at this point. There are no conductor rails hence the need for battery haulage.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 4

#OnThisDay 28 years ago the last Class 302 EMUs operated. On the last day 302228 arrives at Pitsea; with half of the train in the platform people are already opening the doors as was the norm on 'slammers'... the ORR would have kittens today! SP Railways buff.ly/dDbWHgU

Zoomed shot of Class 302 electric multiple unit in Network Southeast livery arriving at its destination Pitsea on a sunny day. A lone customer walks on the platform while three of the passenger doors have already been fully opened with only half of the train in the platform - common and dangerous practice on slam-door commuter trains.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 3

#OnThisDay 155 years ago the District Railway opened a one-stop extension from Blackfriars to Mansion House. It remained a terminus for 13 years until the Inner Circle was completed in 1884, which explains its once-complex layout: LT Museum collection depiction of the western approaches.

Painting from a position next to the westbound track just west of Mansion House station looking towards the station in the distance. the approaches are in tunnel, a complex combination of iron beams and columns, and brickwork. A westbound steam-hauled train is approaching on the right while left foreground another steam loco is being tended to on a siding, with a figure carrying a bucket or basket presumably of coal while another stands on the track.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 2

#OnThisDay 100 years ago Ramsgate station was opened by the Southern Railway, replacing separate Harbour (LCDR) and Town (SER) stations. The architect of the magnificent Grade II listed building is believed to be Edwin Maxwell Fry. Images: Peter Bester buff.ly/yDn9bkh

Collage of 4 images of Ramsgate station. Top left: front elevation, top right inside ticket hall, WH Smith outlet, bottom left Southern Railway crest, bottom right wider angle view of ticket hall.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jul 1

#OnThisDay 146 years ago Manchester Central's magnificent trainshed was opened, replacing a temporary 1877 station. It closed in 1969 and is seen in 1977 when it had the ignominy of being a car park (Ian buff.ly/I9Q4M8X). Today it is 'Manchester Central', formerly GMEX.

Looking southwest along one of the closed platforms within Manchester Central's grand trainshed towards the vast expanse of iron and glass gable at the end of the roof.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jun 30

#OnThisDay 15 years ago at 17:43 the last Victoria Line 1967 Stock departed Brixton for Seven Sisters, seen here arriving at Stockwell. Completely revolutionary when introduced; automatic one-person operation and rheostatic (dynamic) braking. bowroaduk buff.ly/uT1CtAT

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jun 29

#OnThisDay 17 years ago Southeastern commenced a preview of its high speed service using Hitachi Rail Japanese-built dual-voltage Class 395 'Javelin' trains between St Pancras and Ashford International. It remains the fastest domestic service in the UK, serving destinations across Kent.

A pair of class 395 arrive at St Pancras on 17th August 2024

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jun 28

At 260m Leicester Square and Covent Garden are the two closest stations on London Underground (platform to platform), but Shepherd's Bush (Market) and the original Wood Lane used to be even closer... around 205m (only around 90m between platform ends!) buff.ly/0UU43GU

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jun 28

#OnThisDay 100 years ago Becontree station opened as 'Gale Street Halt' by the LMS to serve the huge 26,000-home Becontree housing estate. The station was renamed when the line was quadrupled in 1932. Image c.1977 of a westbound R Stock train: std70040 buff.ly/4alF1I9

Black & white image of a white R Stock with flared sides arriving at Becontree destined for Ealing Broadway. It is presumably the morning peak as there are dozens of waiting passengers, all in winter coats.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jun 27

#OnThisDay 40 years ago at 18:37, the last train departed Broad Street terminus for Watford Junction (pictured). For its final year of life, trains served this temporary platform extension north of the original terminus while it was demolished. 15038 buff.ly/HyN6bNA

Class 313008 in BR blue & grey livery stands at the single remaining platform at Broad Street, which had been extended to the north evident by scaffold pole and wood construction. The photographer has walked onto the trackbed to get the vantage point, on the right point rods can be seen leading to the signal box. Several people, some with cameras are standing on the platform and walking in the vicinity of the signal box. In the distance several office blocks in The City are visible including the then Natwest Tower.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jun 26

#OnThisDay 54 years ago the 1972 stock was introduced. I was guard and drove Mk1 (the first batch) on the Northern Line, while the second batch Mk2 continue in service on the Bakerloo Line; now the oldest passenger stock operating in the UK. LT Museum collection buff.ly/BpmxX7S

Promotional three-quarters shot of a new 1972 mk1 stock train in its original bare silvery oxidised aluminium finish. The desitination blind reads Edgware via Charing Cross

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jun 25

#OnThisDay 149 years ago magnificent York station was opened by the North Eastern Railway, replacing the original station within the city walls that required through trains to reverse. At the point of opening it was the largest railway station on earth and remains hugely imposing

Looking down from the footbridge bisecting York station towards London, an LNER Intercity 125 stands at Platform 6 under one of the spans of York station's trainshed roof.

Joe Brown@joebrownlondon· Jun 24

#OnThisDay 35 years ago Staines West oil terminal saw its final train, incidentally it also opened on June 24th (1964). The M25 severing the Staines West branch resulted in access being via the Southern region after 1981. Image (January 1981): Steve Guess buff.ly/YxCOrUo