Just discovered this video and had to watch it, i was a fireman/second man from 60-71 at Hornsey and Kings Cross so worked this line regularly , but now i wished i hadnt ! it was a nice scenic run in those days but now i cant beleive how much the greenery has been allowed to encroach onto the trackside and its structures!its like a long green tunnel ! ii is no wonder we have "leafes on the lines" problems,spads etc! And that long wall between Finsbury Park and Harringay West is an absolute disgrace with the amount of shrubbery growing "OUT" of the brickwork! i dread to think what the damage will cost us in the future!
Nice and cool video. Very useful information on how british railway system works, and some interesting points. A travel for a foreigner like me. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from São Paulo, Brazil.
Great video, thank you! Brings back memories of when I signed that route as a driver at Kings Cross. Good to see 313’s which were my first basic traction.
I used to go loco spotting at Harringay West station from the Hogsback footpath that went to Ferme Park.in the 1950s.What a difference now,Harringay & Hornsey,a weed infested wasteland.I can still hear the squeal of the flanges of the J52 & J50 tanks as they used the flyover to get from Hornsey shed to Ferme Park sorting sidings.
Anyone see that Public Information Film "The Finishing Line"? From 27:50 to Watton-At-Stone is where most of the action took place. The Molewood Tunnel at 23:19 Must have been the one used for the "Great Tunnel Walk" scene
I reiterate my previous comment on an earlier upload - you should be selling these. As I know you won't, thanks yet again for sharing with us. Dare one hope that the series is going all the way to Cleethorpes, or would that be telling?
the class 313 = ☺️ my childhood trains. I have been using those from Gordon Hill station. When I was a child dad would take us into London - Moorgate underground station, to his old work place at Christmas for a party and present. I used it for one stop for the bus stop at Enfield Chase for the bus to South Gate college, mum would go to Stevenage/Finsbury Park and change for Huntingdon to visit Nanna/Grand-mother (if dad wasn’t available to drive the car) and I started going to Palmers Green to visit my new friend (who I had befriended at work) eventually it was replaced with the class 717 - the 313 was the oldest running stock, and had developed problems - hot in summer heatwaves (have become more common because of climate change) as it only had heating and openable windows, said windows were breaking and not closable, once when the train went under a rain storm and dad was going to work, he had to put up his umbrella in the carriage as an overhead vent was dripping rainwater on him, the pneumatic system was frequently developing leaks - more than they could fix, and other inefficient technology. After hearing about the 717, and looked forward to it’s introduction. Before convid-19 I was using the new train and liked it 🙂
Is it possible that after the convid-19 lockdown that you will be doing more northern train touring - Like in this video? My dad is fascinated with history and likes going to places on our 🇬🇧 railway, my 3rd youngest brother - Matthew, likes maps and finding abandoned railway lines, if you did a tour that included Gordon Hill station as a stopping/starting point, we could look at and go in the passenger carriages or go on a tour. I, my dad and brother would love to go on your touring train.
Hi Samuel. We aren't ever likely to include Gordon Hill as a stopping point I'm afraid - it's not really our prime catchment area for railtours. If you wish to travel on our train, you might need to do what I and many others do which is to travel to one of its usual stopping points - which in your case might be Kensington Olympia, Clapham Junction or Bromley South.
Am I right in assuming that the signal check just outside of Stevenage was due to the local coming out of P4 and back along the Down line before crossing back over to the Up?
Um! With the fear of feeling stupid but could you please explain the "Overhead Neutral thingy" I'm embarrassed to admit, it's rather new to me, thanks again for a very enjoyable ride around my old manor
Not at all! Overhead Line Electrification, like any large electrical system, is split into sections so that they can be isolated from one another. To achieve isolation between sections, you need to have short gaps from time to time. Same as having gaps in the conductor-rail on the Southern or the Underground.... except that on overhead lines you can't have a physical gap so there'll be a piece of insulating 'wire' and/or some switchgear. The -||- sign warns of its approach: unlike on a third/fourth-rail electric train where you would be unfortunate to get gapped, most electric trains have only one pantograph in use so you really want to avoid stopping in/near a neutral section. (Anyone with greater knowledge or actual industry training in OHLE is welcome to correct/expand upon the above!)
Hastings Diesels Ltd I've always wondered myself, thanks! What does the driver have to do while passing a neutral section? Does he have to lower the Pantagraph? If so, how does he know when to raise them again?
Disclaimer: I haven't been trained on this. As far as I am aware, in the UK you just have to be aware of it so you don't stop with the pantograph in the short neutral section and get gapped. Look for little boxes just outside both running rails, at the start & end of the neutral section, these contain magnetic equipment that is detected by the train whose traction is shut off automatically. See also www.railwaycodes.org.uk/electrification/neutral.shtm :)
Hi, it's the Automatic Warning System: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Warning_System as fitted to all conventional trains on the national railway network.
Bell rings for green aspect only, 'Sunflower' will display all black, Driver does not have to acknowledge. Any other aspect a horn will sound, 'Sunflower' Changes to black and yellow alternate segments, Driver must acknowledge within around 5 seconds or brakes go in.
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Made this journey to Hertford North 50 years ago. Never thought I would see it again. Thanks.
Another brilliant episode over rails seldom witnessed with the added information thanks a million for your much appreciated work.
Just discovered this video and had to watch it, i was a fireman/second man from 60-71 at Hornsey and Kings Cross so worked this line regularly , but now i wished i hadnt ! it was a nice scenic run in those days but now i cant beleive how much the greenery has been allowed to encroach onto the trackside and its structures!its like a long green tunnel ! ii is no wonder we have "leafes on the lines" problems,spads etc!
And that long wall between Finsbury Park and Harringay West is an absolute disgrace with the amount of shrubbery growing "OUT" of the brickwork! i dread to think what the damage will cost us in the future!
Nice and cool video. Very useful information on how british railway system works, and some interesting points. A travel for a foreigner like me. Thanks for sharing. Greetings from São Paulo, Brazil.
Good video . Enjoyed . Look forward to watching all of these videos . Find them very interesting .
Brilliant footage! Good to get the 313s on film in the final years!
Great video, thank you! Brings back memories of when I signed that route as a driver at Kings Cross. Good to see 313’s which were my first basic traction.
Great cab ride. I've been playing simsig Kings Cross for years and now I get to view the actual track.
Another great video. went through places I had never heard of.
Very sweet Napier turbo sound.
I used to go loco spotting at Harringay West station from the Hogsback footpath that went to Ferme Park.in the 1950s.What a difference now,Harringay & Hornsey,a weed infested wasteland.I can still hear the squeal of the flanges of the J52 & J50 tanks as they used the flyover to get from Hornsey shed to Ferme Park sorting sidings.
In the early 60s there were those Gresley teak half corridor suburban coaching stock on Kings X suburban trains before horrid multiple units!
Great video ! Thanks for the extra info , vey helpful .
lovely run.
Anyone see that Public Information Film "The Finishing Line"? From 27:50 to Watton-At-Stone is where most of the action took place. The Molewood Tunnel at 23:19 Must have been the one used for the "Great Tunnel Walk" scene
Symos yes, I’ve got it on dvd 📀
Should have been on the footplate of an N2 with a couple of Quadarts behind us!
I reiterate my previous comment on an earlier upload - you should be selling these. As I know you won't, thanks yet again for sharing with us. Dare one hope that the series is going all the way to Cleethorpes, or would that be telling?
Thanks Geoff. I'm working today on Stevenage to Peterborough, so there is hope yet...!
Most trains seem to be express with no passenger stopos along the way.
Ah! so Molewood's the name of that tunnel we trespassed in decades ago.
Not a high speed line, but it moves along on a good pace
I've seen the fast trains going through the Hertford loop before
That's a pretty stiff climb over the flyover at Alexandra Palace isn't it.
It is. The train I was in 50 years ago, did not think it would make it. It did, just!
the class 313 = ☺️ my childhood trains. I have been using those from Gordon Hill station. When I was a child dad would take us into London - Moorgate underground station, to his old work place at Christmas for a party and present. I used it for one stop for the bus stop at Enfield Chase for the bus to South Gate college, mum would go to Stevenage/Finsbury Park and change for Huntingdon to visit Nanna/Grand-mother (if dad wasn’t available to drive the car) and I started going to Palmers Green to visit my new friend (who I had befriended at work) eventually it was replaced with the class 717 - the 313 was the oldest running stock, and had developed problems - hot in summer heatwaves (have become more common because of climate change) as it only had heating and openable windows, said windows were breaking and not closable, once when the train went under a rain storm and dad was going to work, he had to put up his umbrella in the carriage as an overhead vent was dripping rainwater on him, the pneumatic system was frequently developing leaks - more than they could fix, and other inefficient technology. After hearing about the 717, and looked forward to it’s introduction. Before convid-19 I was using the new train and liked it 🙂
Is it possible that after the convid-19 lockdown that you will be doing more northern train touring - Like in this video? My dad is fascinated with history and likes going to places on our 🇬🇧 railway, my 3rd youngest brother - Matthew, likes maps and finding abandoned railway lines, if you did a tour that included Gordon Hill station as a stopping/starting point, we could look at and go in the passenger carriages or go on a tour. I, my dad and brother would love to go on your touring train.
Hi Samuel. We aren't ever likely to include Gordon Hill as a stopping point I'm afraid - it's not really our prime catchment area for railtours. If you wish to travel on our train, you might need to do what I and many others do which is to travel to one of its usual stopping points - which in your case might be Kensington Olympia, Clapham Junction or Bromley South.
Hastings Diesels Ltd - okay, thanks 😊
Am I right in assuming that the signal check just outside of Stevenage was due to the local coming out of P4 and back along the Down line before crossing back over to the Up?
Yes. That's how the layout works, unfortunately it did delay us for a while.
Likewise - info very helpful when following on map. Ta,
Um! With the fear of feeling stupid but could you please explain the "Overhead Neutral thingy" I'm embarrassed to admit, it's rather new to me, thanks again for a very enjoyable ride around my old manor
Not at all! Overhead Line Electrification, like any large electrical system, is split into sections so that they can be isolated from one another. To achieve isolation between sections, you need to have short gaps from time to time. Same as having gaps in the conductor-rail on the Southern or the Underground.... except that on overhead lines you can't have a physical gap so there'll be a piece of insulating 'wire' and/or some switchgear. The -||- sign warns of its approach: unlike on a third/fourth-rail electric train where you would be unfortunate to get gapped, most electric trains have only one pantograph in use so you really want to avoid stopping in/near a neutral section. (Anyone with greater knowledge or actual industry training in OHLE is welcome to correct/expand upon the above!)
Thank You
Hastings Diesels Ltd I've always wondered myself, thanks! What does the driver have to do while passing a neutral section? Does he have to lower the Pantagraph? If so, how does he know when to raise them again?
Disclaimer: I haven't been trained on this. As far as I am aware, in the UK you just have to be aware of it so you don't stop with the pantograph in the short neutral section and get gapped. Look for little boxes just outside both running rails, at the start & end of the neutral section, these contain magnetic equipment that is detected by the train whose traction is shut off automatically. See also www.railwaycodes.org.uk/electrification/neutral.shtm :)
You have to put the throttle to idle in a neutral section.
Is the bell a reminder to look for the signal light? Seems to ring every time one comes into view. Just askin'
Hi, it's the Automatic Warning System: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_Warning_System as fitted to all conventional trains on the national railway network.
Bell rings for green aspect only, 'Sunflower' will display all black, Driver does not have to acknowledge. Any other aspect a horn will sound, 'Sunflower' Changes to black and yellow alternate segments, Driver must acknowledge within around 5 seconds or brakes go in.
Shameful how the foliage has been left to grow like that especially on the ECML.
SANIZIP -- Well it's summer and wildlife need a place to live, breed and survive.
37:17