A very interesting video, I wondered what that bridge was for when wandering around Waterloo station in 1985, no pedestrian bridge above it then but I do remember seeing rail workers walking on it.
Great video war of the worlds is one of my favourites and I always wondered what the line of communication was that it mentions thanks for clearing up another mystery that has puzzled me over the years. On a side note have you thought about doing a video on the necropolis railway to Brookwood and the light railway from Brookwood to Pirbright and Deepcut? I recently moved from Deepcut and due to the Mindenhurst development you can walk along the old embankment on the north side of the canal where the rails ran.
Michael Portillo did a feature on the Brookwood cemetary line which is worth a watch. It will no doubt be repeated on the Yesterday channel or you find it online.
This link bridge has always fascinated me. Imagine a train passing across a concourse then through a public house! Its width would suggest a double track but was only single tracked as there was a canopied platform also on there. A very old photo I've seen online, taken from the corner of Alaska St, shows this.
@@PASTFINDERexploring I can't help thinking that it would be an operational and safety nightmare, crossing the main concourse and the road. Plus that 3rd rail.... With those gates and moveable platform, it must have been an operational nightmare in its day, too! Fascinating piece of history, though,
@@mpellatt absolutely, especially when you think the issues that arose running trains to Weymouth Quay and that was over 30 years ago with no juice rail involved.
Very interesting! I have researched this link, but you have come up with one thing that was new to me, namely the plan showing the South Eastern lines at Waterloo as three tracks to the country side of the link line junction but only two tracks to the Charing Cross side. Can you tell me a date and source for this plan? In return, I offer that the link was in fact routinely used overnight (so not often observed and reported) for transfer of parcels and milk vans to the South Eastern, right up to removal in 1911, after which a stub end was left in place at the SE end, and the traffic barrowed over to be reloaded. This stub end stayed in place until 1925, and was disconnected with electrification. The last use made of it was a van of stores from Ashford for the new SR CME office at Waterloo. The disconnected rails stayed in place until the 1930s, after which at some point the platform (which had been known as 'New Waterloo' was widened to improve the walking route between the two stations.
Hi William. Thank you for your comments and additional info. Very interesting. The diagrams you enquire about can be found on The National Library of Scotland website, the map I used is dated 1894. Just zoom in and you can use side by side or overlay and scroll from many maps dating from late 19th century to today. The other is from 1888 and can be found on Wikipedia.
Wonderful video as always Bob! I knew some of this, but not all! I’d always assumed the line cut through where Boots now is, which is why there’s a wider gap between Plt 11-12. Though, also heard that space was used for the Monarch when boarding the Royal Train. As always, your videos shed new light on all this and are incredibly informative and well presented.
Hi Mark, Thanks for your Kind comments. You have to remember that the station you see today was only built in 1922. The Link belonged to the former central station, closing in 1911. Platforms 11 & 12 are that wide because prior to Boots there was a roadway from the central arch to enable road goods to be brought into the station from the bus and taxi road outside. You can still see the subway going down on 11 & 12.
@@PASTFINDERexploring, ah that’s interesting to know! I know of the subway, it’s now used for the bins I think. That would make sense though, that you could literally drive straight through without the need to turn around. There’s so much right under your nose that you don’t realise!
A well presented video. Interesting about the mileages, which I never knew.
Thanks Peter. Aparently these mileages start in some strange places at a number of London Termini.
@@PASTFINDERexploring Yes. At Euston, I think it starts at -3 chains .
Excellent as ever. I remember using the street level entrance to Waterloo East on my way to London Bridge for spotting trips.
Thank you for your kind comment Anthony, I must have walked over it as I know i've walked from Waterloo to East prior to 1990 but I cannot remember.
A very interesting video, I wondered what that bridge was for when wandering around Waterloo station in 1985, no pedestrian bridge above it then but I do remember seeing rail workers walking on it.
Thanks Sam, glad you enjoyed it.
Another great piece of history that goes unnoticed… well done
Thanks for your comments. So many people must have walked over and under that bridge in the last 50 years and I wonder how many knew of it's history.
I was aware of the link but knew nothing about it,so thanks for the video with your (as always) clear explanation and map overlays.
Thanks Tim. Very kind words.
I did know about this but it's good to have a little more light shed on it. Good work mate...
Thanks Nige
Very interesting story. Thanks!
Thanks Frank.
Great video war of the worlds is one of my favourites and I always wondered what the line of communication was that it mentions thanks for clearing up another mystery that has puzzled me over the years. On a side note have you thought about doing a video on the necropolis railway to Brookwood and the light railway from Brookwood to Pirbright and Deepcut? I recently moved from Deepcut and due to the Mindenhurst development you can walk along the old embankment on the north side of the canal where the rails ran.
Michael Portillo did a feature on the Brookwood cemetary line which is worth a watch. It will no doubt be repeated on the Yesterday channel or you find it online.
This link bridge has always fascinated me. Imagine a train passing across a concourse then through a public house! Its width would suggest a double track but was only single tracked as there was a canopied platform also on there. A very old photo I've seen online, taken from the corner of Alaska St, shows this.
I also can't help thinking that it may be quite a useful link if it were open toady.
@@PASTFINDERexploring I can't help thinking that it would be an operational and safety nightmare, crossing the main concourse and the road. Plus that 3rd rail.... With those gates and moveable platform, it must have been an operational nightmare in its day, too!
Fascinating piece of history, though,
@@mpellatt absolutely, especially when you think the issues that arose running trains to Weymouth Quay and that was over 30 years ago with no juice rail involved.
@@mpellatt Thanks Mike, probably one of the reasons it wasn't used much.
Top stuff as always 👍🏻
Thanks Andy. appreciate you watching.
Very interesting! I have researched this link, but you have come up with one thing that was new to me, namely the plan showing the South Eastern lines at Waterloo as three tracks to the country side of the link line junction but only two tracks to the Charing Cross side. Can you tell me a date and source for this plan?
In return, I offer that the link was in fact routinely used overnight (so not often observed and reported) for transfer of parcels and milk vans to the South Eastern, right up to removal in 1911, after which a stub end was left in place at the SE end, and the traffic barrowed over to be reloaded.
This stub end stayed in place until 1925, and was disconnected with electrification. The last use made of it was a van of stores from Ashford for the new SR CME office at Waterloo. The disconnected rails stayed in place until the 1930s, after which at some point the platform (which had been known as 'New Waterloo' was widened to improve the walking route between the two stations.
Hi William. Thank you for your comments and additional info. Very interesting. The diagrams you enquire about can be found on The National Library of Scotland website, the map I used is dated 1894. Just zoom in and you can use side by side or overlay and scroll from many maps dating from late 19th century to today. The other is from 1888 and can be found on Wikipedia.
Well I never. Fantastic video. Was that Brendan at 1:16?
Thanks Steve, Ha Ha yes I think it was Brendan. Pure coincidence.
@@PASTFINDERexploring I missed that, had to take a second look!
Wonderful video as always Bob! I knew some of this, but not all! I’d always assumed the line cut through where Boots now is, which is why there’s a wider gap between Plt 11-12. Though, also heard that space was used for the Monarch when boarding the Royal Train. As always, your videos shed new light on all this and are incredibly informative and well presented.
Hi Mark, Thanks for your Kind comments. You have to remember that the station you see today was only built in 1922. The Link belonged to the former central station, closing in 1911. Platforms 11 & 12 are that wide because prior to Boots there was a roadway from the central arch to enable road goods to be brought into the station from the bus and taxi road outside. You can still see the subway going down on 11 & 12.
@@PASTFINDERexploring, ah that’s interesting to know! I know of the subway, it’s now used for the bins I think. That would make sense though, that you could literally drive straight through without the need to turn around. There’s so much right under your nose that you don’t realise!