LONDON KING’S CROSS - 21st CENTURY LNER STEAM (2017-19)
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- Опубліковано 24 сер 2024
- This video is a compilation of arrivals and departures of steam hauled trains at London King’s Cross station (KX) during a period from November 2017 to December 2019. The main purpose is to show locomotives in their correct former haunt at the southern end of the East Coast Main Line and give the illusion of frequent steam hauled services. A “Duchess” or “West Country” Pacific may be very impressive at KX but they look decidedly out of place there. I have edited out any modern diesel, electric locomotives and HSTs as far as possible. Whether the video re-creates a true atmosphere of the glory days of steam I very much doubt as this particular London terminus has undergone such radical transition since the last steam hauled train departed in 1964. The structures beneath both canopy ends at the north end of the station were removed in the late 1960s but the layout of the station buildings and station throat had changed little since the days of steam although the easternmost bore of Gasworks Tunnel was closed in 1973. The signal box, although decommissioned in 1971, stood proud as it did for the many past historic achievements and occasions with those legendary locomotives until being demolished in 1976. This was also the time when King’s Cross York Road station closed that served the widened lines for the over ground suburban services. By 1977 the track layout was rationalised and overhead wires had appeared for inner suburban services. In the late 1970s/early 80s work was undertaken on the station canopy which made the station train shed much lighter as it was back in the 1930s. The locomotive servicing/ stabling yard had also closed at this time as High Speed Trains (HSTs) were increasingly replacing the “Deltics” and other diesel locomotives with serving/maintenance being undertaken at Finsbury Park depot. The cast iron footbridge was dismantled in late 2008 and replaced as part of Network Rail’s major upgrade to the station but was subsequently reassembled at Ropley on the Mid-Hants Railway. This bridge’s claim to fame is that it was very much part of a Harry Potter movie. This upgrade has included the station concourse being totally re-modelled and refurbishment of the station buildings on the eastern side. Large buildings, some residential, and offices have now replaced the sight of the old gasholders and stand where the loco yard once existed These buildings now tower over the western side as well as over Gasworks Tunnel and are all part of the regeneration of the King’s Cross district although it has resulted in making the whole station throat area rather claustrophobic. Nevertheless, some of the older buildings along York road which are visible from the platforms at the north end of the station survive today and are depicted in many old railway photographs and even now steam hauled specials pictured beneath the overall station canopy do go some way to recreate the golden age of LNER steam. I do hope you enjoy watching this video. I never managed to visit King's Cross in the steam era as I my childhood trainspotting was mainly confined to local steam trains on the Western and the S&DJR. I left home as early as 4:15 to witness some of these KX departures and returned home in the early hours after seeing certain arrivals. All the locomotives featured in video are from the BR era (1950s to early 1960s) and include: 61306 "MAYFLOWER", 60103 "FLYING SCOTSMAN”, 60163 “TORNADO” and the final visit of 60009 “UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA” to the former Great Northern terminus. I was hoping to include 61264 and 60007 "SIR NIGEL GRESLEY" to complete the video but the COVID-19 situation has put pay to that indefinitely so here it is.
ALL MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THIS VIDEO IS COPYRIGHT GRAHAM R SMITH
Exellent videos and editing. Thankyou Graham
Thank you Ray. I am pleased you enjoyed watching it.
A deep part of me still can't understand why Scotsman wasn't restored to look like his old self. Having said that I am still very grateful for everything that everyone involved has done to bring him back to the people. Thankyou.
Hi Elaine,
Many people would like to see it restored to it's original condition as LNER 4472, especially as it is nearing it's 100th Anniversary in 2023. The reason why the NRM decided to restore it to it's final rebuilt state as 60103 is because it is much more efficient. By returning it to s single chimney form would make it less powerful and there is the problem with turning the banjo dome on the boiler (and spare boiler) back to a round one would be too difficult. Even when it was returned to 4472, it was not authentic because of this. There is plenty more to read about this on the net and no doubt the argument will rumble on over the next couple of years.
Best wishes,
Graham
Thank you for this wonderful collection of footage!
Thanks for the kind comment Gareth. You are most welcome and it makes me very happy that you have enjoyed it so much.
Graham
9:34 says it all really doesn't it. Perfect shot that encapsulates a collective love affair the public have with steam
Presumably you are referring to the Hogwarts Express. Well if this helps fuel the public's love affair with steam long may it continue.
Fabulous video and so many shots of the cross and not just the locos like from the footbridge.
Perhaps a few memories from me.
I still remember steam at KX even though I was 9 when it finished.
The diesel days I remember and it was such an interesting place with the passenger loco full of deltics class 47s and class 31s etc.
It would have been 1956 that a family friend took me to KX, and I was so small.
We caught the trolleybus to get there.
My most vivid memory was standing at near the buffers and seeing a huge Gresley loco, the driving wheels towered above me even though I was standing on the platform, looking in the cab and seeing the fire, so much impression it left upon me..
I can also remember being lifted up to look over the fence above gasworks tunnel and seeing a Pacific leaving, clearly remembering the banjo dome and the wisp of steam coming from the safety valves.
My other memory was we caught the train back to Finsbury park , a suburban train and it had a toilet on it which some of the suburban coaches did on outer suburban services.
Being three I wondered how is it connected to pipes if the train is moving and where does all the stuff to, well when your so young you think about those things.
An the days when you couldn't flush the toilet at stations.
What a nostalgic old GIT I am.
No not at all Steven and thanks for taking the trouble to send them - you were very fortunate. I never saw steam at KX and I always liked the streamliners most of all as a child and still do. (I am a friend of the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust). I was born in 1956 and lived near Bath Green Park so I remember the very mixed collection of locos and the good fortune of going on holiday aboard the Pines Express. I also remember the rather dirty Kings and Castles on the GW main line and travelling to Swindon by train to see my relatives. I also went to secondary school next to the railway at the height of the diesel hydraulic era. I did have a number of rides on the London Trolley buses though. Anyway treasure your precious memories as the world seemed a much more interesting place all those years ago.
Best wishes
Graham
@@thefakewasp503 interestingly the family friend who would be well in his 80s now was a GW fanatic from Swindon and still lifes there.
My big brother who was 10 used to take me train spotting in 1959 we used to go to Hornsey so got to see all the Pacific's from Gresley Peppercorn and Thompson.
I cant recall if I ever saw Flying Scotsman but one Saturday afternoon a down fitted freight came through Hornsey behind Mallard.
This was back in the say when P N Townend was shed master at Topshed and Mallard was just so clean, even the buffers were clean.
Also remember the old WD 2 8 0s and the 9Fs running.
The other thing I got to see was DP1 which had been transferred off the LMR
A rare treat to see such an amazing loco and in Blue with yellow whiskers and the headlight.
@@Steven_RoweHi Steven, You were very lucky to have had an older brother to take you up the GN line and see such fine sights. Mallard and the prototype Deltic are real treasures. Mallard did come through Bath on a special in 1963 and although I was 7 I did not know anything about it at the time. I did spend many hours at KX photographing Deltics from 1975 (I have put a couple of slide shows on my UA-cam channel). I did have a holiday in the Isle of Wight in the early 60s and had plenty of journeys behind the 02 tank locos and my late father fotunately took some pictures. I also witnessed Black5s, 8Fs and 9Fs in the north west in 1967. I did spent a lot of time and money travelling around the country with the aim of capturing the rapidly disappearing diesel/electrics. As for Swindon and your family GWR fanatic friend, my grandfather did was employed by the GWR/BR in the Carriage & Wagon Department.
Thank you once again for sharing some of your wonderful memories.
@@thefakewasp503 can you imagine a 10 year old boy taking his 6 year old brother on the tube etc into KX in 2021.
I don't think it was just that we no better today, I also think the world is a more dangerous place.
Yes I was lucky, I can also remember seeing the brand new Midland Pullman at St Pancras too.
I was so young an unaware of the change happening, how quick steam was dwindling way.
In 59 steam was still ruled on the ECML, there were DMU, and class 40s but all the main express trains were still pulled by Are.
It was the deltics that finally changed things and a year later the class47s
@@Steven_Rowe I do agree with you that the world is nothing like it used to be and as children we never seemed to feel in danger travelling about often quite far on trains and buses. The steam age did end far earlier than we had wished for. I do remember the scrap trains when the Southern Region depots cleared out their locos passng the secondary school and on occasion a West Country Pacific or USA tank would be detached as they were running with a hot box in the nearby yard. It was then fun to climb onto the locos after school. I did not see any Midland Pullman's as we had the Bristol Blue Pullman which passed the school twice a day.
All the best,
Graham
Wow!, Amazing Looking Places, and Engines.
I am glad you were impressed with it Zac.
Best wishes,
Graham
Ljust wish that steam Engines will be back on the services
A nice thought but there may be more opportunities for charters if the timetabled trains are reduced. Of course there is the new electronic signalling at this end of the line which will restrict the motive power.
I' m very please you liked the video.
Best wishes,
Graham
Amazing video. How do I find the dates of steam trains between King's x and Stevenage on the ecml?
Hi Key, You can obtain ALL UK steam trains and timings on railwayherald.com
ailtours which include London KX.There are a few later in the year from there but if you are in London there are plenty working out of Victoria at present and there is one at Paddington this Saturday.
Good luck and enjoy them.
Graham
@@thefakewasp503 cheers!
I don't understand, at all, why in this day and age of digital technology, you would produce and upload a video in 480p.
I just keep to the things I am familiar with. I convert video clips/still images from various formats into Windows Movie Maker (WMV). It seems to work for me. If you can suggest any improvements, I would be happy to hear from you.
Graham Smith, make sure you get this footage copyrighted.
O.K. Derek, thanks for your advice.