Riding Rare Tracks at Woodford Station
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- čas přidán 19. 06. 2024
- Watching trains and riding them on the little used 'rare tracks' at London Underground Central line Woodford station
Includes previously unseen footage of a 1960 tube stock train at Woodford station!
One of the electricity power supply rectifiers which provides traction current at Newbury Park substation had failed and therefore to avoid overloading the other rectifier the number of trains passing through the section of track the substation serves had to be reduced - and this was done by diverting the trains to destinations on the Epping branch and Hainault loop. Some of these destinations are rarely served - this includes Woodford station's bay platform.
The rare tracks which were in passenger service were the bay platform at Woodford and a siding track known as 'No.21 road' between the station platform and the main line. Many years ago there was a direct link between the bay platform and the main line through the station, but for reasons unknown this no longer exists - hence the need to travel along the siding track.
Normally the siding is used by Hainault loop trains which end their journeys here and then go to the siding until it is time for their next journey. These trains were displaced and had to reverse direction of travel at Platform 2, which also meant that eastbound passengers arriving on trains heading to Loughton / Epping had to cross the footbridge over the tracks to catch the train to Hainault
My grandparents lived 4 doors away from the Newbury Park sub station, and my Grandad used to do maintenance work thee from time to time, frightening my mum who was playing in the back garden in the 1940s by calling her through the cooling louvres that overlooked their house.
ooh that sounds like fun - sort of thing I would have done had I been in the same situation
I've commuted from Woodford for years and have only taken a westbound train from the siding platform once
In 40 years time someone will talk about this track arrangement and how footage of it only exists in grainy 1080 HD.
What a great archive of footage you have amassed over the years. Thanks for all that you do!
I went on a London railtour in the 1970's which crossed between the two halves of Victoria Station using a crossover that is 'little used by passenger trains" Many of my fellow travellers were showing near orgasmic levels of excitement!
Great video, very interesting. I was a kid in the ‘60s and remember the first 1960 Stock ATO trials when the motor cars had frosted windows and we had to travel in the 1924 trailer cars, plus the “red train” as I called it then (1935 Stock) just prior to being withdrawn from service. Happy, gentle times!
Nice found solution to terminate at Woodford. And nice footage you took. Nice little bonus at the end of the year given by the TfL.
Well this is a rlly entertaining video. I liked it. I know its inconvenient but its worth the nostalgia. take care :)
I don’t consider transport videos like this to be “entertaining”, nor are they meant to be. It’s often meant to be insightful or informative, generally professional but not always, it depends on context really
I certainly like how nostalgic they can become because routes and vehicles get withdrawn, remind us of commutes we used to love making and so forth. It makes you feel like you’re there even if you never were
@@ChilternTransportProductions yeah but as a railway enthusiast its entertaining
@@narunpardeshi4422 Touché
Another excellent production.
I have not been in the bay platform, but two distant memories of Woodford stand out for me:-
Happy- after a cab ride from West Ruislip, changing onto the 1960 stock for another cab ride to Hainault when the automatic train operation was under test on the shuttle. A very enjoyable experience.
Not so happy:- changing there twice on a return trip to Roding Valley from Ongar (and twice at Epping)- what a mistake that was! But at least I had managed to ride the Ongar Branch when it was operational.
I can recall it back in the day before the Central line modernisation - having lived in Woodford & Epping for 30 years. You do, very occasionally get a Hainault turnback stabled on the westbound main and a westbound coming through from Buckhurst Hill routed via 21 Road passing it on the inside. Reminds me that down, west of Leytonstone, the old dead end "Coal Siding" was extended and connected to the westbound so as to give two roads out of Leytonstone on the west to improve station through put in peak hours. What a shame there was never a second eastbound there to segregate the eastbound Epping/Hainault on to separate island platforms - I'm sure that was once 'considered', not seriously, but I can't recall the details now.
So that is what the siding at Leytonstone was... I recall it being linked up with the platform and extended so that two westbound trains can depart simultaneously - only for one of them to soon be forced to stop and wait until the other one has passed by. Alas, I've had that experience, with the train I was on being that that had to stop and wait.
One of many known of incidents of track rationalisation coming back to haunt us.
It always seems cheaper at the time - but in fact is a fools economy. Many Beeching era (and even earlier) closures also fit into that category.
@@CitytransportInfoplus live and work for the railway in and around oxford, oh how we wish we had the pre-beeching levels of track work.
@@MasterOfDickery Witney particulary I presume ?
@@CitytransportInfoplus Crossovers wear out and can cause disruption on scheduled and unscheduled replacement or repair, simplification can give a faster normal service so it probably made sense , though if the rectifier incident had occured during normal peak hour train services it might have impacted passengers more - less so perhaps if when crossrail comes in as fewer central line trains could be needed say beyond liverpool street with a temp terminal at stratford for central line trains.
@@highpath4776 the entire railway? I guess so, I was more referring to wolvercote junction and the complete loop between Hinksey and Kennington junctions, the single line to charlbury and the bi-direction of all lines through oxford station (recently reestablished) among others.
Awww man was anticipating a little step-free South Woodford xD but it’s still a brilliant video!
Great video. ☺️
There is one train a week that is booked to arrive in platform 1 in passenger service at Woodford , that is the SuO 2150 ex White City, due Woodford at 2238 [running number 026]. Whether is does it or not, I don't know but is shown then as working out as ECS EWD morning at 0538 (arrival in P.1. rest of week is an ECS move at 0044). It still shows up in the current Central Line Temporary Working Timetable 223/20 available from the TfL website at tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/working-timetables
.
Even more rare is a few times when I lived in Woodford, the westbound track next to the terminating Hainault track would be where the Hainault train would terminate and the London bound train would then skirt around via the terminating Hainault track onwards to London. No idea what that was about but it was odd and interesting at the same time.
Happy New Year
I wonder if this method of working is a standard contingency plan? Or if someone had to think it up on the spot?
You think that the substations would be equipped N+1 or is rectifier failure considered so rare it's not planned for?
Do you know if they use modern mercury vapour rectifiers or silicon ones?
The 1960s shot is equally rare. This is not standard stock but a prototype which originally ran the length of the line as eight coaches but was then cut down and ran the Woodford - Hainault via Roding Valley shuttle for a short while. I used to go to school from Woodford Station in the 60s and this train used to often substitute for the standard aluminium black roof stock on the 0812 to Epping. It's most unusual feature was that every coach had a different coloured interior. Left that part of the country for good shortly after leaving school so some nostalgic memories here.
The middle two coaches sandwiched between the 1960 cars were old standard stock trailers. Later replaced by a single 1938 stock trailer.
Excellent and interesting footage. I wonder how many folk know that there used to be a connection to Newbury Park from the GEML at Seven Kings junction, maybe you could cover that angle one day?
The junction is pretty much where the EMU traction depot is at Ilford. If you go on google maps you can follow it down from Newbury Park to the out skirts of the depot.
I believe that there's a similar siding (that can be accessed from both ends) between Barons Court and Hammersmith on the Piccadilly Line (the District Line technically as well, but they would have to cross the Piccadilly Line to reach it)
There is. It's different in being between the EB and WB tracks (and not leading to a bay platform).
The track diagram at cartometro dot com shows it in both colors (Piccadilly and Disrict). However, it can't be much use to the District. It can be accessed (as you say, across the Piccadilly) only from the WB District. There is no way back to the WB and no way to or from the EB without reversing (or a long run on Piccadilly tracks to or from Acton Town).
It could be used in an emergency, I suppose, to hold a short-turning District train before it enters the EB Piccadilly platform at Hammersmith to terminate and turn back.
Hi, do you have any side window view video of london tube? I’d appreciate if you can help me find a proper video without glass reflections. Thanks in advance
i wanna ride the central line now ;o;
me too, but we are back in lockdown (although its now called Tier 4) and the people I live with are scared that I will catch the virus and pass it on to them (December 2020)
@@CitytransportInfoplus i had gotten the virus a month ago but i am okay now and good thing it was a not so serious one
@@misterced4629 still take care tho, it not known if you really can get immunity from it and how long. Some are saying those in China some already got a second run.
That fault was a pain in the arse when it came to finishing work but was fine when starting and at work! 15/20 minutes for a Hainault via Newbury Park service. I believe the faulty rectifier is still away being repaired and they are using a temporary one at the moment. Once repaired, it will be returned to Newbury Park and reinstalled.
Que hermosos recuerdos me trae de los años 80´s ,cuando fui a Inglaterra , los recorridos en metro y tren hasta Chingford , ir al centro de Londres tomando las combinaciones, vi la gente leer en los trayectos para no aburrirse , ir de pie no importaba, aún existían los vagones con piso de madera ,carros de fumadores y no fumadores, también estaba la moda de los parches en la ropa de los jóvenes , pero años más tarde vi que era una moda forzada ya que en inglaterra había una pobreza escondida como en todos los países del mundo , un contraste del que no sabía y me enteré por la DWTV de Alemania ,pero aún así el estilo de vida Inglés no se olvida , y le echas de menos para el resto de tus días , gracias.
Many of the stations had considerable goods traffic Leyton Leyton and many others had Coal Yards attached to sidings where coal was loaded and sold
Blake Hall and Epping dealt with Milk North Weald with supplies for RAF North Weald Battle of Britain Fighter Base
Very much so - in the steam train era (when this was part of the Eastern Counties Railway, Great Eastern Railway and London & North Eastern Railway) the stations were about a lot more than just passenger trains and many of them had goods yards. Even when the electric tube trains started using this line the (by then British Railways) goods traffic continued.
At Leyton the goods yard was very small so the track layout and signalling for one of the station platforms was arranged by bi-directional (two-way) traffic, as that way tube train passenger services could continue whilst the track for the other platform was used by steam / diesel locos shunting the wagons!
The last goods trains ran in the mid 1960's. Incidentally, this was after the Hainault - Woodford service had been converted for automated train control (as part of the Victoria line project) and the 1960ts trains seen in the film.
The last British Railways passenger trains ran in 1970 - by when the service was operated by diesel multiple units
Do you have any footage or photos of the central line improvement programme. I’ve heard they are testing units ready to go into the workshop at Acton for interior works
not yet, as I understand it none have entered service
What must've happened to Tfl's liking of those large wrap-up windows, that fleet seems to have been the only tube one there?!
4:52 why did it sound like that one DLR train that i think switched motors
*i had not hear that noise since and idk what happened to it*
I love you so much woodford is nice
Is that platform not from the days when Woodford to Hainault was served by a 4 car shuttle service?
No, it's facing the wrong direction for the Woodford to Hainault line.
more from the LNER days !
What camera do you use for recording?
Panasonic HC-V700, which I bought in 2012
I don’t know why there is a siding at Newbury Park on the Central Line. Is it only used when there is a broken down train affecting the Central Line. And yes there is a rear track at Woodford. I have been on the Central Line when my Nan used to take me into Central London from Hainault when I was very young. Is the rear track used only for as a turnaround.
Also at Loughton. There is a siding that abruptly ends at the middle of platfrom 1 on the adjascent track
The siding is used often as a few trains an hour terminate at Newbury Park
The siding at Newbury Park is used daily, I often see it in use when I go to Sainsburys in the goods yard. It is also double ended so that the rail adhesion train can use it to return towards Barkingside (etc) rather than travel underground via Gants Hill
Interesting. Thanks guys. :)
Have you got any footage of the 321 stopping at ilford?
sorry, no video footage, although I have a still image photo of one of these trains arriving at platform 1 - with some people waiting on the platform for this train to stop
@@CitytransportInfoplus thats good. Can you do a video on it please?
I bet some of the passengers had to be confused as hell
Hi What’s a rectifier anyway
Converts AC power like that generated in commercial power stations, to DC as used by the tube.
Manually driven i assume?
Very likely
@Great_Western 2020 I think he meant on the siding & platform
@@marshall.yt. I did indeed, meaning you get a code on the adjecent tracks and when taking off again you activate ATO
On Saturday and sundays drivers drive in manual so they still know how to drive the trains manually. On mondays to fridays ATO is used.
i wanna do a vid on this but even tho 2020 is gonna be over i still can't do it as i am 15
why does it matter that you're 15? I was travelling all across the city at 15
@@asheiou because my mother only let me go somewhere where she feels comfortable such as stockwell to londonbridge
@@misterced4629 Newbury park is a lot safer than Stockwell. Im 16 and I go to shenfield by the 321 by myself.
Same I'm 14
It’s really not that rare - the first train of the day used to be a Woodford train and would commence from that platform having been stabled there overnight.
That sounds something like a Parliamentary train, although perhaps more likely it was done for convenience rather instead.
@@CitytransportInfoplus It gets stock moving into central london earlier than if was running from further east
it looks like this is happening a lot what seems to be causing the problem
I think the things what's going to happen in 2021?
@@busestransporta-z781 that's a bit too obvious plus we already know anyway so 🤷♀️
The fault was rectified but was very short lived. One of my mates in engineering told me he heard over the connect radio (that’s how we communicate) that the fault had been fixed. A day or so later, it failed again.
@@oforid2227 yep indeed
@@NoddyMaccy huh?
The train going onto the siding @1:50 looked well awkward🤭