Unusual Workings At Watford Junction

[Deleted]

Looking for something a little different for a Christmas Day post I came across this photo taken in 1986 at Watford Junction. It would have been even better it the coach had been an Oerlikon!

OK it is not quite on the NLL but you can see 2 Class 313's in the photo ;D

www.derbysulzers.com/25190watfordjct.jpg

25190 propels exLNWR ambulance coach #8898 through Watford Jct on July 26th 1986

XF

[charleyfarley]

Nice picture, but surely the tail lamp on the coach suggests it is being pulled rather than being propelled.

[mcmaddog]

Was platform 9 bi-di in those days? If not then it is coming towards the camera. Looks like a big head sticking out of the rear cab too.

Certainly an unusual photo!

[phillw48]

The crew leaning out of the cab suggests that it is being pushed towards the camera. A shunting move perhaps? The coach is now preserved at Embsay. >> www.cs.vintagecarriagestrust.org/se/CarriageInfo.asp?Ref=597

[mrfs42]

1972 SA allows for propelling between Watford and Watford No 3 on the 'Down and Up' platform and No 3 - Watford on the 'Up' platform.

There's nothing further in the Locals, or shewing a reversible road on the diagram for any of the three Watford entries.

Be that as it may, I'm trying to find my copies of the Euston/Watford PSB diagrams - there are some on the net from opening.

I suspect it is being propelled - there would be no operational need to haul stuff that way there.

[Ben]

What a fascinating picture! It looks rather decrepit though. What criteria were used as to whether things were fit to move by rail back then?

[phillw48]

Dec 25, 2011 14:20:02 GMT Ben said:

What a fascinating picture! It looks rather decrepit though. What criteria were used as to whether things were fit to move by rail back then?

Round wheels. ;D

[Deleted]

Since I started on my Croxley Wiggenhall Depot layout I have had accounts from a number of people relating to Bullied Pacific’s which had worked football excursions to Wembley being turned on the DC lines triangle between Watford High Street, Bushey and Colne Junction. Up until now I have not seen any evidence of these workings however I found this photo a couple of days ago.

"A stranger at Watford Junction"

www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1321400%3Cbr/%3E

XF

[roythebus]

I would suggest this is an unfitted shunt move as the vacuum pipe on the rear of the coach is not on the dummy fitting. Hence no continuous brake.

[rincew1nd]

Dec 25, 2011 9:54:16 GMT charleyfarley said:

Nice picture, but surely the tail lamp on the coach suggests it is being pulled rather than being propelled.

The Rule Book that I am most familiar with includes a rule that propelled trains may carry a tail lamp on the leading end rather than a head lamp, I assume that's based on an existing rule from the Big Railway.

[roythebus]

Propelled trains may indeed carry a tail lamp on the leading end during a shunt move; this shows to the signalman that the train is complete. Ir proceeding through a block section in the right direction, then a white light must be carried on the leading end and a red light on the rear.

All the indications in this picture are that it's a shunt move; within what would have been station limits on old-fashioned signalling, but Watford is MAS controlled from a power box, but that rule would still apply to a local shunt move; the man looking out from the cab indicates the same as does the vac pipe dangling. there "should" have been a shunter riding in the coach to apply the handbrake should the coupling break. But then that coach may not have been safe for him to ride in.

I doubt if the shunt move would have gone beyond the next section signal. I can't remember the layout of WJ at that time, but the move may well have been from the up yard to the DC lines or vice-versa via the crossovers at the London end of the station.