Spare Train stabling - Picc Line

[mrfs42]

Things have finally quietened off at work after an incredibly hectic bank holiday/half-term (who'd work for a tourist railway eh? )

Anyway I can now get back to my lunchtime sit-down and snooze. This lunchtime's reading material was the Easter 1952 TTN for the Picc.

What caught my eye was a pair of spare paths on Easter Monday: one off Cockfosters to Down St and another off Northfields to the KX loop.

Most of the main TTs I've read from that era have a train berthing interpeak right down to the end of Down St. siding and other trains reversing ahead of the stabled train. So far so understandable.

However I've not seen a booked move for a stable on the KX loop before - were these common during Bank Holiday weekends - especially if there was a fitba' match at Arsenal? Obviously the likelihood of a transfer from the Northern was practically zilch on a Bank Holiday Monday. Was the KX loop regularly used during this era to hold a spare train?

[tubeprune]

mrfs42 said:

Was the KX loop regularly used during this era to hold a spare train?

Yes, if there was football at Arsenal. Been there! Very steep loop and you had to be sure to wind up against the brakes to prevent a roll back on to the Northern Line.

[mrfs42]

Righty-ho. Now as the next part of the question who told who to tell the Motorman to enter service?

Would it be Regulator - Station Master KX Picc (or Signalman KX - on Northern Line) - Motorman?

[Deleted]

could of been either a plunger system (train ready to start) or they just cleared the signal hoping the train would be ready only guessing mind

[tubeprune]

aetearlscourt said:

could of been either a plunger system (train ready to start) or they just cleared the signal hoping the train would be ready only guessing mind

Just cleared the stick. We would sit in the front saloon in comfort with M door open so we could hear the trainstop lower as the signal cleared. Then empty to Wood Green, reverse, and empty to Arsenal to pick up. IIRC 38 were popular on this working as their capacity was better than Standards.

[mrfs42]

tubeprune said:

Just cleared the stick. We would sit in the front saloon in comfort with M door open so we could hear the trainstop lower as the signal cleared.

What a marvellous way of spending a morning! Thank-you for the answer.