London's Broad Street Station

[edwin_m]

Broad Street was a lot more convenient for the City than Paddington or Marylebone, no need for a change to the underground. On the other hand, Camden Road to Broad Street might not have been that fast, even though there were four tracks, because of stoppers and freight.

As 1910 was mentioned for these services, I'd guess that trams were well established and taking many of the NLR's commuter passengers with a more direct and frequent service. That might have created an opportunity to run longer-distance trains instead.

 

[Rescars]

Broad Street was a lot more convenient for the City than Paddington or Marylebone, no need for a change to the underground. On the other hand, Camden Road to Broad Street might not have been that fast, even though there were four tracks, because of stoppers and freight.

Just enough time to get the last document typed then!

 

[frodshamfella]

I loved the curious nature of Broad Street Station. The first time I went there which would have been in the early 80s. I was amazed to find to discover this huge London station on a Saturday morning, empty pretty much. Also a 3rd rail service with Southern Region type trains. I used the station a few times to reach Gunnersbury , Hampstead Heath and also Primrose Hill. Was rather sad to see it disappear .

 

[Tester]

From 1979 to 1983 I was the Signalling Maintenance Supervisor for 17 rather unglamorous signalboxes in the London area - Broad Street was one of them.

It really was a backwater, with no shortage of faded grandeur.

Mechanical signalling, with 50Hz AC track circuits, due to the third rail DC electrification - but just next door was Liverpool Street, with its mass of AC electrification.

When I queried this I was told, "Ah - that's Eastern Region".

All gone now, and times have changed!

 

[thedbdiboy]

Yes. Would be interesting to know if 313s ever used the main station?

They lasted up until the the new 'electric' timetable on the southern bit of the WCML, in mid April 1966. All services into Euston were electric (to old (?) times) from early Jan '66, some had been from (IIRC) Nov '65. Between Jan and April, they were the only regular diesel services on that part of the line. A grubby (as I recall them) green BR Sulzer Type 2 (later class 24) on six non corridor maroons was rather out of place among all the new blue electrics!

Worth noting perhaps that these ran via the Hampstead Junction line (i.e. Gospel Oak) until the new junction layout at Camden/Primrose Hill was complete - only then was the electrification
brought into use from Queen's Park (whither it had been used by the LNWR/LER(BS&W) through service since 1917) to Euston and Camden Road. While most of the electric service from Broad Street towards Watford was rerouted via the 'new line' (i.e. Queen's Park), I believe that some trains continued to run via the HJ for many years (until the 1960s ?).

313s replaced 501s on the Watford - Euston/Broad St in September 1985 after the main station at Broad St was demolished (which took place over the summer of 1985). However from early 1985 there were test workings of 313s hence the existence of a photo of a 313 in the old station.

Up to around 1984 there was at least one Watford - Broad St service that ran via Hampstead Heath. It used to call at Hatch End whilst I was waiting for my train to school in the other direction.

 

[etr221]

From 1979 to 1983 I was the Signalling Maintenance Supervisor for 17 rather unglamorous signalboxes in the London area - Broad Street was one of them.

It really was a backwater, with no shortage of faded grandeur.

Mechanical signalling, with 50Hz AC track circuits, due to the third rail DC electrification - but just next door was Liverpool Street, with its mass of AC electrification.

When I queried this I was told, "Ah - that's Eastern Region".

All gone now, and times have changed!

Broad Street used to have what I suspect was the LM Region's only notice in Polish. (Also in the more common (at the time (1970s)) Dutch, German and English. Telling people that it was Broad Street, not Liverpool Street, and if they wanted the Eastern Counties or a boat-train for the continent, to go go next door...

 

[The exile]

Broad Street used to have what I suspect was the LM Region's only notice in Polish. (Also in the more common (at the time (1970s)) Dutch, German and English. Telling people that it was Broad Street, not Liverpool Street, and if they wanted the Eastern Counties or a boat-train for the continent, to go go next door...

What, no Danish? Presumably the presence of Polish means there were regular sailings from Harwich to Poland. Twenty or so years later I remember being fascinated by the entry in the Cooks timetable of a service from Tilbury to Gdańsk- a few cabins available on a freighter. Regrettably I was never brave enough to try it!

 

[Magdalia]

Broad Street used to have what I suspect was the LM Region's only notice in Polish. (Also in the more common (at the time (1970s)) Dutch, German and English. Telling people that it was Broad Street, not Liverpool Street, and if they wanted the Eastern Counties or a boat-train for the continent, to go go next door...

What, no Danish? Presumably the presence of Polish means there were regular sailings from Harwich to Poland. Twenty or so years later I remember being fascinated by the entry in the Cooks timetable of a service from Tilbury to Gdańsk- a few cabins available on a freighter. Regrettably I was never brave enough to try it!

I don't recall Harwich having sailings to Poland.

It did have the following:

Netherlands Hook of Holland
Germany Hamburg
Denmark Esbjerg
Norway Kristiansand

 

[30907]

What, no Danish?

They were Scandinavians so knew some English and German?

Presumably the presence of Polish means there were regular sailings from Harwich to Poland.

No, but there were through coaches from Hoek to Moscow via Warsaw....

 

[nw1]

And it wasn't just daily commuting that kept more 'gentlemanly' hours. For longer-distance business travellers, most of the prime business trains from large cities to London (e.g. Pullmans) departed at quite a sensible hour well into later Inter-City days - allowing a leisurely breakfast in the restaurant car, a good read of the newspaper and arrival into London sometime mid-morning. No getting up at Stupid-O'-Clock to catch an early train in the pitch dark for executives in those days, nor any expectation you would arrive in London in time for a 9am meeting.

That would make sense for longer-distance meeting-oriented travel, as presumably the meetings would begin mid-morning to allow people from other parts of the country to depart at a sensible hour. This seemed to be the case well after the Broad Street era, in the later 80s and 90s; one-a-day long distance services aimed at the business meetings market might arrive between around 0930 and 1030 with the corresponding evening service leaving in the more conventional 1700-1800 slot.

One example of a likely "business meeting" oriented train from a later era (1999) was the 0704 Hereford HST due Paddington 0946. This, and trains like it, offered post-0700 departure times from their origin.

The "meetings" market was presumably why 10am was considered the start of the off-peak and not 9am.

 

[WesternLancer]

I loved the curious nature of Broad Street Station. The first time I went there which would have been in the early 80s. I was amazed to find to discover this huge London station on a Saturday morning, empty pretty much. Also a 3rd rail service with Southern Region type trains. I used the station a few times to reach Gunnersbury , Hampstead Heath and also Primrose Hill. Was rather sad to see it disappear .

Very much my experience too. Remarkable to discover as an early teenage spotter.

You have summed up the era and location well!

 

[AY1975]

The oddest trains that I can find were introduced by LNWR around 1910 to compete with the new Great Central and GW mainline. Businessmen's trains from Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Coventry to City at Broad Street. The description I found said it even carried a carried typist for those needing letters. The service only lasted until First World War.

Yes, and going back even further, from 1869 until 1872 the LNWR ran a Victoria-Broad Street service via the West London and North London lines, truncated to run just Victoria-Willesden Junction from 1872. Does anyone know when this service ceased altogether?

 

[Gloster]

Yes, and going back even further, from 1869 until 1872 the LNWR ran a Victoria-Broad Street service via the West London and North London lines, truncated to run just Victoria-Willesden Junction from 1872. Does anyone know when this service ceased altogether?

London’s Termini (Jackson, Pan, 1972) says it became an irregular service between Willesden Junction and Victoria until September 1917. Until around 1939 trains continued to run to Victoria, but only for parcels.

 

[Harpo]

Broad Street was also briefly served by the LTSR to try to get nearer to that part of the city, one of four* London terminals it worked into without ever having one of its own.


* 6 for any pedants wishing to include Wimbledon and Ealing Broadway.

 

[contrex]

I don't recall Harwich having sailings to Poland.

It did have the following:

Netherlands Hook of Holland
Germany Hamburg
Denmark Esbjerg
Norway Kristiansand

HARWICH FOR THE CONTINENT and underneath (added by a wag, and repeatedly renewed when the notice was re-done) FRINTON FOR THE INCONTINENT... is this just a legend?

 

[Taunton]

HARWICH FOR THE CONTINENT and underneath (added by a wag, and repeatedly renewed when the notice was re-done) FRINTON FOR THE INCONTINENT... is this just a legend?

It was in Gerry Fiennes' book, so presumably an LNER longstanding joke.

 

[WesternLancer]

HARWICH FOR THE CONTINENT and underneath (added by a wag, and repeatedly renewed when the notice was re-done) FRINTON FOR THE INCONTINENT... is this just a legend?

It sounds rather Goon show era even if not originating from them.

 

[Gloster]

HARWICH FOR THE CONTINENT and underneath (added by a wag, and repeatedly renewed when the notice was re-done) FRINTON FOR THE INCONTINENT... is this just a legend?

The Victoria & Albert Museum have a ‘Harwich for the Continent’ poster that they date to ca. 1927. The slogan could be older, but if the poster was used for a number of years the joke might slowly spread and stick in people’s minds. I knew about it from my father almost as soon as I was regarded by him, if not by mother, to be old enough for such jokes.