LU 150

Re: LU 150 plans...

Coincidently I'm working at earls court tonight. The station enterance is a hive of activity of senior management. We have early and late current because of tonight. I'll try and get some pictures but I only have a camera phone with me.

James

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Left 01:42 for its test run.

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Lots of media reports emerging from the overnight run, including BBC Breakfast, BBC News Channel and this from ITV News. It won't embed but the link is: ITV News: Steam on the Underground

Edited to add a link to the BBC TV News report.

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Even made the Radio 4 "Today" programme 8am news bulletin this morning, with lots of nice whistles. David Bowie exclusive yesterday, steam on the underground today...

Tom

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

BBC News website feature on the opening of the underground:
BBC News - ?Sulphurous? fumes and class division on Victorian Tube

And a gallery of tube maps through the years:
BBC News - Tube 150th anniversary: How the Underground map evolved
They should have added the Google doodle at the end!

Richard

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Don't want to stray too far from the specific topic of this thread but one of the best of the many photo galleries (and historical reflections) this week was produced by Telegraph Online yesterday:

The history of the Tube in pictures: 150 years of London Underground

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

I'll be in London on Sunday, hoping to get some photos but haven't a clue where to take them so I'd be very grateful for any advice. I was thinking maybe Earls Court for the daylight Sarah Siddons run. Does anyone know if she'll be hanging around KennyO for long after arrival? No idea where to go for the steam runs

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Check out this link already posted earlier in this thread:

Best places to photograph London Underground heritage steam train trips

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Royal Mail have published a bunch of special London Underground postage stamps.


all tickets arrived (mine for this weekend) and spamcans for next, so I guess everyone should have gotten tickets.

it comes with a 3 page safety briefing, including photographs of how to use a Victorian communication cord system in the carriages and how to open and close doors ! It does say (obviously) no hanging anything out of the window and windows closed... But I doubt a slight crack open would be objected to.

Trains leave platform 4 Moorgate, you need to be there 30 mins or so earlier, entrance to the platform is controlled as are stewards to each coach. It seems a little confused but it looks like there maybe an option to deboard at Edgware Road before the return, there is time for pictures at Moorgate for passengers.

Taking oppourtunity to be social, how about an impromptu NP meet up from say 13.30pm (after the morning special has returned to Kensington (-arrives 1242, dep to depot at 1244 ?) at The Metropolitan Bar, above baker st tube on Sunday ?

i'm on the 21.25 coach A on Sunday, say hi if your about.

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Many thanks Ian, such a long thread that I missed this. Great work, much appreciated.

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Metropolitan will do fine for me. Good selection of ales and reasonable prices for London and grub for the starving gricers.
Really looking forward to this.

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

1.30pm at the Metropolitan Bar this Sunday - it's in my diary.

The Metropolitan Bar, Marylebone | Our Pubs | J D Wetherspoon

Richard

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Here's a thought, but it leaves earls court at 0959..and 1032 at Moorgate.

according to tfl's website, you have a tube every few minutes (Piccadilly line) direct to Kings Cross arriving 1022.. A bit fine, but you could get it twice.
indeed tfl's site shows an Earls Court with connection to Moorgate arriving about 5 minutes before the steam does

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Only snag is if the platforms are full then you may not be allowed access for the second shot. I'm working on a basis of "get there early and wait" and just doing the one location in each direction.

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

No problem Alan - the blog was compiled by another Ian (Mansfield).

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

A bit on the Beeeb too:-BBC News - London Underground celebrates 150th anniversary

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

See post #303 on Pg 31.

In terms of trying to catch a run twice, have to agree that it may be difficult. There's also quite a walk / interchange between the Piccadilly at King's Cross and the separate Met / Circle. Hope I'm wrong but I think crowds of spectators plus normal passengers will prove problematical in a number of places on Sunday.

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

Drat! Missed that!

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

I was in the Metropolitan last night on stop 2 of our impromptu five-stop LU150 Bar Crawl

When you're in there, look up at the ceiling as there are a lot of plaster cast crests of the areas that the Metropolitan runs through - including City of London, Bucks, Middx and Herts. It's a fairly sympathetic use of the old space. Also, at the end of either Platform 1 or 4 there's a restored painted sign for CHILTERN COURT "LONDON'S NEWEST RESTAURANT" which of course is now the Metropolitan Bar. Worth a quick detour to have a look, as are the various neat boards on the Circle/H&C platforms that were added in the restoration programme. The whole station really is a great example of how to update whilst retaining some key heritage features, given the constraints they had.

 

Re: LU 150 plans...

I hear that no 12 Sarah Siddons has been involved in some sort of bump at Lillie Bridge depot when it was driven into a shed with a low roof. Panic repairs to her dented roof are underway.

District Dave's London Underground Site - Sarah Siddons damaged..