European Railroad Discussion > Get 'em whilst you can

In June this year the London orbital line between Gospel Oak (in N London) and Barking (in E London) will be partially closed and from September closed in its entirety until January 2017 in preparation for electrification. When it re-opens many of the picture taking locations that I and others have enjoyed over the years will have gone. I've been taking pictures along the Goblin for over 20 years and have seen how it has grown from being one of London's unloved backwaters to it being a main artery supporting a passenger train every 15 minutes and frequent freight services. Here's a selection of pictures I've taken over the years.

1: Back in 1999 47234 approaching Harringay Green Lanes on the 4V28 Tilbury to Cardiff Pengam intermodal. At that time Harringay Park Junction remained an oasis of mechanical signalling, albeit in the westbound (up) direction only. That's the Harringay Park up distant signal, which was motor worked on account of the distance from the box.
2: In 2003 one of the more characterful trains, the 6L37 Cricklewood to Wembley wagonload trip freight.It was an exceedingly long way round as Cricklewood (on the Midland Mainline) is a couple of miles from Wembley (on the WCML) as the crow flies, but to get there by train involved a journey of some 20 miles via South Tottenham, Stratford and Camden Road! 66128 is passing Harringay Park Junction box (now gone unfortunately). The signals are the Haringay Park starter, slotted above the Upper Holloway distant (electrically worked).
3: Back then passenger services were in the hands of cascaded class 150 Sprinters, this is a westbound passing Harringay Park's up home signal. The franchise for the Goblin was in the hands of National Express Silverlink operation.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/16 01:28 by 86235.

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4: in 2006 57010 Freightliner Crusader climbing under the ECML towards Harringay Park on the 4O32 Ripple Lane to Southampton. Until 2013 there was always a regular westbound freight flow around 19:00 M-F which I used to shoot on my way home from work. That ended when the Dagenham to Silla (Spain) Channel Tunnel Express carrying parts for the Ford Motor Company was diverted on High Speed 1 between London and Dollands Moor.
5: the Cricklewood to Wembley trip again, there was a warehouse at Cricklewood alomgside the MML that received white goods from Italy, so these would have been the empties. The loads operated at night. The signals are the Upper Holloway outer home and the Junction Road Junction distant, both motor worked, the latter was the last mechanical signal a westbound would encounter.
6: Back to the Wightman Road bridge N4 (for which a decent ladder is required) and its 4O32 again headed by 66522



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/16 01:28 by 86235.

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7: in 2009 whilst the North London Line was closed for modernisation work, all east-west freight trains around North London were diverted over the Goblin. I took a day off work and was treated to 12 train sin about six hours plus this light engine, which is approaching South Tottenham passing under what is now London Overground's new acquisition, the Liverpool Street to Enfield and Cheshunt commuter lines, known as the Southbury Loop.
8: The Goblin joins the North London Line at Gospel Oak, a pleasant inner city suburb sandwiched between Hampstead and Kentish Town, the passenger trains terminating in a bay platform which 66152 is approaching, this was the first DB corporate livery class 66 I had seen.
9: Later in 2010 we had plenty of Snow. On December 17th 66425 approaches Junction Road Junction on another long time fixture, the Purfleet to Daventry 4M71. Unfortunately it ceased to run after the foodstuffs contract on which it's profitability depended was awarded elsewhere, it carried liquid sugar to Scotland for Irn Bru makers A G Barr.

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10: Back at South Tottenham and 60040 in Army Careers livery on a train of sand hoppers. 60s were a rarity in London back in 2011 so I dashed from Highbury to Seven Sisters on the Victoria Line when I heard that it was running, only just making it to South Tottenham as it hove into view.
11: The east end of the Goblin is what used to be known as the Tottenham and Forest Gate, a line built comparatively late in the railway age, 1894, and for most of its length on a brick viaduct. This is the 6L45 Earles to West Thurrock cement working.
12: 4M71 again, where the Tottenham and Forest Gate descends off its viaduct to negotiate its way through the NE suburb of Walthamstow
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/16 06:34 by 86235.

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Final lot
13: All Britain's major railfreight operators can be seen on the Goblin, GBRf 66739 Bluebell Railway is approaching Harringay Park in autumn 2013 on the 4E19 Mountfield to West Burton empty gypsum containers, it takes the spur up to the ECML to continue its journey to West Burton coal fired power station where the gypsum is a by-product of flue gas de-sulpherisation.
14: Until last year Colas had the haulage contract for a twice weekly trainload of export steel from South Wales to Tilbury, the empties ran back during the middle of the day on Wednesday and Saturday, 60076 on those empties passing Harrringay Park Junction in April 2015, taken from the portal of the tunnel in the picture above. Network Rail have been very busy cutting back the undergrowth in preparation for electrification.
15: and finally my most recent Goblin picture, taken on Thursday March 3rd the 6M92 empty cement tanks approaching Upper Holloway

Here's a link to my gallery of Goblin shots
https://nick86235.smugmug.com/Trains/Round-London/Goblin/i-TD4Tg28

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Nice series of GB pic´s.
Thanks for posing
Erwin from Austria

Many thanks for posting these wonderful photos from the London area!
Will electrification of the London orbital line between Gospel Oak (in N London) and Barking (in E London) be overhead, third rail, or both?
ALLEN

krm152 Wrote:
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> Will electrification of the London orbital line
> between Gospel Oak (in N London) and Barking (in E
> London) be overhead, third rail, or both?
> ALLEN

It will be the national standard, ie 25kV ac overhead. New 3rd rail 750v dc electrification is only now ever undertaken on short stretches which link existing dc lines. The present overground srvice nwo only uses dc for two of its western extremities, whisch are shared either with the London underground ( District line to Richmond) or the Southern to Clapham Junction.

Great pictures, by the way!

Don't forget Euston to Watford, that's 750v DC.

I guess I better get out and ride this thing in its entirety before June!

dwatry Wrote:
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> I guess I better get out and ride this thing in
> its entirety before June!

You should do so, it's great and these pictures are a wonderful reminder of how much it has changed. However if you live backing on to the line (as my daughter and family do), you would be advised to move away for the next two years! The construction noise at night is appalling, but perhaps it will get better when the line is shut completely. The project is pure politics as always!

Another great set of photos, Nik, from your part of theUK. Sadly, this line has passed me by, and now I wonder why I never bothered with it. Chris UK
 

Another wonderful set Nick!