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BRITISH RAILWAY STEAM ERA MISCELLANY

Photographs in this gallery are of various items of railway trappings such as stations, signalboxes, engine sheds, signals and whatever else is not a locomotive. Took none of these, all have been bought and are part of my collection. These pictures are published for pleasure/information/research purposes only and are not for sale or copy under any circumstances. Information in captions has been researched as thoroughly as possible but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
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PETERBOROUGH EAST - Opened in June 1845 by the Eastern Counties Railway, East was Peterborough's first railway station, terminus of the line from Northampton. It's single platform proved to be completely inadequate from the start and the station was rebuilt and expanded by the time that the ECR line from Ely arrived in 1847 and Syston & Peterborough line from Leicester in 1848. The layout was rather odd with 3 platform faces serving only 2 tracks but it evidently proved to be adequate. It was known as plain Peterborough until 1923 after which point East was added to differentiate from the GNR station, now known as North. It was a good hike between the two stations and strangely trains from Leicester passed North station without stopping en route to East. In May 1964, there were still 40 trains per day using East station but, with closure of the lines to Northampton and Rugby, remaining services were diverted to North station and East closed in June 1966. Seen here in 1931 looking east from Town Bridge. Both platform roads are occupied and the goods yard is full of wagons.
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PETERBOROUGH EAST - Opened in June 1845 by the Eastern Counties Railway, East was Peterborough's first railway station, terminus of the line from Northampton. It's single platform proved to be completely inadequate from the start and the station was rebuilt and expanded by the time that the ECR line from Ely arrived in 1847 and Syston & Peterborough line from Leicester in 1848. The layout was rather odd with 3 platform faces serving only 2 tracks but it evidently proved to be adequate. It was known as plain Peterborough until 1923 after which point East was added to differentiate from the GNR station, now known as North. It was a good hike between the two stations and strangely trains from Leicester passed North station without stopping en route to East. In May 1964, there were still 40 trains per day using East station but, with closure of the lines to Northampton and Rugby, remaining services were diverted to North station and East closed in June 1966. Seen here in 1931 looking east from Town Bridge. Both platform roads are occupied and the goods yard is full of wagons.

  • PETERBOROUGH - A view looking east in July 1932 showing Peterborough's major railway junction. The Great Northern mainline runs right to left to right with LNWR lines from Northampton and Rugby running under the GNR and into Peterborough East, just out of shot to the right. The LNWR locoshed, apparently in use as a carriage shed, stands in the foreground, with Nene carriage sidings and the line coming in from Leicester behind it. The two chimneys belong to the old power station. In the distance, cranes be seen on the town river bridge. Works had just started to replace this bridge and carry south as far the football ground to create the current bridge, completed in 1934. Note the total lack of development east of the bridge. As a youth, my favourite trainspotting location was 'East crosses North', about where the two carriages stand just beyond the GNR mainline. Three routes converged there and, even in the mid '60's, steam was still abundant.
  • PETERBOROUGH - NEW ENGLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (1) - Seen here in the early 1960's, not long before closure to steam. We can date this shot fairly exactly. The M&GN, going from extreme left then over the mainline via the exotically named Rhubarb Bridge, closed in 1959 and this section in March 1961. Rhubarb Bridge was dismantled in October 1961 and steam was banned south of Peterborough at Christmas 1963. So, there is quite a narrow time window for this picture and this is the period when I remember it best, me and my mate Bill catching the Delaine from Bourne on a Saturday, two bob return, to go and stand at Walton level crossing or maybe to North station, trying to bunk the shed every time, always in the afternoon (less workers about!), and succeeding about every fourth time. The running shed is on the left, workshops on the right. The vast turning triangle surrounds the whole place. The Loco Depot closed completely in the New Year of 1965. However many thousands of coal wagons stand in these sidings? Nothing now remains from this view except the railwaymen's houses on the right.
  • PETERBOROUGH - NEW ENGLAND LOCOMOTIVE DEPOT (2) - Seen here in 1967, just a year before the depot was demolished and replaced by the garden shed just north of Peterborough Station. New England had been replaced by modern diesel depots and the locos required only a tiny proportion of the old depot, most of which is being used for storage or is completely closed up. The gantry in the foreground was the water supply for the engines. All of the sidings to west of the running lines have also gone and no trace of the M&GN remains.
  • PETERBOROUGH EAST - D2237, a Class 04 diesel shunter, shunts empty coaching stock under the signalbox at Peterborough East. This loco was based at Peterborough from 1956 to 1960 almost without a break, thus dating the picture.
  • PETERBOROUGH EAST - German prisoners of war and their guards await onward transportation from Peterborough East in 1916. These men seem to be sailors so could this be post-Jutland?
  • PETERBOROUGH EAST - In the bottom right hand corner of this picture is Peterborough East, giving a good idea of it's curiously camped layout. The LNWR locoshed is in the top left corner. The town bridges look new, having been completed in 1934, quite a considerable feat of engineering for that period. Note the football ground in the bottom left corner. Peterborough United turned professional in 1934 so no doubt London Road changed quickly thereafter. The two tall chimneys belong to the coal-fired power station, demolished in the '80's
  • PETERBOROUGH EAST - Opened in June 1845 by the Eastern Counties Railway, East was Peterborough's first railway station, terminus of the line from Northampton. It's single platform proved to be completely inadequate from the start and the station was rebuilt and expanded by the time that the ECR line from Ely arrived in 1847 and Syston & Peterborough line from Leicester in 1848. The layout was rather odd with 3 platform faces serving only 2 tracks but it evidently proved to be adequate. It was known as plain Peterborough until 1923 after which point East was added to differentiate from the GNR station, now known as North. It was a good hike between the two stations and strangely trains from Leicester passed North station without stopping en route to East. In May 1964, there were still 40 trains per day using East station but, with closure of the lines to Northampton and Rugby, remaining services were diverted to North station and East closed in June 1966. Seen here in 1931 looking east from Town Bridge. Both platform roads are occupied and the goods yard is full of wagons.
  • PETERBOROUGH EAST - Opened in June 1845 by the Eastern Counties Railway, East was Peterborough's first railway station, terminus of the line from Northampton. It's single platform proved to be completely inadequate from the start and the station was rebuilt and expanded by the time that the ECR line from Ely arrived in 1847 and Syston & Peterborough line from Leicester in 1848. The layout was rather odd with 3 platform faces serving only 2 tracks but it evidently proved to be adequate. It was known as plain Peterborough until 1923 after which point East was added to differentiate from the GNR station, now known as North. It was a good hike between the two stations and strangely trains from Leicester passed North station without stopping en route to East. In May 1964, there were still 40 trains per day using East station but, with closure of the lines to Northampton and Rugby, remaining services were diverted to North station and East closed in June 1966. The old GER engine shed still remains in industrial use but little else. Note the wagon turntable on the left.
  • PETERBOROUGH EAST - Opened in June 1845 by the Eastern Counties Railway, East was Peterborough's first railway station, terminus of the line from Northampton. It's single platform proved to be completely inadequate from the start and the station was rebuilt and expanded by the time that the ECR line from Ely arrived in 1847 and Syston & Peterborough line from Leicester in 1848. The layout was rather odd with 3 platform faces serving only 2 tracks but it evidently proved to be adequate. It was known as plain Peterborough until 1923 after which point East was added to differentiate from the GNR station, now known as North. It was a good hike between the two stations and strangely trains from Leicester passed North station without stopping e route to East. In May 1964, there were still 40 trains per day using East station but, with closure of the lines to Northampton and Rugby, remaining services were diverted to North station and East closed in June 1966. The old GER engine shed still remains in industrial use but little else. Seen here in January 1960.
  • PETERBOROUGH EAST - Seen here in 1964 with a Derby Lightweight DMU in Platforms 1/2, probably bound for March and points east, a Stanier Mogul on what is probably a Leicester train in Platform 3 and a Black 5 awaiting it's next duty. If this was a Saturday, then a 14 year old me was probably standing at what we called 'East crosses North' on the other side of town bridge trainspotting.
  • PETERBOROUGH NORTH - A most undistinguished station, seen here from the south, looking along the mainlines which were subject to severe speed restrictions. Seen here in the 1960's, replaced by a monstrosity in the 1970's, further defaced by forests of steel masts in 1990's, plans are afoot to virtually rebuild the station again.
  • PETERBOROUGH NORTH - Class C2 Atlantic No.1408 sits in Platform 2 at Peterborough on a southbound express in the early years of the last century. This layout remained basically unchanged until the station was demolished in the 1970's with only 3 through platforms and bays the northern end for the Lincolnshire services. With the closure of East Station and the diversion of services off the Leicester and GER lines to North, this accommodation proved to be totally inadequate.
  • PETERBOROUGH NORTH - Looking south from the island platform when Crescent Bridge was newly completed, therefore about 1913. The level crossing gates were removed shortly afterwards. The old Midland Railway station stood just beyond the gates to the right. Note the horse shunting the wagons on the left - a lot cheaper than a locomotive!
  • PETERBOROUGH NORTH - seen here from unusual angle - from a window of the Great Northern Hotel, just before World War Two.
  • PINCHBECK STATION - Opened in 1882 on the GNR/GER Joint line from Spalding to Sleaford, first stop out of Spalding, the station closed to passengers in 1961 and completely in 1964. It was probably never particularly busy as the area is not very populous, although I suppose 'Veg in Season' traffic was pretty brisk.
  • PLAISTOW WORKS - a view of locomotives in the erecting shop at the LTSR's Works at Plaistow in about 1901.
  • POSTLAND - On the GN/GE Joint Line between Spalding and March, Postland (for Crowland) is in the middle of nowhere. There is no village of Postland and Crowland is about 4 miles away. Both the signalbox, derelict, and the station house survive. I think this picture is a later view than the other, probably 1950's - note that there is no longer a shelter on the northbound platform.
  • POSTLAND - On the GN/GE Joint Line between Spalding and March, Postland (for Crowland) is in the middle of nowhere. There is no village of Postland and Crowland is about 4 miles away. Both the signalbox, derelict, and the station house survive. I think this picture was taken just after World War Two looking north towards Spalding.
  • POSTLAND - The derelict signalbox at Postland Station. Although the GN/GE line was only closed 25 years ago, it doesn't take nature long to reclaim a site - seen here 05/07/17.
  • POSTLAND - The quite substantial station building at Postland on the od GN/GE mainline from March to Spalding. The station closed in September 1961 and the line in November 1982. The building has been nicely restored as a private residence. Note even the platform shelter has been retained - seen here 05/07/17.
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