The Last Saturday
Today, as those of you following the latest news will know, is the last Saturday of the current timetable, of coarse it would not be so significant if it weren’t for the fact that the timetable to be introduced includes 3tph in most of the off-peak (and peak). An increase of 48 services in each direction per week boosts the current weekly total of 253 to 301. Saturdays has the biggest improvement, previously having 2 trains per hour (tph) in each direction as of next week Saturdays will be predominately 3tph, Weekdays also see a service increase but already being 3tph in the peak it is not such a big one. Anyway, to mark the occasion, today I decided to do a photoshoot.
I started out at 9:35 and despite the winter cold, it was sunny and the sky was cloudless so I made my way to the vantage point at Bromley North. Pictures taken at this particular point makes it look like you have been trespassing but in reality photos are taken through holes in the fence which borders railway lands with a footpath. To start the day I got a few snaps of 466 031, the unit for the day coming into platform 2 of grand Bromley North. Then it was down to the copper covered copula building to take some static photos of the train in the platform. I was greeted, surprisingly by a human voice over the tannoy which informed passengers about the changes although did not directly boast of the service increase, such are professionals. A few more snaps then back past my first vantage point to the footbridge, it was from this footbridge that I first waved to the train after moving to Bromley, my wave was responded to by the guard doing the same out the window. Of course, no guard today since Driver Only Operation was installed on the branch, the line became more profitable but it also lost some of it’s charm at the same time. I believe my first steps in Bromley were on the platform of Bromley North Station, as I had come along to ‘help’ house-hunt, i wouldn’t have been of much use (being only 9) but I still vaguely remember the little train that was the ‘popper’ which i boarded to explore my future town.
I took photos of the northbound service before I descended the footbridge on the other side and made my way northwards, eventually I reached Lansdown Road bridge and the lines gem -Sundridge Park Station, then I carried on Northwards via the winding route I had to take before I got to what I call ‘Green Chain Bridge,’ for the reason that the Green Chain Walk passes over this narrow arched structure. Then I waited a small amount of time before I photographed the train coming south again, even 2 tph is quite intense on this short line! I continued along a footpath through wooded area with regular views of the track before I met with the green chain walk again and searched for a suitable vantage point to photograph the northbound service rising on an embankment over an allotment field, behind me was the beautiful Sundridge Park Golf Course, the namesake of the station previously called Plaistow. It came after 5 minutes of waiting and my shot was disappointing, mainly due to the speed of the train and the vast amount of trees that lined the embankment.
My hands were now freezing and I didn’t know whether my Mother’s feelings stilled foreboded any trip to Grove Park or if I had reached an age ready to brave the area. Either-way I turned back south for home without any further ado, on the way back I managed to photograph Green Chain Bridge, it being a particular challenge since there is a tall fence and trees everywhere, I then reached Sundridge Park Station and began climbing out of the cutting up to Lansdown Road Bridge on the footpath when what should approach me from behind but the train! Yes, it was coming south again and whilst it made it’s stop in Sundridge Park I took photos of it from Lansdown Bridge and two more when it came under and out of my vantage point.
If this is 2tph I can’t wait for 3tph!
I started out at 9:35 and despite the winter cold, it was sunny and the sky was cloudless so I made my way to the vantage point at Bromley North. Pictures taken at this particular point makes it look like you have been trespassing but in reality photos are taken through holes in the fence which borders railway lands with a footpath. To start the day I got a few snaps of 466 031, the unit for the day coming into platform 2 of grand Bromley North. Then it was down to the copper covered copula building to take some static photos of the train in the platform. I was greeted, surprisingly by a human voice over the tannoy which informed passengers about the changes although did not directly boast of the service increase, such are professionals. A few more snaps then back past my first vantage point to the footbridge, it was from this footbridge that I first waved to the train after moving to Bromley, my wave was responded to by the guard doing the same out the window. Of course, no guard today since Driver Only Operation was installed on the branch, the line became more profitable but it also lost some of it’s charm at the same time. I believe my first steps in Bromley were on the platform of Bromley North Station, as I had come along to ‘help’ house-hunt, i wouldn’t have been of much use (being only 9) but I still vaguely remember the little train that was the ‘popper’ which i boarded to explore my future town.
I took photos of the northbound service before I descended the footbridge on the other side and made my way northwards, eventually I reached Lansdown Road bridge and the lines gem -Sundridge Park Station, then I carried on Northwards via the winding route I had to take before I got to what I call ‘Green Chain Bridge,’ for the reason that the Green Chain Walk passes over this narrow arched structure. Then I waited a small amount of time before I photographed the train coming south again, even 2 tph is quite intense on this short line! I continued along a footpath through wooded area with regular views of the track before I met with the green chain walk again and searched for a suitable vantage point to photograph the northbound service rising on an embankment over an allotment field, behind me was the beautiful Sundridge Park Golf Course, the namesake of the station previously called Plaistow. It came after 5 minutes of waiting and my shot was disappointing, mainly due to the speed of the train and the vast amount of trees that lined the embankment.
My hands were now freezing and I didn’t know whether my Mother’s feelings stilled foreboded any trip to Grove Park or if I had reached an age ready to brave the area. Either-way I turned back south for home without any further ado, on the way back I managed to photograph Green Chain Bridge, it being a particular challenge since there is a tall fence and trees everywhere, I then reached Sundridge Park Station and began climbing out of the cutting up to Lansdown Road Bridge on the footpath when what should approach me from behind but the train! Yes, it was coming south again and whilst it made it’s stop in Sundridge Park I took photos of it from Lansdown Bridge and two more when it came under and out of my vantage point.
If this is 2tph I can’t wait for 3tph!