The journey to Croydon
On Friday, 8th April, I caught the first bus to Wolverhampton at 07:30 giving me plenty of time to walk to the railway station, clutching my pre-booked tickets. On this occasion, I'd booked via Stafford so the first 'leg' was to head back by train, on almost the reciprocal of the heading I'd just arrived by bus! When I was young, there was a station within a couple of miles (around 3 km) measured in a straight line 'as the crow flies' from where I now live. Of course, country roads (unless the legacy of the Romans) tend not to be straight so I'm sure the distance by road was probably around twice the figure I've quoted. This minor station was called Four Ashes but was closed in 1959, with the signal box surviving a few years longer.
I'd intended to catch the 08:21 West Midland Trains service from Wolverhampton to Liverpool as far as Stafford but my slightly earlier arrival at the station allowed me to catch the prior Cross Country Trains 'Voyager' service to Manchester which also called at Stafford. On arrival at Stafford, I went to platform 1 for a connection providing another reversal of direction. My general heading would be south-east and the straight-line distance from Stafford to Euston is about 122 miles (just under 200 km). I was quite surpised that the train I intended catching (a Liverpool to Euston express) was preceded by a Crewe to Euston stopping service and I wondered whether this would delay my train.
Stafford Station looking north from platform 1 with Crewe-Euston stopping train arriving.
The stopping train departed and my train followed - an Avanti 'Pendolino'. I snuggled into a quiet corner in Standard class for the non-stop journey to London. We didn't appear to be baulked by the preceding local which I think we passed either at Lichfield or Tamworth when the local was on a platform loop. We arrived at Euston within one minute of 'right time'. Normally, I'd head to Victoria by Tube and there catch an East Croydon service. But, presumably because of 'engineering works', passengers were being advised to travel from London Bridge, rather than Victoria. To add to the misery, there was no Tube service from Euston via London Bridge to Moorgate. Since my friend Rita would not be available until the afternoon, before continuing to East Croydon I'd decided to try out the new Northern Line Extension which now branches from the Northern Line south of Kennington to serve a new intermediate station at Nine Elms and a new terminus at Battersea Power Station. My company had supplied control equipment for this extension which had opened to the public in September 2021 but I'd not yet travelled on it.
At Euston Underground Station I descended to the Charing Cross Branch Southbound platform. All the escalators appeared to be working but the various areas were thronged with the usual mass of bewildered passengers unsure as to which way to go. The first arrival was for Morden, so I waited for the next train, shown as bound for Battersea Power Station. I took this train to the end of the line at Battersea Power Station, about two miles beyond Kennington. I noticed the new Step Plate Junction where the southbound tunnel has been modernised and broadened to accommodate the turnout leading to the extension but otherwise the new tunnel was relatively featureless. As we paused at Nine Elms and its single island platform, I was able to see that the architectural style at platform level was similar to other recent station modernisations with clear signage, uncluttered layout and lots of stainless steel panelling.
Battersea Power Station also has an island platform and trains can arrive at and depart from either platform. The far end of the platform lines terminate in stop blocks but planning has allowed for the line to be extended to Clapham Junction in the future.
Battersea Power Station underground station: Platform 2 with High Barnet train of '95' stock
The control equipment cubicles my company had supplied are locked-away inside the various Traction Sub Stations serving the the line but I did find the Traction Current Discharge Plungers associated with our system, neatly accommodated behind stainless steel hinged doors integrated into the stainless steel wall cladding. These plungers allow staff to isolate the traction current in an emergency and, to discourage unwanted use, the hinged doors are fitted with a plastic seal.
Battersea Power Station underground station: Modular stainless steel wall cladding allowing various items of equipment to be integrated.
I spent a few minutes on the platform studying the trackwork entering the platform before taking the escalator to the intermediate concourse level.
Battersea Power Station underground station: View from platform 1 towards Nine Elms showing pit alongside platform, conductor rail ramps, turnout with point machine and backdrive.
Battersea Power Station underground station: Concourse level, with the Station Supervisor's Office on right.
Battersea Power Station underground station: View across concourse level from near Station Supervisor's Office, showing Ticket Gate Line.
Having passed through the Ticket Gate Line to the 'unpaid area' of the Concourse, signs pointed to a group of three escalators leading to the surface offering destinations 'The Power Station', 'New Covent Garden Market', 'Buses' and 'Battersea Pier', whilst a row of five ticket machines (with glowing display screens) stood ready to serve arriving passengers. I found myself quite impressed with the Northern Line Extension.
Battersea Power Station underground station: Concourse 'unpaid area' showing three escalators to the surface.
Once above ground, without a clear plan, I headed in the general direction of the original power station building. There's a Wikipedia article here with history of this iconic (Grade II* Listed) building, plus an outline of the indignities it suffered after closure as a generating station.
Back in 2009, I managed a reasonable aerial view of the then part-dismantled power station as I landed at Heathrow after a memorable trip to the Middle East (described here and the picture's title, written at the time, reads:-
Returning from Amman on 24-Mar-2009, we initially stooged around over London and then made an East to West pass over the city to land on runway 28L at Heathrow.
Battersea Power Station (or what's left of it). Top left, Chelsea Bridge, top middle Grosvenor Bridge taking the railway lines to Victoria. Coal-fired Battersea Power Station 'A' was built in 1930 and caused some consternation. The architect Halliday provided many Art Deco features but the external 'brick cathedral' appearance was due to Giles Gilbert Scott. The 'B' station was added in the 1950s, giving the present appearance. The building was listed Grade II in 1980 when closure was threatened and generation ceased in 1983. Although it remains a much-loved icon, a sustainable future has not yet emerged.
Battersea Power Station from the air
Click for larger views
Later in 2009, I took the picture below showing the part-dismantled structure from a train leaving Victoria station (using the camera on a 'Blackberry' mobile phone).
The skeleton of Battersea Power Station, viewed from a train leaving Victoria.
At that time, the building dominated the skyline but, since then as I've travelled to and from Victoria station, I've watched the huge structure disappear from view as modern apartment blocks have been constructed on all sides except the river elevation. The aerial picture below illustrates this.
Battersea Power Station, aerial view (Photo:Battersea Power Station 2022)
As I continued my walk from the new Northern Line station, the Power Station building came into view, although sightlines were cramped and the modern apartment block on my left overhung my route in a rather disturbing manner.
Battersea Power Station
Further on, the buildings at least had walls that were vertical (matching the massive power station building to my right) but I was not tempted to call in at the estates office to enquire about the attractions of apartments available on the site but the website here lists all the advantages. And so, I arrived at the River Thames and Battersea Pier, a modern, rectangular floating pontoon allowed to move up and down two massive steel restraining posts sunk into the river bed, according to the river level. A link span provides pedestrian access from the bank at all states of the river level.
The Pier is a little downstream of Grosvenor Railway Bridge which carries the eight tracks approaching Victoria Station. I was surprised to see a train of Pullman coaches crossing the bridge, heading for Victoria and failed to identify the locomotive at the head, but it might have been a Class 73 'Electo-Diesel'. At the rear of the train, there was a Rebuilt Bullied Pacific being unceremoniously dragged tender-first. So then I realised, this was the British Pullman empty stock from Stewarts Lane to Victoria prior to working a Belmond train. Back in 2013, I visited the carriage workshops at Stewarts Lane and there's a short post here.
I was too slow to take a picture of the British Pullman on Grosvenor Railway Bridge, but took one of the bridge a few minutes later which also shows, in the background, the imposing chimney and main building of the Western Pumping Station built by Bazalgette as part of his improvements to the London Sewer System.
Grosvenor Railway Bridge, with Bazalgette's Western Pumping Station in the background, viewed from Battersea Power Station.
From my position adjacent to the Pier, it was finally possible to get a reasonable view of the huge Power Station structure.
Battersea Power Station viewed from Battersea Pier
I walked onto the Pier as a gentleman was struggling to complete a ticket purchase from the automatic machine. When I followed, I understood his problem. For the convenieince of wheelchair passengers, the solitary machine has been installed at low level, necessitating adopting a crouch position during the transaction. Further, the display device was a liquid-crystal device, apparently without backlighting which, in daylight, can be difficult to interpret. After a while, the machine, satisfied with my fumbling, issued me with a paper ticket. I had a few minutes to wait before the River Bus arrived. For some years modern catamarans have provided the service which preferred to style itself 'Thames Clippers' - sorry, MBNA Thames Clippers. MBNA started in 1982 in the USA as the Maryland Bank National Association. Since 1993 MBNA, which provides credit cards and loans, has been based in Chester (yes, Chester, England) and in 2017 became part of Lloyds Banking Group. But now, the River Bus service additionally calls itself 'Uber Boats'.
When my Uber Boat arrived, it was appeared to be one of their newer vessels and certainly more appealing than the rather care-worn Thames Clipper I travelled on some time ago. I found a large a large enclosed passenger cabin (with shop and toilets) towards the front but, on impulse, I selected a seat on the semi-open deck at the rear. Although I had no view ahead, I had unobstructed views astern for photography and this proved a good move because, when I finally checked out the front cabin, I discovered that although the windows gave good views, spray thrown against the glass when moving at speed gave a rather mottled appearance when attempting photography.
We set off down-river, commencing a series of pick-ups at the frequent piers on both sides of the river.
Vauxhall Bridge on the River Thames with Vauxhall (St. George Wharf) Pier visible through left arch.
Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) Building at Vauxhall on the River Thames.
St. Thomas' Hospital, River Thames
The London Eye and Waterloo Pier: River Thames (Battersea Power Station to North Greenwich)
The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Pier: River Thames
By the time we'd called at Westminster Pier, the boat was quite full and I was pleased with my choice of seating location. More stops followed, as we passed the familiar landmarks - Tate Modern, the pedestrian Millenium Bridge, Blackfriars Railway Bridge, H.M.S. Belfast, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge.
Tate Modern Gallery (converted from redundant Bankside Power Station): River Thames
Tower Bridge with The Shard in the background on the left: River Thames>
As sea transport has moved to containerisation and larger ships, London's once-famous docks have been largely given over to office and residential use. There's an article on 'The Container Revolution' here.
Deptford once had an important power station, designed by Sebastian Z. de Ferranti and opened in 1889. Ferranti was convinced that generation of alternating (rather than direct) current was the way forward at a time when direct current had many proponents. To allow generation to be further from the point of consumption, he also proposed high-voltage transmission at 10,000 volts which many considered unsafe. The project encountered many problems but Ferranti is now regarded as far-sighted and the site is regarded as the first centralised, high-voltage power station in the world. There's a brief history on Wikipedia here. The plant was coal-powered and the large jetty for receiving coal by ship survives but, after final closure in 1983, the site has been redeveloped, apart from the remaining high voltage switchyard.
Deptford from the river. L-R: modern housing, former coaling jetty, high voltage switchyard (River Thames)
Deptford Creek (River Thames)
Our penultimate stop was at Greenwich, adjacent to Greenwich Foot Tunnel (opened 1902 with a Wikipedia article here and the famous 'Cutty Sark' clipper ship built in 1869. There's a Wikipedia article here. The ship is now managed by Royal Museums Greenwich, along with the National Maritime Museum, Queen's House and the Royal Observatory.
Greenwich, with (foreground) domed stairway leading to Greenwich Foot Tunnel and (background) preserved 'Cutty Sark' (River Thames)
After a lot of passengers had left the ship at Greenwich, we carried on to the final stop at North Greenwich situated on the 'Greenwich Peninsula' formed by the sharply-bending river. This is the site of the curious Milennium Dome which originally formed the centrepiece of the 'Milennium Experience' exhibition intended to celebrate the new Milennium in 2000. This proved rather underwhelming but, now owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group (ARG) and called, curiously, 'The O2' (since the mobile phone company O2 purchased 'naming rights') the area is has been developed as a "large entertainment district".
'The O2' (showing February 2022 storm damage to the roof fabric) viewed through the windows of a Uber Boat arriving at North Greenwich Pier, with apologies for the 'mottled' appearance.
On disembarking, I headed towards where I imagined North Greenwich Underground station would be, passing more modern apartment blocks in a rather curious range of designs. In 1999 my company was involved in site commissioning control equipment we'd supplied for the Jubilee Line Extension project and I'd spent many hours (usually at night) working at North Greenwich when the area around the station was completely undeveloped. I arrived at the large Tube station without incident. After checking out the new line to Battersea Power Station and spending around 90 minutes on the Uber Boat, my appetite for exploring London was satisfied, so I decided to catch a Jubilee Line train to London Bridge and catch a further train to East Croydon.
I'd not been on the Jubilee Line since before the Covid Pandemic but it seemed little changed. This line is fitted with full-height Platform Edge Doors, generally referred to as 'Peds' by technicians, so it's important that trains stop accurately with the train doors correctly aligned with the platform edge doors. This is controlled automatically and, once achieved, both sets of doors open to allow passengers on and off.
At London Bridge, there was a fair walk to get from the Underground station to the concourse of the rebuilt main line station but I discovered that a Thameslink service to Brighton, first stop East Croydon, was due in a few minutes, so I happily caught this train to my destination.
High spot of the weekend was an excellent lunch on Saturday at the Horseshoe, Warlingham, accompanied by Rita's friend Douglas.
Douglas and Rita at The Horseshoe
The journey home
On Sunday afternoon, I caught a well-patronised bus to East Croydon where I waited for the next Thameslink service heading north, which are all now operated by Siemens Class 700 trains. The train was quite crowded. Bearing in mind the closure of part of the City Branch of the Northern line, I decided to stay on the Thameslink train until St. Pancras Thameslink. Emerging above ground on the west side of St. Pancras station, I then walked along Euston Road to Euston station. As soon as the platform for my Avanti 'Pendolino' was announced, I headed for the train, along with a large crowd of passengers. I walked the length of the train to reach the Quiet Coach at the front and found a corner seat where I was able to relax on the journey back to Wolverhampton.
Related posts on other websites
Northern line extension to Battersea (Wikipedia)
Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides: Northern Line
Battersea Power Station - THEN & NOW (Wikipedia)
Battersea Power Station - NOW
Deptford Power Station (Wikipedia)
Greenwich Foot Tunnel (Wikipedia)
Cutty Sark (Wikipedia)
Clive's UndergrounD Line Guides: Jubilee Line
Related posts on this website
By Train to Croydon
My pictures
Northern Line
River Thames
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