Station Name: ALEXANDRA PALACE[Source:
Nick Catford]
Alexandra Palace Station Gallery 1: c1901 - 1958
Sometime around the turn of the twentieth century a GNR Stirling 0-4-4T waits at Alexandra Palace. The locomotive would have look splendid in its lined green livery with polished brass safety valve cover. The GNR had a number of designs of 0-4-4T, of which many underwent various rebuilds and alterations to cab, boiler and tanks. As might be expected, this example has condensing equipment for working over the Metropolitan Widened Lines and this train may indeed have worked through to what was then known as Moorgate Street. At first glance the locomotive appears to be a class G1 and although its number can be clearly seen, accurately determining what it is is less easy. From a larger version of the image it can be seen to be No.697, which would make the locomotive a class G3 or more correctly 658 class. Doncaster Works records tell us the class was built between 1881 and 1885 and had 5ft 1in driving wheels but Nos. 694 - 8 differed in having 5ft driving wheels and screw reversing gear. Not all of the various GNR 0-4-4Ts of the era were for use on London suburban services, some went to the West Riding and others, condensing gear removed, migrated north later. The type was not especially long lived and the LNER had disposed of them all by the late 1920s. In the London area their work was taken over mainly by class N1 0-6-2Ts and later still by the well known class N2 0-6-2Ts. Perhaps unsurprisingly few photographs exist showing 'Ally Pally' station, or rather its platforms, in original form. The station was, then, rather ramshackle and soon after this photograph was taken the wooden platforms seen here were swept away and replaced with an island platform of more solid construction. A short wooden platform continued to exist, however, in connection with transferring goods and other items directly into the palace. It was served by the headshunt of the Up side runround loop and was not a surviving part of the wooden platform seen here. Alexandra Palace signal box and a triple-dolly bracket signal can be seen in the left background. Beyond the station and directly ahead of the camera can be seen a corner house with a spired bay window. The house is on the corner of Grove Avenue and Dukes Avenue, the latter being the road visible left of centre. These houses, including that with the spired bay window, still stand today but since the 1930s houses now line both sides of Dukes Avenue.
Photo from Roy Barnacle collection 1893 1:1,056 OS Town Plan shows the layout of the station as built. It had two facing platforms with a third line serving the south of the up platform face terminating part way along in; there was also a short siding parallel to this line. Alexandra Palace never handled goods traffic other than coal for the Palace and this was the only siding. Rather than having a canopy, the central section of the platform was protected from the weather by a wide terrace in front of the north-west frontage of the Palace. Station offices were sited at the east end of the platforms adjacent to a wide stairway up to the road. The booking office, with a canopy in front of the right top side of the building, is seen to the left of the steps up to the North Terrace. The station signal box is seen to the west of the station on the down side.
Click here to see large version. 1912 1:2,500 OS map shows the layout of the station after it was rebuilt in the first decade of the twentieth century. The station now has one island platform and what appears to be a side platform on the south side; this may be one for the original timber platforms. The short line serving this platform and the adjacent siding are still there. Two sidings have now been provided on the down side of the line; these were used predominantly for the delivery of the coal used to heat the Palace. Other sidings have been laid on both sides of the line south-west of the signal box. Click here to see large version.
1951 1:1,056 OS map shows the layout of the station at closure. The southern platform has been removed and replaced with a run-round loop which was required only when non push-and-pull trains were used. At other times it was used as a siding, if required for stock storage. Most of the north terrace over the platform has been removed leaving just a section at the top of the wide access stairway to the Palace. A canopy is shown over the central part of the platform. There is a building next to the signal box; this is a relay room for the colour light signals for the abandoned electrification of the line. The sidings either side of the line to the south-west of the signal box have gone.
Click here to see large version. Alexandra Palace station forecourt in 1935. When the Palace opened in 1873 the steps on the left were the main public way into the Palace. The steps led up to the North Terrace, an open area above the central section of the platforms.
Photo from Jim Lake collection A Finsbury Park train hauled by N2/2 4741 is waiting to depart from the Alexandra Palace terminus in June 1937. This loco was designed by Gresley and built at the North British Locomotive Company, Glasgow, in February 1921 The small chimneys were to suit the Metropolitan loading gauge for working to Moorgate. This loco was renumbered 9520 by the LNER, later receiving a ‘5’ prefix under BR. It lasted until September 1962 when it was withdrawn from New England shed and was cut up at Doncaster works in March 1963.
Copyright photo by H. C. Casserley A Finsbury Park service hauled by N2/2 4747 waits to depart from the up platform at Alexandra Palace station circa late 1930s. This loco was shedded at Kings Cross and remained there until withdrawal in August 1959. Most trains arrived and departed from the up platform, it is unusual to see a train at the down platform.
Photo from Ian Baker collection In later years the service to Alexandra Palace was always hauled by Gresley-designed N2s with small chimneys and condensing apparatus added. The condensing pipes are seen at the front of No.2663, built by Hawthorne Leslie in October 1928. After being renumbered 9569 by the LNER, a ‘6’ prefix was added by BR. The loco was withdrawn from Kings Cross shed in March 1959 and cut up at Doncaster works the following month.
Photo from John Mann collection Alexandra Palace station forecourt in early 1948; although now part of British Railways the signage has not yet been changed.
Photo received from Ally Pally Collectibles Alexandra Palace station seen from the edge of Alexandra Park in 1948. The lineside cabling installed ready for the Northern line extension is seen on both sides of the line.
Photo
by J L Smith
Alexandra Palace station forecourt in the summer of 1948 with new British Railways signs above the entrance. The wide steps to the left of the station building are the main access into Alexandra Palace.
Photo by J L Smith Alexandra Palace station looking north-east in the early 1950s. The platform canopy has been shortened: compare with pictures above. The bridge behind the station canopy leads into the Palace; there is a second bridge at a lower level in front of it which leads from the station building to steps down to the platform.
Photo from Ian Baker collection A Finsbury Park train is waiting to depart from the Alexandra Palace terminus in the early 1950s. No.69535 is one of the Gresley-designed N2/2s that operated the service on this line in later years. Condensing apparatus was fitted when it was transferred to the London area. The function of the condenser is primarily either to recover water, or to avoid excessive emissions to the atmosphere, rather than maintaining a vacuum to improve both efficiency and power. It takes the form of a series of pipes (seen on this loco), valves and other ancillary equipment usually attached to an otherwise conventional steam locomotive. The apparatus takes the exhaust steam that would normally be lost up the chimney and routes it through a heat exchanger, into the normal water tanks. This loco survived until September 1962 when it was withdrawn from New England shed and cut up at Doncaster works in February of the following year.
Photo from John Mann collection Home Page
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