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It was almost predicable that on the day I go to get a couple of diverted trains that my day would be started with a other divert. This time it was the cancellation of my train off of Selhurst to East Croydon. But the bus got me to Croydon in time, well a bit early.
My first diverted target was 1Z64 Hastings to Charing Cross Southeastern service. 375629, 375710 whisking me to London Bridge.
The sun was out and it was nice. The walk from London Bridge to Fenchurch Street involves passing More London, over Tower Bridge and past the Tower of London. Generally it's quite a nice walk and I had allowed 30 minutes to get there.
Next target was the c2c train that was to be diverted from Gas Factory Jn to Bow Jn. A single line that is rarely used apart from ECS moves.
The Fenchurch Street, Coopers Row entrance was open so up the stairs to platform 3 and on to 9B02 Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness. 357321, 357046 (both winners and both cleared for 5 miles) took be over the single line to Stratford. Formerly known as the Bow Curve it was opened in 1849 as a viaduct by the London and Blackwall Railway. The curve is 67 chains line long and originally has a station on it at Bow & Bromley which closed and a number of years later another station opened at Bow Road. This newer station was bombed in 1941 and never reopened. Whilst on the line I managed t>o see where the old station was and from one of the bridges you can see a pub called "The Railway". In 1986 the line was singled and this is how it is today.
I am still curious that near Gas Factory there appears to be a abandoned curve on the left hand side as you depart Fenchurch Street. One I will have to look in to.
Leaving Bow Jn, the train took the route Stratford (London), Stratford Country End Jcn, Maryland, Maryland East Junction, Forest Gate, Forest Gate Jn, Woodgrange Park, Barking Station Junction, Barking (platform 7), Barking Upney Junction, Upminster. Last time I took a c2c train from Stratford to Barking it had a 43 minute delay!! Today it ran sweetly.
At Upminster it was up and over the footbridge to platform 6 for the next target - The Upminster to Romford line. It's been on my list of "To Do" for so many years, I remember wanting to get it while it was Class 315s worked it. Now it's the new Class 710 EMUs. Upminster platform 6 is quite narrow but I'm not sure how busy the platform gets in the weekday peak so I'm not sure how potentially dangerous it is.
2V17 Upminster to Romford departed at 09:55 with 710108. It's only a 9 minute trip and stops at Emerson Park only. When we arrived there I leant out and took a couple of platform photos. Emerson Park was opened in 1909. In 1936 the loop there was removed.
The line was built in 1893 by the London, Tilbury & Southend Railway and despite Ernest Marples best efforts via Dr. Beeching the line survived closure. In 2015 the ownership of the line changed from Greater Anglia to London Overground.
At Romford I managed to get a photo from the London end of platform 1. Then it was straight back on it to go back to Upminster on 2V18.
Before I left the house I checked the units on c2c and the 10:36 from Upminster back to Liverpool Street was book as 357314. It's the last 357 I needed for sight so to be able to get a photo and haulage was brilliant. Patiently I stood on platform 1 at Upminster and round the corner came 9B11 Shoeburyness to Fenchurch formed of 357011, 357004. A few expletives later I boarded having taken a photo of each. Back to Fenchurch Street via the same route as I took on the way out via Barking, Stratford and the single line at Bow Jn.
At Fenchurch Street three guesses what was sat there mocking me?
Yep 357314!
Heading out of the Cooper's Row exit it was packed with tourists and day trippers as was Tower Bridge :-( but I managed to battle through and made it to London Bridge to catch 1Z32 Charing Cross to Hastings 375626, 375628 back to East Croydon. Then at East Croydon 2M33 East Croydon to Watford Junction was formed by 377203 and got me back to Selhurst. Class 357 cleared for sight.