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Under it's previous guises of Hampstead Road and Chalk Farm the station situated near the Camden Roundhouse, a former engine shed in North London it finally received it's name of Primrose Hill in 1950. The station was opened in 1852 and finally closed on September 22nd, 1992. The station was on the line was on the old Broad Street line to Watford Junction. When Broad Street closed in 1986 services went in to Liverpool Street but that was short lived.
The line today is a freight line for about 18 freight trains per day and some ECS moves for the London Overground trains to Willesden Depot.
Following the close of the station the line became a bit of a rarity for passenger trains. I hadn't heard of passenger trains over the line in many years so when the oppotunity arose I wanted to do it. Sadly a number of things got in the way until I booked myself some time to do it on Saturday 28th January. Again things came up and I had to try and twart me but I managed it.
Bold = Haulage, Red = Winner, All others are sightings.
On UK Rail forums I was in touchwith Peter and we arranged a early start at West Croydon.
We caught 9D07 07:01 West Croydon to Highbury & Islington 378140 [14m 41ch]. (non winner)
We had about 15 minutes at Highbry & Islington to get from platform 2 to platform 7, which is hardly a hardship as it's pretty much the same platform!
Now it was time for the next train. 2M08 Stratford (London) to Willesden Junction 378207 departed with us on it 08:11 [6m 12ch] (non winner).
When the train departs Camden Road heading it usually heads towards Gospel Oak but at the junction it headed over the viaducts to Primrose Hill disused station, Primrose Hill Junction and on to South Hampstead. The trains took the route of the Euston to Watford Junction DC lines past Queens Park and in to the rarely used platform 2 which is a bay platform.
The move helped us both. Neither of us had been over the Primrose Hill line and also what was stabled in Willesden Depot.
720610 was poking it's nose out of the shed, and on the DC side of the lines was 710268, 710379 and 720609. 379 was a 'cop' for both of us although I needed all four. Bonus all round.
We thought we had a bit more time than we actually did and accidently missed the train back. We did head up to the high level platform to see the WCML trains fly by.
It was time to head back. 2L12 Willesden Junction to Stratford (London) 378210 [6m 12ch] (non winner). At South Hampsted we saw the ECS fro Euston to Wembley InterCity depot and at Camden Road 66428 headed a Tilbury to Daventry Tescos Freightliner.
At Highbury & Islington another non winner arrived in the shape of 378257 forming 9C18 Highbury & Islington to West Croydon. [14 41ch]. Peter and I went our separate ways from West Croydon.
Later that even I headed out with the wife to a family event.
George Street to Belgrave Walk 2539.
Belgrave Walk to Centrale 2534.
