The Highwayman

[Mickey]

Think there was still a Slow-Fast 'turn-out'at New Southgate in that period Mickey; though being slowed anywhere on the rising 1 in 200 to be turned-out might not have been liked by drivers

I did think of the Down slow to Down fast line 'turn out' just beyond the north end of New Southgate station Stevie but wasn't that turn out abolished and plain lined around 1969 and wasn't there in 1970?.

[StevieG]

Think there was still a Slow-Fast 'turn-out'at New Southgate in that period Mickey; though being slowed anywhere on the rising 1 in 200 to be turned-out might not have been liked by drivers

I did think of the Down slow to Down fast line 'turn out' just beyond the north end of New Southgate station Stevie but wasn't that turn out abolished and plain lined around 1969 and wasn't there in 1970?.

Hmmm. Can't definitely recall. I know most of the long 'Through Crossover'was lifted by or during 1970/71. I thought that most of the remaining (some still useful) points remained until at least the often customary last few weeks leading up to the resignalling of mid-Feb. 1973, but find that I seem to have no definite dates to prove that.

[Mickey]

Stevie as you may remember a lot of track and signalling rationalisation work was carried out at both New Southgate & Cemetery from memory in 1968 I recall. Definitely by 1969 at New Southgate it was virtually just four straight roads except the Up goods line joining the Up slow line. The 'turn out' from Up slow to Up fast (outside the box) was abolished and plain lined and the 'turn in'' off the Down fast line at the south end of the station to Down slow line was also abolished and plain lined along with the 'turn out' at the north end of the station from Down slow to Down fast line was also abolished and plain lined as well. The 'long crossover' north of the station was also abolished and plain lined.

[StevieG]

Sorry Mickey but I don't agree with all that.
I only started to get to know Southgate in '68 and everything stayed in for at least a year. Really can't see why all of that would've been abolished 3-4 years before resignalling closed the box.
I do recall however that Cemetery's DS-DF was the first bit to go ; - before the Oak.Pk.- Barnet resignalling, because Cemetery lever 3 (had been the DS-DF Home) was then re-used for the new C3 Down Slow Intermediate Block Home (which later became NB501 Auto, then K501).

[Mickey]

No problem Stevie we're have to agree to disagree.

From what I vaguely remember track and signalling rationalisation work took place at both Cemetery & New Southgate in 1968 (I always thought it was in 1968?) but I concede it may have been in 1969 but definitely before 1970 which included at New Southgate all the connections being abolished and plain lined except the connection leading from the Up goods to Up slow line.

From June 1967 until the start of 1970 I occasionally rode with my dad from WGC to Kings Cross and return on the local DMU service usually a x2 Cravens unit about once every 2 to 3 months in relation to his job when he would ask me if I wanted to ride up to London with him and even though I was still a youngster I was a keen observer of the route between WGC & Kings Cross and return and would often sit in the front seat behind the driving cab of the Cravens unit and 'observe the road' up to Kings Cross and on the return journey from Kings Cross back to WGC and would 'take in' all what I was observing during the journey, it was a great way of learning the road!.

I remember noticing that a number of signal arms had been removed at New Southgate and where the points had been it had been plain lined as I said I thought that was in 1968 but it may have been 1969 but definitely before 1970.

[StevieG]

Ah well, can't say which of our memories is the better, seeming to have no note or document of when the abolitions took place.
And anyway, this isn't really much about The Highwayman anymore !