LNER/ER suburban traffic
Another topic that will build up, beginning with the GE Section - including services out of the London termini, Liverpool St. and Fenchurch St., and what may be called the London branches where shorter formations were used.
An example of stock inherited from the GER, in this case 54' arc-roof that was used quite widely. F5 2-4-2T No 7076 has a train at an unknown location (your thoughts welcome, please)! Most sets out of Liverpool Street were much longer than this, the F5 has just five.
The GER had also built 54' elliptical-roof stock, as seen here in 1938 near Chadwell Heath with an 8-set bound for Shenfield behind N7 0-6-2T No 988.
During the 1920s the LNER sanctioned modernisation with quintuplet sets, mostly operated in pairs. This example is ascending Brentwood Banks behind J15 No 7649, probably being used for an excursion.
For lesser services, a single quintuplet set could be operated, as seen here near Tottenham Jc. behind F2 2-4-2T No 67197 on a working between North Woolwich-Palace Gates.
Another BR-period picture of the same service, this time behind J69 No 68575. The whole train is buildable from kits. Funny how we tend to see semi-industrial layouts based on the North of England, but not the similar-looking areas down South!
An immaculate N7 No 69664 heads towards Liverpool St tender-first, an aspect rarely photographed. It's hauling a single quintuplet set.
All told, this is turning into a mammoth chapter for Vol.2. Meanwhile, before I turn to another suburban service, here are some illustrations of the long-lived arc-roof sets, and the GE Section's penchant for using them on excursions to the seaside resorts, an application for all kinds of suburban sets around the country that's often forgotten by modellers.
One of the more elderly ex-GER 4-4-0s, D13 No 8027 near Stratford with a suburban 8-set of 54' arc-roof stock being used for an excursion. Some of these carriages were made by withdrawing 4w carriages and combining them on a new bogie underframe. This kind of sight was very long lived on the GE Section until eliminated by electrification in 1948.
This time, it's a D16 "Claud Hamilton", No 8788 which became one of the "Royal Clauds" that's in charge, sometime in the 1920s and almost certainly on a Saturday when suburban sets were available.
And finally, a spotless D15 No 8791 at speed with another 8-set of arc-roof carriages.
Dawn of the final era of steam-hauled services out of Liverpool Street saw arrival of the Thompson L1 2-6-4 tanks. Here is the prototype, in full LNER apple-green livery in 1947 at Chelmsford with a full 8-set of ex-GER elliptical-roof 54ft stock.