The Freight-Only Underground Line

The spirit of ‘49 strikes again.

[SeverityOne]

The UK has a considerably lower percentage of rail freight than the continent. Then again, the UK has the second-busiest railway network in Europe. Especially around London, you'll be hard-pressed to squeeze another train in.

This could be alleviated with extra tracks. Maybe a dedicated, high-speed passenger line to Manchester and beyond.

[cjf]

"Just couldn't deliver the goods." 😂

[elektrikmaus]

‘You are the adequately-sized tunnel for. . . ‘ Good gracious old chap. Chat up line and a half😂

[nickbarber]

That Working Party Report really is the gift that keeps on giving....

[BobHawes-lt]

There is a "full size" underground line that is freight only in the UK. It runs underneath Crewe.

[karlosh]

"when it came down to it, it just couldn't deliver the goods " . boom boom, batish !!!! 😀

[robsmith]

That was a freightful tail from the tube

[DeathInTheSnow]

Considering that the first tracked routes were for hauling material out of mines, I'd argue that, for an extremely long time, all underground rail services were for freight.

Also, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that it was proposed that we should've had an Underground freight service before we had a ring railway. If anybody at TfL can tell me why it takes over an hour to get from Enfield to Barnet, two neighbouring London boroughs which aren't radially linked, by bus, or two hours if there's even a hint of traffic, then please do. We could've had trams, you know. Lovely, exciting, sleek trams, with segregated routes and no traffic. Now we can't even have _bus stops_ that aren't hindered by cars, let alone bus lanes.

[mdhazeldine]

I am increasingly convinced that every Jago video these days is just one long set up for a groaner of a pun. And to that I say, here here! lol

[b_altmann]

There is a special Underground train. It’s yellow and used for maintenance. It’s quite rare to see it, but one evening it came through Russell Square station, with track ballast in some goods carriages.

[Bunter.]

"couldn't deliver the goods"! Really, Mr H, there are times when you are [almost] impossible. Great vid. Thanks. Simon T

[johnledingham]

Couldn't deliver the goods!...Chuckle Chortle. That humourous throw away line would even make the sleepers snigger!

[birdbrain]

God this really is *such* an of its time proposal. You were spot on, it would be ludicrous today, given how much priorities have shifted and how the lines it planned to use/work alongside have changed too. I don't think anyone in the 1940s could have foreseen the East London Line becoming what it has - a major north-south link in the east that is part of a wider network of successful commuter lines... let alone the Docklands' own railway system partially becoming part of a light rail system to serve a completely different area, or the Snow Hill Tunnel being the heart of one of the busiest commuter rail systems in the country.

Great video!

[SteamCrane]

5:38 - Many years ago in the US, there was a little short line in upstate New York named Genesee & Wyoming, that primarily hauled salt from a large underground salt mine. Somewhere along the way, the little shortline adopted an orange, black and yellow livery. Somewhere along the way, the little shortline spread all over the world, as seen here. Read the fine print in the Freightliner logo.

[Steven_Rowe]

As a lad in the 1960s I used to be a train spotter, not really collecting numbers as such, but simply liked to observe and photograph them.
I loved the widened lines in particular and was always curious about the subterranean goods depot at Smithfield.

On one day out during which I had bought a twin cover for five bob, I must have gone to Kings Cross on the Piccadily line then changed on to the circle towards Paddington.
I was waiting on the platform when I heard a rumbling noise of an approaching train, it didn't sound like the normal surface stock, it was indeed a class 08 shunter with some vans, I have no idea where it went nor where it had come from
Had it come over the thames through snow hill and where was it going to.

On another interesting not at Kings Cross two tunnels on either side of the station served to enter the widened lines, on the east side the trains stopped at York Way.
Whilst the tunnel dropped down to head east there was a Junction that split and headed west and joined the Met, I understand it closed a few years after opening in 1868.

Here is a video that shows where there is a Junction, slip to 2 minsx54 secs and you can see the split in the tunnel


This could be a new topic for a video.

[RogersRamblings]

IIRC in the 1990s there was a private proposal to reopen the Great Central Railway, at least in part, and connect it to the Channel Tunnel via a tunnel under London. Fearing that it would not receive sufficient private sector support the government of the day killed the proposal before birth. Another "might have been" to explore perhaps.😢

[CaptainoBrett]

Ya know I could see this working today for European through freight that doesn't need to go to London. Great video Jago!

[philh]

I know how much of a train nerd I’m becoming when I see brief video of wagons and recognise their type 😵‍💫

[bertoltb]

I do enjoy how you deliver these little parcels of knowledge in a concise, interesting package. Cheers for the video.

[uktrains]

Great video Jago. I did briefly think it was going to be about the Crewe freight semi underground lines. Then I thought no, can't be a Jago video then! Interesting to see what was planned for London though back then. Thanks.