telstarbox
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Blackheath has one giant nameboard sign on each platform - anyone know why?
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Blackheath station signs
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I assume you mean the sign on the left of this 2015 picture?
Blackheath Station, trains
© Copyright Mike Faherty and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
(Click on picture to got to the larger original.)
BUt I don't know why - aren't there any other signs at all? For comparison here's a 1982 shot in which there are signs on the platform. (At least since then the canopy seems to have had its glazing replaced!)
Blackheath station, 1982
© Copyright Ben Brooksbank and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
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theageofthetra
Established Member
Had a look when driving through there today. There are normal sized name boards along the platform plus the large ones. My only guess is that is was something done back in steam days as the approach to the up platform involves one of two tunnels leading to fogged up carriage windows and the large signs were easy to see? The location on both platforms is also in quite a dark place and when lit by gas it would have been pretty gloomy. Will do some more digging around.
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swt_passenger
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The large 'running in boards' at the platform end were commonplace years ago, and once you start looking around you'll see quite a few stations have larger sign structures at the end of platforms, even if the modern vinyl signage uses the same size typeface as the rest of the signs, with more empty space.
You have to remember a railway where there were no onboard PA systems. That large name was the only way a stranger would know where they were. Once the train is slowing to a stop in the platform smaller name boards are there for confirmation.
You have to remember a railway where there were no onboard PA systems. That large name was the only way a stranger would know where they were. Once the train is slowing to a stop in the platform smaller name boards are there for confirmation.
theageofthetra
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That would make sense and as Blackheath is grade 2 listed it has kept many of its original features.
swt_passenger
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Another thing that is noticeable is that the 'running in boards' are sometimes the only ones that are internally illuminated.
Up until 1977 I regularly travelled through Blackheath as part of my daily commute, and these large signs were not there then. (If they had been I'm sure they would have been in SR Green anyway!)
Bearing in mind the lines through Blackheath were electrified for the majority of passenger trains in 1926, I'm not certain that steamed-up windows from the transit through nearby tunnels would have caused anything extra to be needed.
These boards seem to be near the road bridge which crosses the ends of the platforms; is it possible they act as 'running-in' boards because the more traditional sort wouldn't be easily seen under the bridge?
Bearing in mind the lines through Blackheath were electrified for the majority of passenger trains in 1926, I'm not certain that steamed-up windows from the transit through nearby tunnels would have caused anything extra to be needed.
These boards seem to be near the road bridge which crosses the ends of the platforms; is it possible they act as 'running-in' boards because the more traditional sort wouldn't be easily seen under the bridge?
I think they were added during the Network SouthEast branding - wasn't Blackheath the South Eastern station that got the branding on day one? All of those first stations (like Radlett and Finsbury Park) got illuminated large signs on each platform ready for the launch
theageofthetra
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Think you may have it- this is the list of NSE branded station on the 10/6/86 Launch day- from a NSE history site. Will have to look at Chatham now!
14 stations face-lifted in NSE corporate colours for 10 June: Barking, Blackheath, Chatham, Denham, Finsbury Park, Harrow & Wealdstone, Hayes, Hemel Hempstead, London Euston (Platform Nos 8-11), London Waterloo, Purley, Radlett, Richmond and Shenfield.
14 stations face-lifted in NSE corporate colours for 10 June: Barking, Blackheath, Chatham, Denham, Finsbury Park, Harrow & Wealdstone, Hayes, Hemel Hempstead, London Euston (Platform Nos 8-11), London Waterloo, Purley, Radlett, Richmond and Shenfield.
telstarbox
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Just to clarify, these aren't running-in boards as they are about halfway down each platform rather than at the ends.
IanKR
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Silly Q: what's a running-in board?
swt_passenger
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The first (usually enlarged) name boards on the platform ends that you see as the train is running in to a station.
Turns out to have been a bit of a digression, now that it has been pointed out that the boards being discussed are actually half way along the platforms...
telstarbox
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They're about five times the size of the standard boards along the platforms (as shown in the first photo posted by John Webb), but in the same style.
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