What train did I see near Latchmere Jct.?

[battersea]

Hi all,

I recently moved to the Battersea/Clapham Junction area from the United States. I'm very lucky to live near such a busy area.

Today at around 12:30 PM while pulling into Clapham Junction station's northern platforms (on the Hounslow service from Waterloo), I noticed what appeared to be a passenger train which I presume was waiting for a signal to clear. I couldn't tell who operated it but it looked bluish-purple with some red streaks on it and had a red blinking light on the end. It looked like a First Great Western unit but maybe it was a First Capital connect train (or perhaps something else).

A few months ago I saw the same colored train idling there. First, who is operating this train? Is it a regular service? I've only ever seen SWT, Southern, London Overground, and various freight services operating in the area. I remember reading somewhere that someone operated a ghost service but I don't know if that was it or if it still operates.

I have a bunch of other questions regarding the junctions in the area but I'll just ask two:

1) Do any trains currently use the WLL junction from the SW main line (I think from the Reading tracks)?

2) I once saw a Southeastern train using the tracks near Stewart's Lane junction (the "lower" ones that pass below the SWML) from Wandsworth Road station to Victoria. Is this "normal" or do they usually use the viaduct that passes over the SWML?

Here is an old map with from which I got the junctions' names:


Thanks very much!

Best,
Ryan

 

[313103]

Occasionally you get First Capital Connect class 319s around Latchmere, these are mostly those accessing the North London Line for access to Hornsey depot and sometimes for Ilford TMD.

I know that along the North London we often get the Adalanties (i dont know how its spelt sorry Guys), but i am not sure if they would go down as far as Latchmere though.

 

[swt_passenger]

There is no passenger service over the link between the SWT Windsor lines and the WLL, this is known as the Sheepcote Lane curve. There was a formal passenger service closure procedure back in about 2005, but only a minimal service operated by ATW into Waterloo operated - just before closure it was a taxi replacement. The line was also the route between Waterloo and North Pole depot before the Eurostar service (and depot) was relocated.

FCC units are seen in the area now and again, but not usually on the SWT platforms, they normally appear on a bit of a 'round the houses' route to/from Hornsey depot on the ECML, via the NLL and WLL. But your report of a flashing red light on the back suggests it was a loco hauled move of some sort.

 

[33056]

I reckon you saw 5X89 1129 Slade Green to Doncaster which was hauled by 66725 today and would have been in the Clapham area about the time you metioned. It should have been a class 465 unit with a barrier coach either end, try doing a search for 66725 on Flickr a bit later on as I'm sure somebody must have photted it today

 

[Peter Mugridge]

2) I once saw a Southeastern train using the tracks near Stewart's Lane junction (the "lower" ones that pass below the SWML) from Wandsworth Road station to Victoria. Is this "normal" or do they usually use the viaduct that passes over the SWML?

There are some trains in the up direction that are booked that way these days; have been for the last decade or so now. Having done a lot of trips between Bromley South and Victoria I find that it's not always the same trains each hour which get sent on the low level route though. That seems to imply it's often a short notice thing according to pathing at the time, but there must logically be some diagrams that always go that way in order to help plan to keep crew route knowledge current.

 

[causton]

I reckon you saw 5X89 1129 Slade Green to Doncaster which was hauled by 66725 today and would have been in the Clapham area about the time you metioned. It should have been a class 465 unit with a barrier coach either end, try doing a search for 66725 on Flickr a bit later on as I'm sure somebody must have photted it today

I saw a train like that yesterday at Kensington Olympia!

Attached are the 3 pictures I got of it (complete with flashing red light) at Kenny O purely by luck...

(Also, have wondered where the FCC-liveried 377 I saw passing ages ago when I went to Olympia was going to/from - thanks! )



Edit:

Wait a minute - the train I was looking at seems to match the description by 33056 but not the OPs one, as that train isn't really blue/purple or having red streaks, also I took the photos after 12:30ish...

 

[Clip]

There are some trains in the up direction that are booked that way these days; have been for the last decade or so now. Having done a lot of trips between Bromley South and Victoria I find that it's not always the same trains each hour which get sent on the low level route though. That seems to imply it's often a short notice thing according to pathing at the time, but there must logically be some diagrams that always go that way in order to help plan to keep crew route knowledge current.

I think there is a regular one from Ramsgate in the morning that goes this way. always shocks me when i get it but i couldnt tell you the exact time just that its around 6am i think.

That doesnt help at all does it

 

[battersea]

Thanks everyone for the great responses.

I'm 90% sure this is what I saw:

 

[33056]

"Causton", the train you saw was 6X48 1247 Wolverton to Slade Green with 67005 and 465 171 which would have passed Kensington sometime after 14.30.

Can't find a picture of yesterday's train yet but this is one from a previous week


66724 seen at Higham with a diverted 5X89 Slade Green to Doncaster unit drag (465921) on 12-3-11. Copyright Ian Cuthbertson by I C railway photo's, on Flickr

 

[causton]

Indeed, just seen that the train talked about was going FROM Slade Green, but the one I saw was going towards it

Thanks for the info though, and indeed the time my phone recorded for those pictures was 14:45.