The Anonymous Widower

Could This Be From Where Crossrail 2 Is Dug?

As I trundled along the Gospel Oak to Barking Line (GPBlin) between Blackhorse Road and South Tottenham stations, I took these pictures.

As the reservoirs to the east of all this dereliction are going to be turned into the new Walthamstow Wetlands, could this be used as the site from where Crossrail 2 is dug?

This image from Google Earth shows the area.

East Of SouthTottenham Station

The orange line is the GOBlin and the light blue is the Victoria line. The red arrow indicates South Tottenham station.

The area I photographed lies south of the GOBlin. Note how it is bordered by railways, with the West Anglia Main Line in the east and the double-track curve that connects the two lines in the south. Slightly to the south of where the two lines join at South Tottenham Junction, the River Lee runs close to the site in a south-westerly direction.

So the spoil from the tunnelling could either be used to help create the new wetlands or barged down London’s other navigable river to the Thames. When I worked for Enfield Rolling Mills at Brimsdown in the early 1960s. their supplies of copper wirebars were delivered by barge from London Docks using this route. In those days, the river wasn’t as clean as it is now, and there was quite a lot of commercial traffic.

Britain From Above has some wonderful pictures of the area from the 1930s here. This image shows the River Lee as it goes under the railway.

This modern picture from Google Earth gives a good comparison.

Note how the tracks on the West Anglia Main Line have been reduced from four to two by the closure of the easterly pair of tracks. Proposals for the line include four-tracking from just south of here to Broxbourne.

The large East Warwick Reservoir is just off the picture to the right and the timber yard is now housing.

The GOBlin is shown in orange on the second image and you can just pick it out on the 1933 aerial photo.

February 4, 2015 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Crossrail 2, Gospel Oak And Barking Line, Walthamstow Wetlands