I had the misfortune of having to use the bakerloo line last
week and noticed, while I was waiting for all eternity at
queens park for a harrow train, that there were 4th rails on
the silverlink only tracks either side that the tube trains don't
use. They looked rather rusty and seemed to head off south towards
euston. How far does it go and what are/were they for? Do tube
trains ever run on that track anymore?

B2003

Boltar wrote to uk.transport.london on Mon, 20 Dec 2004:

I had the misfortune of having to use the bakerloo line last
week and noticed, while I was waiting for all eternity at
queens park for a harrow train, that there were 4th rails on
the silverlink only tracks either side that the tube trains don't
use. They looked rather rusty and seemed to head off south towards
euston. How far does it go and what are/were they for? Do tube
trains ever run on that track anymore?

Years ago, when I was a kid, the Bakerloo used to run as far as Watford
Junction, so perhaps those were the tracks you saw?
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 18 December 2004

Boltar wrote:
I had the misfortune of having to use the bakerloo line last
week and noticed, while I was waiting for all eternity at
queens park for a harrow train, that there were 4th rails on
the silverlink only tracks either side that the tube trains don't
use. They looked rather rusty and seemed to head off south towards
euston. How far does it go and what are/were they for? Do tube
trains ever run on that track anymore?

As suggested elsewhere in this thread, they might be for emergency use
by Bakerloo trains. If not, they must be a relic of the LNWR 4-rail
electrification scheme for Euston-Watford (and other lines) that
operated until 1970, when it was converted to 3-rail operation with
current return through the running rails. Details at, for example,
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~gsgleaves/brm.htm
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

In article ,
(Richard J.) wrote:

Boltar wrote:
I had the misfortune of having to use the bakerloo line last
week and noticed, while I was waiting for all eternity at
queens park for a harrow train, that there were 4th rails on
the silverlink only tracks either side that the tube trains don't
use. They looked rather rusty and seemed to head off south towards
euston. How far does it go and what are/were they for? Do tube
trains ever run on that track anymore?

As suggested elsewhere in this thread, they might be for emergency use
by Bakerloo trains. If not, they must be a relic of the LNWR 4-rail
electrification scheme for Euston-Watford (and other lines) that
operated until 1970, when it was converted to 3-rail operation with
current return through the running rails. Details at, for example,
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~gsgleaves/brm.htm

They are for Bakerloo emergency use and terminate at the platform ends at
the next station, Kilburn High Road. Last time I looked, a couple of
months ago, they were continuous from Queen's Park as far as we could see.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

The rails are continuous, and operational. There is a test path each day
from Stonebridge Park to Kilburn High Road and back, for testing trains with
suspect faults, and this train normally runs at least once a week.


"Colin Rosenstiel" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Richard J.) wrote:

Boltar wrote:
I had the misfortune of having to use the bakerloo line last
week and noticed, while I was waiting for all eternity at
queens park for a harrow train, that there were 4th rails on
the silverlink only tracks either side that the tube trains don't
use. They looked rather rusty and seemed to head off south towards
euston. How far does it go and what are/were they for? Do tube
trains ever run on that track anymore?

As suggested elsewhere in this thread, they might be for emergency use
by Bakerloo trains. If not, they must be a relic of the LNWR 4-rail
electrification scheme for Euston-Watford (and other lines) that
operated until 1970, when it was converted to 3-rail operation with
current return through the running rails. Details at, for example,
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~gsgleaves/brm.htm

They are for Bakerloo emergency use and terminate at the platform ends at
the next station, Kilburn High Road. Last time I looked, a couple of
months ago, they were continuous from Queen's Park as far as we could see.

--
Colin Rosenstiel