In article . com, Mig wrote:
Mizter T wrote:

Was any of it really underground, as opposed to under/between
buildings, or between buildings and the Fleet river cutting?

It all depends what you mean by underground and what you take as the original
ground level. Going from Farringdon southwards you are clearly at or just below
basement level, but then so is much of the cut and cover Underground network. It
was Cardinal House whose supporting piers pierced the Snow Hill platforms. The
line then rose steeply to join the high level Holborn Viaduct route and cross
Ludgate Hill on the bridge which was subsequently removed. When BR ran a DC test
train from the Blackfriars direction into Farringdon, about 9 months before the
launch of Thameslink, I was able to catch glimpses of it between the buildings.

Going from Blackfriars to City Thameslink now, it doesn't seem to me
that the trackbed goes as far down as the adjacent Farringdon Road,
although it's difficult do judge. That is, is the "underground"
station actually higher than ground level, depending on which road you
take the ground to be level with?

Bearing in mind that the lid of the City Thameslink tunnel has buildings sitting
on it (and ISTR seeing the lid was below the level of Farringdon Road), I think
the line is virtually level from Farringdon to the start of the "new" incline and
the relocated bridge over Queen Victoria Street. Modern street levels are no real
guide, since Farringdon Road sits on top of the Fleet River and the area around
Smithfield Market has been heavily modified over time.

--

Jock Mackirdy
Bedford

In message , at 21:49:40 on Sat, 23
Jul 2005, Jock Mackirdy remarked:
Bearing in mind that the lid of the City Thameslink tunnel has buildings sitting
on it (and ISTR seeing the lid was below the level of Farringdon Road), I think
the line is virtually level from Farringdon to the start of the "new" incline and
the relocated bridge over Queen Victoria Street.

Isn't there a slight incline northbound out of City Thameslink?

Modern street levels are no real guide, since Farringdon Road sits on
top of the Fleet River and the area around Smithfield Market has been
heavily modified over time.

On the other hand, I'd be surprised if Fleet St has changed level much,
and that continues across Ludgate Circus to Ludgate Hill. Today the line
goes under Ludgate Hill (City Thameslink Station is underneath and
accessed by escalators). Previously, the line went over Ludgate Hill, of
course.
--
Roland Perry

In article , Jock Mackirdy
writes
I think
the line is virtually level from Farringdon to the start of the "new"
incline and
the relocated bridge over Queen Victoria Street.

It's always felt distinctly downhill from the Snow Hill sidings to the
south end of City Thameslink station.

However, we've got drivers on that route reading this group; perhaps
they can comment.

--
Clive D.W. Feather | Home:
Tel: +44 20 8495 6138 (work) | Web: http://www.davros.org
Fax: +44 870 051 9937 | Work:
Please reply to the Reply-To address, which is:

"It's always felt distinctly downhill from the Snow Hill sidings to the

south end of City Thameslink station.

However, we've got drivers on that route reading this group; perhaps
they can comment."

The overall gradient from Farringdon to the bottom of the bank to
Blackfriars is probably about level, but with some lumps and bumps...

From Farringdon, there's a bit of a dip and then a hump around the exit
from Smithfield Sidings. This falls down, as you can feel, into the
start of City Thameslink platform.

There is then a more gradual hump through the length of the station,
dipping down again just at the bottom of the bank before rising
sharply. This is from memory, I think its about right!