Just as Kings Cross was my “local” that I passed down through in the first few years of my North London sojourn, so Euston was in those that followed – entering both by the taxi road, coming down the platform and onto the concourse, and then disappearing down the ‘tube’. As lack of electrification prevented electric locos ever coming to the West, all that I saw at Euston was fresh, and interesting, … and I was always on the look out for the APT, that I don’t think I ever saw close-to. The naming of the 86s and 87s also provided an allure, and prevented monotony.
A substantially similar view to me at Euston on my more regular visits ten years later is the end of the line at Euston, with parked up inbound locos and approach roads up from the platforms to the concourse. The Class 86 still has a white(ish) cab roof with relief aluminium lettering, and a little natural light helps the artificial. 691101A01-EUS-E3146-PAS_U
The gloom of the underside of the goods depot at Euston Station is punctuated by harsh striplighting as 82004, coupled to a short inbound train of Mk1 carriages, waits to remove the empty coaching stock, bearing its original 4-digit headcode now wound to zeros. It wears aluminium BR logos amidships – one of which I purchased at Collectors’ Corner nearby. 8####BL01-EUS-82004-PAS_D
Unit 081 slows as it reaches its destination of Euston with a service train, viewed from the end of the westernmost platform. Beside it the cutting is topped with a wall that was very difficult even for my 6′ 1″ height to see over, and Gillfoot, the tower block later famed for falling bricks requiring a makeshift entrance shelter that persisted for years. 76###AJ01-EUS–U081-PAS_U
A bright sight in rather grim surroundings, 86218 “Planet” – showing the sub-classes’ prominent bogie springs – runs light engine at the end of Euston Station to pick up another train north. The flats behind have yet to be clad to prevent falling bricks injuring people. 7####CS01-EUS-87###-PARKD
I only occasionally went north up the Camden Bank towards the ex-loco shed roundhouse from Euston, but remember this scene distinctly – though usually there was only through main line traction on the closest tracks, and the shed behind to the left became increasingly unused by rolling stock. 08681 is parked up on the west side by the washing plant. 8008##A01-CDN-08681-PARKD
A proud boy poses for the camera from the driver’s seat of recently-named 86219 “Phoenix” that, given its external condition, was an occasion without ceremony. Above is Euston Parcels Depot and around are deserted platforms with remnants of snowfall. 79###AA01-EUS-86219-PAS_D
Class 501 501171 (61171 leading) is entering London Euston in the early 1980s as enthusiasts log its arrival in their books. These units were a fairly common sight on my visits, displaying ‘B1″ and “Watford” headcodes. The passenger door windows have had horizontal bars added to prevent people injuring themselves by leaning out of the windows when in tunnels. 8####BN01-EUS-5~171-PAS_U
Platform 2 at Euston was my usual route through the station from the Underground and up the taxi run to Camden Town, pausing at the top to survey the traffic for a while. 85011 with domino light headcodes waits with an “Up” passenger service at the stop blocks. 7910#AE01-EUS-85011-PAS_U
EMU 078 on a Bletchley service waits departure from the depths of Euston Station. It has had its 4 digit headcode replaced with domino spots, but seems to have retained its relief metal British Rail symbol. This part of the station is naturally lit as it is away from the overhead goods depot, towards the stop blocks. 8####BF01-EUS-3~078-PAS_D
In the early 1980s 86247 “Abraham Darby” runs out from the platforms at Euston, the lights in its metal headcode panel alight. Behind is the taxi road I used as my route home, and the higher one rose to the parcels area that stretched across the station. 8####AM01-EUS-86247-PARKD
Under the wires at Euston, with the council flats to the east of the station behind it, the bodyside of 87005 shows the crest and nameplate of ‘City of London’ in rail alphabet, neatly and simply framed. Like the Class 50s, the 87s were BR’s epitome. 8####AT01-EUS-87005-PAS_D
Looking north from the platforms at Euston, 86101 “Sir William A Stanier” and 86214 “Sanspareil” are parked between turns. Trackwork is going on at the other end of the overbridge and two of the “orange brigade” pass the time of day beside the engines. 8####AN01-EUS-86###-PARKD
Three Class 86 electric locomotives head down passenger services as they await departure time at Euston Station on a grey day in 1983 – the year I finally gave up logging sightings. Above the trains is the concrete raft of the Parcels Depot that spread across the whole station, and each of the locos has received metal plate headcodes with inset lights. 83####A01-EUS-E_LCO-PAS_D
The nameplate of 86103 “Andre Chapelon” is pictured from a platform. I was delighted when I first saw that this design was to be the standard for namings in the 1980s – utilising the Rail Alphabet, positioned well within a simple round cornered rectangular frame. 8####AO01-EUS-86103-NAMEP
Shadows from BRUTEs fall across the platform as 86261 “Driver John Axon GC” – its body paintwork bleached lighter in the brightness of the day – awaits departure from London Euston on a sunny 11th July 1981. Spotters swap notes on the adjacent platform. 810711A01-EUS-86261-PAS_D
Parked between duties on the lay-over road beside the platforms of Euston Station are 86206 “City of Stoke on Trent” and a Class 85 loco. The ’86 has the nice embellishment of a coat of arms above the nameplate, placed carefully to add a certain dignity to it’s appearance. 8108#AA01-EUS-86206-PARKD
There was often a Class 25 at Euston, paused with its bodyside vibrating before trundling off to parcels work of some sort. 25201 is shown under the goods road incline at the west of the station, with parcel-loaded BRUTES, Kennedy Hotel, and signal box behind. 8311#AA01-EUS-25201-PARKD
A familiar scene to me as I’d scan the platforms on my way home from work each day, and sometimes to work if I had the time. 25177 is parked out of the way near the west side of Euston Station among Class 86 electrics. In the background are parcel vans – the end of the incline to the sorting area above is at the right of the image. 86211 has yet to receive marker lights. 8####BV01-EUS-25177-PARKU
The “face of the future* that it unfortunately didn’t turn out to be. Advanced passenger train 370007 is arrived in Euston with rear lights blazing, awaiting turnaround. The front end paintwork has been knocked about a bit, presumably by flying track debris, but the gleaming side livery is still in pristine condition. 8####BF01-EUS-3~007-PAS_D
The Eric Curnow Collection 