Mail Rail exploration
 

This is great fun. Kudos to the urban explorers - some amazing pics:
http://www.silentuk.com/?p=2792

JB

Mail Rail exploration
 

On 19/04/2011 16:16, John B wrote:
This is great fun. Kudos to the urban explorers - some amazing pics:
http://www.silentuk.com/?p=2792

JB
Bunch of questions:

What is the status of that system these days?

What are its prospects?

Is perhaps Boris looking at possibly bringing it back, at least to some
degree, in line with efforts to cut carbon emissions in London?

What are the chances of getting down there and viewing it?

What are the chances of getting a ride on it, as I know that they have
passenger yorks.

Are there any manually controlled trains down there, besides the
automatic ones?

What about any sort of a signalling system down there?

(I only glanced the URL, to be honest.)

Mail Rail exploration
 

On Apr 19, 9:12*pm, "
wrote:

On 19/04/2011 16:16, John B wrote:
This is great fun. Kudos to the urban explorers - some amazing pics:
http://www.silentuk.com/?p=2792

Bunch of questions:

What is the status of that system these days?

Mothballed.


What are its prospects?

Zilch.


Is perhaps Boris looking at possibly bringing it back, at least to some
degree, in line with efforts to cut carbon emissions in London?

No. (Though, being Boris, he's probably made some vague aside about it
being a potential secret salvation of London, so long as someone else
pays for it.)


What are the chances of getting down there and viewing it?

Break in. Except, don't.


What are the chances of getting a ride on it, as I know that they have
passenger yorks.

Every chance. If you win the EuroBillions lottery and buy it from
Royal Mail, refurbish it and run it yourself.


Are there any manually controlled trains down there, besides the
automatic ones?

What about any sort of a signalling system down there?

(I only glanced the URL, to be honest.)

A harder glance would lead you to spot the references to Sub-Brit,
whose "countless years of sitting in chairs has resulted in quite the
in depth collection of historical fact and technical nerdery regarding
the place" - at least that's the take of the urbexers. (The urbex
contingent and those of the Sub-Brit persuasion don't quite see eye to
eye, you see - though I doubt the urbex verdict on utl would be all
that glowing either!)

Mail Rail exploration
 

On 19/04/2011 21:12, wrote:
On 19/04/2011 16:16, John B wrote:
This is great fun. Kudos to the urban explorers - some amazing pics:
http://www.silentuk.com/?p=2792

JB
Bunch of questions:

What is the status of that system these days?

Defunct. Perhaps nominally mothballed.

What are its prospects?

Vanishingly small.

Is perhaps Boris looking at possibly bringing it back, at least to some
degree, in line with efforts to cut carbon emissions in London?

Boris/Ken* will convert it** into a free 500 mph maglev interchanging
with the Crystal Palace Tramlink extension. The other one won't.

* delete according to taste
** subject to someone else paying

What are the chances of getting down there and viewing it?

None, unless you run the Royal Mail.

What are the chances of getting a ride on it, as I know that they have
passenger yorks.

We tried asking on an official visit, and it was made very clear that
there was not any chance at all, even when it was still operational.

Are there any manually controlled trains down there, besides the
automatic ones?

Pass.

What about any sort of a signalling system down there?

IIRC there are websites with lots of details of how it worked.
--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

Mail Rail exploration
 

"Arthur Figgis" wrote
wrote:

What are the chances of getting a ride on it, as I know that they have
passenger yorks.

We tried asking on an official visit, and it was made very clear that
there was not any chance at all, even when it was still operational.

I know for sure that there was an enthusiasts' trip in September 2008 which
traversed the line from Paddington to Whitechapel. I personally travelled
(with an organised group) from Mount Pleasant to Whitechapel and back on the
10th March 1994 in the 14-seat 'VIP' coach. I seem to recall we had to
detrain whilst the train ran round the turning circle at Whitechapel.

Mail Rail exploration
 

On 2011\04\19 23:25, John Salmon wrote:
"Arthur Figgis" wrote
wrote:

What are the chances of getting a ride on it, as I know that they
have passenger yorks.

We tried asking on an official visit, and it was made very clear that
there was not any chance at all, even when it was still operational.

I know for sure that there was an enthusiasts' trip in September 2008
which traversed the line from Paddington to Whitechapel. I personally
travelled (with an organised group) from Mount Pleasant to Whitechapel
and back on the 10th March 1994 in the 14-seat 'VIP' coach. I seem to
recall we had to detrain whilst the train ran round the turning circle
at Whitechapel.

Was this part of Open House? How did you find out about it? I don't
recall it being mentioned here.

Mail Rail exploration
 

"Basil Jet" wrote
John Salmon wrote:

I personally travelled (with an organised group) from Mount Pleasant to
Whitechapel and back on the 10th March 1994 in the 14-seat 'VIP' coach. I
seem to recall we had to detrain whilst the train ran round the turning
circle at Whitechapel.

Was this part of Open House? How did you find out about it? I don't recall
it being mentioned here.

Four trips in 1994 were organised through the Branch Line Society. I think
it entailed us all joining a 'Friends of the Post Office' (or some such)
group. If your question related to the 2008 trip, I only know about it
because a friend went - I don't know how that trip was organised.

Mail Rail exploration
 

On 19 Apr, 23:47, "John Salmon" wrote:
"Basil Jet" *wrote

John Salmon wrote:
I personally travelled (with an organised group) from Mount Pleasant to
Whitechapel and back on the 10th March 1994 in the 14-seat 'VIP' coach.. I
seem to recall we had to detrain whilst the train ran round the turning
circle at Whitechapel.
Was this part of Open House? How did you find out about it? I don't recall
it being mentioned here.

Four trips in 1994 were organised through the Branch Line Society. *I think
it entailed us all joining a 'Friends of the Post Office' (or some such)
group. *If your question related to the 2008 trip, I only know about it
because a friend went - I don't know how that trip was organised.

Yes, I've travelled on it as well, but my memory fades as to how long
ago it was. It was certainly earlier than 2008, and still working. We
got a trip on a Saturday, I think, before Sunday colldections started
& it was quiet.
THe VIP coach experience mentioned above rings a bell too, but we did
the full length of the line.
It was combined with a trip down Aldwych tube station....

Mail Rail exploration
 

On Wed, 20 Apr 2011 00:59:11 -0700 (PDT)
Chris wrote:
Yes, I've travelled on it as well, but my memory fades as to how long
ago it was. It was certainly earlier than 2008, and still working. We
got a trip on a Saturday, I think, before Sunday colldections started
& it was quiet.
THe VIP coach experience mentioned above rings a bell too, but we did
the full length of the line.

What state is mailrail in at the moment - has it been mothballed or have
they dismantled it and sold off the stock?

B2003

Mail Rail exploration
 

wrote:
What state is mailrail in at the moment - has it been mothballed or have
they dismantled it and sold off the stock?


It's been entirely stripped and filled with concrete. The photos on the page
linked to by the OP are all fake.