And so, it’s time to put you all out of your misery. We had a HUGE amount of entrants this year, so it’s going to take us a a few days to work out our winners and (most importantly) who gets what from the swag-bag of prizes we’ve assembled. Thanks to everyone who entered though, and we’ll look to have a “winners” post up on Thursday.
In the meantime, here are the answers. Feel free to voice your objections to any of our answers (or logic) in the comments, but as always, the judge’s decision is ultimately final!
The original questions can be seen in full here.
The Answers
Q1: This unit of 1938 tube stock is making a transport promise that ultimately it will be unable to keep – what is it?
Answer: Look closely at the Tube Map and you’ll see that it shows the The Northern Heights Extension that was never completed thanks to WW2 and the introduction of the Green Belt. This was part of the New Works Programme (which, as old quiz hands will have spotted, was why the image filename was “nwp”).
Q2: Where in London will you find this orphaned engine?
Answer: This is Robert the tank engine, now proudly back in place at Stratford after some time in exile in Colchester. The image filename was a reference to the new Shopping Centre nearby.
Q3: Built at the end of the 19th Century, I would later be described by Betjeman as a sad terminus of blighted hope. I was one of several London stations with a hotel as part of my frontage, although this was damaged in the Second World War and never really rebuilt. Even though I’d seen electric services since 1925, by that time I was already in decline. I would make it past my centenary though before Thameslink finally sealed my fate.
Which station was I?
Answer: I was, of course, Holborn Viaduct (for shame everyone who thought it was Broad Street!)
Q4: At which Nordic sounding place of rest can you find this park within a park?
Answer: Finsbury Park of course. The image filename was of course a reference to FINland’s greatest general.
Q5: What happened here in 1926 and again in 1999?
Answer: We were after some kind of acknowledgement that this section of line on the Millwall Viaduct has closed to passenger service twice – North Greenwich and then later High-Level Island Gardens on the DLR.
Q6: Below Burgundy Thompson, an American nursing student, describes her aunt’s activities on a fateful day for Britain’s railways. Who was her aunt?
Answer: It was, of course, Abbie Sweetwine, the American Nursing Lieutenant whose actions saved many lives on the day of the Harrow & Wealdstone disaster.
Q7: Which film, featuring this policeman, concludes with a dangerous chase across a tube line?
Answer: It was the Blue Lamp, featuring the death of the pictured Dixon (who would later be revived for “Dixon of Dock Green”).
Q8: How many of Crossrail’s new stations would they describe as being “cut and cover” constructions?
Answer: To avoid argument, we felt it best here to consult with the people who should really know, and thus Crossrail’s very own Chief Engineer has confirmed for us that they consider the correct answer to be three (Paddington, Canary Wharf and Woolwich for those who are counting)
Q9: Looking up, where are we?
Answer: We’re at Liverpool Street. The filename is a reference to the Stansted Express, and the caption to the fact that there are no roads in the City of London.
Q10: Omnibustically speaking, what does Commissioner Pete do that Cliff and Reg didn’t?
Answer: There are, of course, many differences between Pete (Peter Hendy) and both Cliff (Richard) and Reg (Varney). When it comes to buses, however, there is one rather big one. Whilst all three have driven (and held the right licences to drive) London Buses, neither Cliff (in Summer Holiday) nor Reg (in On The Buses) actually drove the bus that they’re most associated with in the public mind – the Routemaster. Cliff drove an RT, Reg drove Bristols. Mr Hendy, on the other hand, both owns and drives a Routemaster (keep an eye out for him behind the wheel on heritage days).
Q11: Can you name this mystery Line beneath the Capital – shown with it’s originally planned extensions (a bonus point for each “???” you can name)?
Answer: It is, of course, MailRail – the Post Office Railway or, as it will now be known in LR towers, “Tingey’s Undoing.” The bonus ??? were, Willesden Central Sorting Office (left), St Pancras (top) and Mount Pleasant (centre).
Q12: Whilst assuming a posture to avoid detection, at a terminus point that is not a terminus on a line that was and never was – where are we?
Answer: We’re at Crouch End (more specifically, on the old LNER if you’re being picky).
Q13: Where exactly was this driver’s eye views taken (and for a bonus point, from what rolling stock)?
Answer: We’re in the cab of the old 1983 Jubilee Stock now being used as artist’s studios at Village Underground, on the old Kingsland Viaduct looking out over Great Eastern Street (some variation or approximation of that will be accepted as an answer).
Q14: Lurking octagonally near Limehouse, which transport system was this power station built to serve?
Answer: Canals and/or Docks – It’s the Limehouse Accumulator Tower which provided hydraulic power for both lock gates and for cranes.
Q15: What was this site previously?
Answer: You’re looking at the new Shoreditch station, located on the site of the old Bishopsgate Goods Yard. Visible on the left are the now-listed Braithwaite arches, which (as one answerer probably correctly asserted) “Network Rail would quite cheerfully see burnt down.”
Thanks to everyone who took part!
Comments are closed.