IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Bruce Avenue, SHEPPERTON, TW17 9DP

Looking from the junction of Govett Avenue along Station Approach to Green Lane.

29 years after Neil's Image and the temporary platform is still in situ... Shepperton station was built on the London & South Western Railway's Thames Valley Line, opening in 1864. The original intention of extending the line to Weybridge is clear here as the station was built as though it was going to be a through station rather than a terminus. However the trackwork stops just beyond the end of the platform at the hedge in the distance. In view of the fact that the station is a terminus the message on the information board that the next train is not scheduled to call at the station might seem a tad curious, evoking memories of "Oh, Mr Porter!", Buggleskelly, and Harbottle telling the newly arrived station master, Mr Porter, that the "Next train's gone"! However there is a more prosaic reason. The last train, just departed, was the leaf buster Image

This is an interesting photograph because it shows a temporary platform that had been erected at Shepperton, not for the use of passengers, but for testing the first sliding-door stock that was to be introduced onto British Rail's Southern Region. The new train, known as a 4-PEP, was intensively tested on the branch before going into public service. Along the edge of the temporary platform can be seen iron weights, which were put onto the new train as required to simulate the weight of passengers the train would have to carry when in service. In the end, the new train was never put into large scale production, but it was the fore-runner of the Class 507 and 508 trains.

Business premises along Station Approach in Shepperton.

"Boys" of, ahem, a certain age will remember Ian Allan with affection for it was he who first produced and printed the ABC series of booklets containing lists of railway engine numbers. Later his company diversified into travel and motors amongst other interests. This is the group's Shepperton building in Station Approach, constructed in 1963 and reputedly containing and incorporating a 1922 Pullman coach as part of the fabric of the structure. The coach is said to be in use as the company's board room. Ian Allan himself began his working life as a 15 year old clerk in the office of the General Manager of the Southern Railway at Waterloo station, rapidly rising to a position in the publications department where he learned about the printing and publication of the railway's customer magazine. His suggestion to the management that in view of the number of enquiries he had received from members of the general public a booklet containing details of all the steam engines operated by the Southern Railway would be a popular money spinner was turned down, but he was given permission to publish it himself subject to him taking on board all the costs and risks. The rest is history...

An unusual visitor to the station in the form of a Network Rail track cleaning or 'leaf buster' train with a driving unit at either end is about to depart back towards London. DR98922 is the near unit.