Post Office Railway - 31/01/07

[Jamie of Hackney]

Spent a great two hours beneath Mount Pleasant sorting office. Huge thanks must go to Charlie (who arranged my visit) and Kevin (who showed me around and answered all my questions).

Access is via a lift in the basement. There are two platforms (west-bound and east-bound). This the the west-bound platform, with train:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03276s.jpg

The office between the platforms, looking out onto the east-bound platform:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03278s.jpg

Speaking of the east-bound platform, here it is in almost its entirety:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03284s.jpg

Closer view of one of the trains. Kevin said if I arrange another trip he'll let me have a ride in one of these.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03293s.jpg

At this point we moved to beneath the platforms, where there was storage, the switch room and lots of electrical equipment.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03303s.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03308s.jpg

I asked about maybe visiting another station, but Kevin explained they are all (except one) built to exactly the same design. And they'd all be pitch black. So I didn't mind, especially when he said we could go along the tunnel.

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03316s.jpg

Downhill and away from the station:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03322s.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03324s.jpg

'A few trains' as Kevin said:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03329s.jpg

Towards the depot:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03338s.jpg

In the depot:

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03343s.jpg

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/DSC03346s.jpg

And a few more pictures can be found through this link. (http://s90.photobucket.com/albums/k250/JamieofHackney/Post%20Office%20Railway/)

Well worth a visit if you can manage it. If I do go again, I may ask if I can bring some people with me. I even got given some presents - a Royal Mail pen, a keyring with a Post Office Railway train on it and a print of a picture showing of the platforms in use.