"That Hell Bound Train" Part 1

[Tankman]

The truth can now be told: Down in the Tube Station at Midnight!

It all began one lonely night! A man to tired to sleep, a few to many beers, a camera for a friend, an empty platform, and the last train home As the train slowed to a halt, the doors opened, and in I stepped.



Sitting down into an empty carriage, a fuzzled speaker, said "mind the doors" as they closed shut.



We moved off into the tunnel, a 'World within a World' a voice over the speaker spoke again! "next stop, "Hell"



As the train slowed to a stop, the doors opened and out I stepped, darkness all around, except for a dim light, next to a signal.
The train lingered for a few seconds, then the doors closed and it left me!
Alone in a tunnel of darkness!



I scurried away into a side tunnel like a rat! A steep flight of stairs ahead of me! Darkness such, the like I have never encountered before. Tunnels that had not seen human presence for a long time



I had no way of knowing where I was going, only that I was going somewhere The darkness calling me on, the sounds down here are weird, my mind begins to play tricks on me Was that someone up ahead?
A white haze appears to be levitating? I get goose bumps, What am I doing down here???



I soon come across a gigantic hole, with a catwalk across it!
I stop and shine my torch down, its the running line, soon the P/Way, gangs will be down here, along with the 'Fluffer's'.

The night is only just beginning, and I must press on into the unknown tunnels that lay ahead, unseen, but not silent!
I am already covered in black grime from the walls that surround me, the Underground is not a clean place outside the stations.



I come across another hole, with a catwalk across! but this time a ladder descends into a lit area below me, a defunct closed tube line.
I descend the ladder........

Part 2 to follow

[skin]

Sounds like a bit of a jam there mate

[Tankman]

Part 2:



The Tunnel ran for a considerable distance, nothing now was left of the line, the tunnel now being used for emergency access/egress!

As I moved about down here, voices could be heard, within the tunnels, maintenance crews were already on site, with a shout over the radio, that the 'Power Was Off", we returned to the running tunnels.





Old Poster's littered the walls, Nice hair do



Back on the running lines, maintenance gangs were hard at work. The noise down here was quite loud as it echoed off the walls.



A 'Ganger', checks for broken rails and loose track pins.



The hours soon passed by down here, and it was a real pleasure to have been able to see these guys at work and go to places not many have been



With the Power due back on, we head back towards the station. A Night Shift is over



There comes a time when you just put down the camera and just admire your surroundings, I missed a lot, what I could have photographed, but at the end of the day, most turned out quite blurry

This was a "Shoot & Click" occassion, no tripods, didnt have the room, to carry one, I was sweating buckets, in High Vis Gear, and I looked like a coal miner when I came out
But the Adrenaline had been flowing all night, and with the track guys telling some good stories into the bargain

It is hard to explain how I feel in words, You had to be there to experience this, at first hand, but I hope I have given you some idea of what it was like

My thanks to "Underground Ernie" a man who is in the know! when it comes to getting access to these places.
This is the last of these Reports for now due to "Some Heat" from LT Echelon!
And as for the "Hell Bound Train", well we left that at the Platform at Charing Cross, where it resides most of the time

Thanks for reading!

[superkev]

What can I say.......
EXCELLENT!!!

[BB]

In a nut shell...AMAZING!!!

[converse1]

Fantastic to see this! thanks for posting.

[Dystopia]

Wow! Looks like huge fun!

[boxfrenzy]

That is great mate, and a really great opportunity. I like this a lot.

[BA]

Amazing thread

[the_undertaker]

Super work, amazing pics, i love it.