My Story - Part Three
Ponders End, New Barnet and Potter's Bar

Even closer to my new home was Ponders End, on the Great Eastern Cambridge line, where we could stand on the footbridge and eat frozen Jubblies from the corner shop next to the crossing, or we could walk along to the next crossing at Duck Lees Lane. My Dad and I went together to many of the London termini on busy Saturdays – by train to Liverpool Street first, of course, and then around the Circle to Kings Cross, St. Pancras and Paddington, and to Waterloo and London Bridge. Not all in one trip! And he took me on a few ‘specials’ – one I remember hauled by ‘City of Truro’ took us first to Swindon Works and shed, and then via the Midland and South Western Junction line to Eastleigh Works and shed.

Around the age of 13, I was allowed with a friend to walk or to catch the 121 bus to Ponders End, the last route a London Transport Guy double decker (G436 from memory) worked. Many happy days were spent on the footbridge or platforms there. Later we spread our wings even further – by bus to New Barnet, later from New Barnet by train to Potters Bar, or the cheaper route on the 242 bus from home to Potters Bar.

As I grew older, my parents let me roam pretty well anywhere around London as long as I was with a friend – most of the big London stations, and some smaller ones. South Hampstead was a favourite – a cheap trip on the old Oerlikon electric trains and you could see everything going into and out of Euston, as well as the North London line freights, with the added excitement that the down trains burst out of the tunnels without warning. And as a bonus, the Great Central line as well - one day we watched in awe as a diesel apparition in blue passed over the bridge towards Marylebone for the BR unveiling of the Blue Pullman services.

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All Photographs by Alan Lewis Chambers ©