Antony Badsey-Ellis

Author and historian. Fascinated by infrastructure, especially underground stuff. Wrote “Building London’s Underground” and “The London That Never Happened”.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

@YodelOnline Hi, one of your drivers has left a parcel in the road outside my house. Send me a DM and I’ll give you the address so that you can collect it.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

@sahelsteve Hi! Yes, of course - happy to help.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

Low cloud skimming the tops of the City of London this morning.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

I’m getting some “Paradise Towers” vibes from the automated cleaning robot at Charing Cross station… Fortunately it’s quite a bit smaller, and is missing the attachments!

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

Nice to see that the heritage Network SouthEast cladding is being put back at Marylebone - over 30 years since the NSE brand was replaced. And we now have more ticket gates and three escalators thanks to the rebuilt entrance.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

Twickenham Bridge, carrying the A316 over the Thames, is a bit of an art-deco gem. Just look at the bronzework and the detailing in the concrete. The feathered bronze plates at the springing are particularly nice.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

These iron bars were fitted to the edges of canal bridges to prevent the brickwork being worn (or even dislodged) as the towing ropes for barges rubbed. It’s always amazing to see how the iron has grooves worn into it from countless thousands of ropes rubbing past.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

The Shropshire Union Canal passes Nantwich on an embankment, avoiding the need for locks. This lovely aqueduct designed by Thomas Telford is still in use where the Chester Road is crossed.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

Nice to see that the Paragon name lives on, despite the railway station at Hull having dropped it as a suffix many years ago. It’s still shown on the signal box outside the station as well.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

The tiling on the front of Leicester Station is gorgeous. I particularly like the cherub with steam locomotive on the ‘Out’ sign.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

@Mikeashworth12 @RailwayHeritage @anngav I’m not sure that all of the NSE panelling is going, but there’ll be a bit less when this work finishes, sadly.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

The old ticket office at Marylebone Underground station is being removed so that more ticket gates can be installed. This will let ask the escalators be used - currently they can’t because of the risk of congestion with so few ticket gates.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

@cranium84 I can’t find any evidence for one on the maps at NLS. That includes the late Victorian 25 inch OS, and the mid-twentieth century 1:2500 and 1:1250 editions which tend to show subways and tunnels.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

This is Pulpit Bridge, near Watford (Northants). It’s on the Northampton loop line, and was built to keep Baron Henley happy, as the line cut across his estate. Great to see the crest (h for Henley) kept painted. It’s grade 2 listed. https://t.co/ZmN8ZUkfLu

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

The addition of the motor dealers’ badge (“Hunter”) to this tailgate suddenly makes a small hatchback seem rather sinister!

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

@MrTimDunn @siddyholloway @ChrisNixEsq @robdersley I particularly enjoyed looking inside the wonderful World Time Clock that has been in the ticket hall at Piccadilly Circus since 1928. An amazing piece of mechanical engineering! This shows the workings behind the map.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

Thank you to @NickyAACampbell and @bbc5live for having me on this morning. Fascinating chat about place names following the announcement about the #LondonOverground line names this week.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

Is this supposed to be a grave?

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

@MrTimDunn @siddyholloway @ChrisNixEsq @robdersley Blimey - was it really that long ago that I spent the afternoon of Valentine’s Day pottering around Piccadilly Circus with you? How time flies! That was a fun day!

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

@railstonowhere I think that you’re probably right! Thanks for that - I’d forgotten about those PA points.

[Antony Badsey-Ellis @BadseyEllis]

Does anyone know what this is? Spotted at Edgware Road (Bakerloo) station, on the southbound platform. It’s a painted plate, probably metal, on a white backing that’s curved to fit the wall. Grout or cement has been used around it where it meets the tiles.