EUSTON UNDERGROUND: THE LOST TUNNELS

I have recently booked my fourth Hidden London Tour, Moorgate: Metropolitan Maze, which follows my previous tours, Euston Underground: The Lost Tunnels, Dover Street: Alight Here For Green Park and Aldwych: The End Of The Line.

In this article I will look back at my first tour, Euston Underground: The Lost Tunnels, which I went on back in 2023. I will also include a brief history of Euston Mainline Station and Euston Underground along with photos I took during the tour.

Euston Station opened in July 1837 as the terminus of the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR). The original station was demolished in the 1960s and replaced with the modern style new building. During this work the original Euston Arch was also demolished, although the two original Portland Stone lodges still stand on the original site as a reminder of times past.

The demolition was described by the Royal Institute of British Architects as, "one of the greatest acts of Post-War architectural vandalism in Britain."

The replacement building has been described as a,"dingy, grey, horizontal nothingness" and lacked any of the sense of adventure that the original Victorian building gave to the traveller.

Richard Morrison, writing in The Times, felt that even by the bleak standards of 1960s architecture Euston was, "One of the nastiest concrete boxes in London, devoid of any decorative merit and a blight on surrounding streets." He went on to say, "The design should never have left the drawing board - if, indeed, it was ever on a drawing board. It gives the impression of being scribbled on the back of a paper bag!"

Back in 2009 the Euston Arch Trust revealed plans to rebuild the arch in front of the station but so far it just remains a topic of discussion.

Over the years the station and railway, the gateway from London to the West Midlands, North West England, North Wales and Scotland, has been operated by a number of companies. Between 1837 and 1846 it was owned by the London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) and from 1846 to 1923 The London and North Western Railway (LNWR). Other companies to operate from Euston were, The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) (1923-1948), British Railways (1948-1994), Railtrack (1994-2002) and currently by Network Rail.

Euston Station was not served well in the early days of the London Underground Network. The closest underground station was on The Metropolitan Line, around five to ten minutes walk away, in Gower Street.

It would be 1907 before a permanent connection was made to the mainline station when, in May,  The City & South London Railway (C&SLR) opened the extension from Moorgate on what was known as the Bank Branch of the Northern Line.

The entrance to the station was on the corner of Seymour Street (now Eversholt Street) and Dorie Way. Designed by Sidney Smith it was Morrocan in style and covered in white tiles. The building was demolished in 1934 and a new one built, Euston House, which was the head offices of the British Railways Board. 

The following month The Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway (CCE&HR) opened an adjacent station. This was on the Charing Cross branch of the Northern Line.

Situated to the west of the mainline station, on Melton Street, it was a Leslie Green style building with the familiar ox blood tiles and arched windows.

A deep-level passageway ran between the two stations with lift shafts taking passengers up to the mainline station. There was also an interchange ticket office situated in the passageway, the only one on the whole of the London Underground Network. In the early days of the London Underground the various companies only sold tickets to stations on their own lines.

This meant that passengers travelling on the City & South London Railway (C&SLR) who needed to transfer to the Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway (CCE&HR) to continue their journey would have to purchase another ticket. Having a ticket window between the two stations would save passengers having to exit to the mainline station to purchase a ticket.

New lifts were also installed which surfaced in the main station. However, it soon became clear that running three different entrances to the underground was unnecessary and both the Melton Street and Seymour Street buildings were closed leaving just the one entrance to the underground situated inside Euston Station.

Meanwhile, in 1909, with the recent construction of the two new underground stations, Gower Street Underground Station was renamed Euston Square.

In September 1968 the first section of the new Victoria Line, the first new underground line in more than fifty years, was opened and ran between Walthamstow Central and Highbury & Islington. 

The next section to open was between Highbury & Islington and Warren Street on 1 December 1968. The Victoria Line was officially opened by H. R. H. Queen Elizabeth II on 7 May 1969.

The new line was designed to provide the maximum amount of connections to the existing services, both underground and mainline, and to relieve the pressure which was becoming a major issue on other lines. It would give an alternative route through the centre of London.

With the construction of the Victoria Line, which passed through both Euston and Kings Cross/St Pancras Mainline Stations, it was necessary to expand and remodel the existing Euston Underground Station. This work included new platforms, cross-platform interchanges, a new ticket hall and new escalators.

During this work many of the old passages were closed off with some subways retained for ventilation shafts.

This brings us to my visit to the Lost Tunnels of Euston Underground. In the advertising London Transport describe the tour... 'This exclusive guided tour takes you into the labyrinths of secret passageways that are hidden within Euston Tube station. You’ll uncover time-capsules that haven’t been seen by passengers in decades, but which still stand as witnesses to the changes that were made to London’s transport infrastructure over the years.'

They go on to say, 'Explore secret parts of Euston Tube station, including two former passenger galleries that have remained frozen in time since their last commuters passed through in 1962 and 1967. Uncover the vintage advertising posters that still adorn the walls, experience the atmosphere of a bygone age, and spot adverts for famous film productions of that era.'

The 90-minute tour started outside Euston Square Underground Station where we were met by staff from London Transport. Following safety information the guides gave us a short talk on the history and layout of the stations and how they were all linked together. We then took the short walk to the site of The Charing Cross, Euston & Hampstead Railway building on Melton Street, a few yards from Euston Mainline Station.

Although now due for demolition, due to the construction of HS2, and with work being carried out in the area, we couldn't enter the old building. It is such a shame that the station, a Leslie Green design with the ox blood tiles, will be, or already is, gone forever and the photo earlier in this article was taken by me a few years before I did the tour.

From here we entered Euston Station and headed for the southbound platform of the Bank Branch of the Northern Line where we would gain access to the disused areas through a door at the end of the platform. I noticed several passengers giving us strange looks and wondering where we were headed. I am sure many were envious and with good reasons.

We walked along what was the interchange tunnel between the two original stations with the blue and white tiles which would not have been updated in many decades. 

After a few steps it was back in time when we came to the old ticket office used by passengers changing between the two different lines. Definitely one of the highlights of the tour and with the window open and surrounded by tiles and the In/Out signs still in place it was a photo opportunity not to be missed!

However, a real journey into the past was waiting for us next and was definitely the highlight of the tour for me.

Covering the walls of the next tunnel was a wealth of old movie and advertising posters from the 1960s. It was incredible to think these had been here for more than sixty years. Yes, some were torn or peeling off the walls and many were covered with other posters but it was still a sight to see. What was interesting to note was how many of them were still colourful and bright, a mark of the 1960s design and print.

There are too many to mention here but these are just a few worthy of mention. Movie posters, blockbusters and some less so, included Spartacus, Terror Of The Tongs, One Born Every Minute, The Errand Boy, Lonely Are The Brave, West Side Story and Hitchcock's Psycho. My love of the 1950s and 1960s 'Kitchen Dramas' was satisfied when I spotted the poster for John Schlesinger's 1962 A Kind Of Loving. The film starred Alan Bates and June Ritchie and portrayed disillusionment and desperation of modern life in the sixties.

There were posters for theatrical productions including  Puss In Boots along with advertising for products like Brushwave (the first permanent wave for colour treated hair), Springbak (a ground-breaking fabric) and even a poster advertising the Theosophical Society, a quasi-religious, esoteric movement founded in 1887 by Russioan Helena Blavatsky! Finally a poster offered The True Story Of Coronation Street, which was only in its first season in December 1960 but would become the world's longest running soap opera.

It wasn't only old movie posters that could be seen. As we approached the corner of another tunnel there were three posters facing you, all of which related to British Rail. The first advertises the Midland Pullman, a first-class express service famous for its luxury that ran between St. Pancras and Manchester in the mid-1960s. In the middle is a poster advertising 'Travel Times Cut!', something many of todays passengers may not totally agree with. 

Lastly is a poster offering 'Bargain Travel' and 'More Miles For Your Money', again something many of today's rail passengers might disagree with. Interestingly on this poster is the British Rail logo designed by Gerry Barney and launched in 1965. The two-way track logo was the new identity for Great Britain's rail network and utilised on trains, advertising and uniforms. The logo has often been ridiculed and referred to as 'Arrows Of Indecision' among other derogatory terms.

Leaving 1960's London behind us we were shown more tunnels and areas that were now being used for storage, ventilation and trunking for the many power cables serving the needs of the station network. Once again you could see the original blue and white tiles.

The next stop was the lift shaft which would have taken passengers up to the mainline Euston Station building. It was impressive looking up and seeing how high it was and the photo I took doesn't do it justice. The lift shafts have been capped and there is no sign of where the original lifts were located when you are inside the current mainline station.

Our final stop on the tour was the ventilation tunnel for the Victoria Line. Built in the 1960s and never intended for passengers to walk along. It was interesting to see that part of the tunnel was built like actual tube tunnels with cast iron segments.

Walking up a slight slope the tour draws to a close with the chance to look down, through the ventilation grills, at passengers waiting on the platforms below and oblivious to us staring down at them from above.

Since going on the tour and whenever I am waiting for a train on the platform, I will look up at the ventilation grills and wonder if there is a group of people looking down at me.

This bought our tour to an end and we returned to Euston Mainline Station where we said our goodbyes and thanks to the wonderful staff and headed home.

The Hidden London Tours are very enjoyable and interesting and I cannot recommend them highly enough. I'm planning on booking more tours and writing about my other tours in future articles.

DEPTFORD CREEK LIFTING BRIDGE

One of my many interests and hobbies is disused railways and I have spent many hours in London hunting out and photographing old stations and other related buildings and structures.

I recently followed part of the route of the London and Greenwich Railway which was London's first passenger steam railway and opened in stages between 1836 and 1838. My walk took me alongside the Southwark Viaduct which runs for almost four miles and carried the railway from London Bridge to Greenwich. It was constructed with 878 arches and originally, in 1836, only went as far as Deptford but was extended to Greenwich in 1838.

One of the places I missed on my walk was the Deptford Creek Lifting Bridge and during my latest London trip I took time to visit and in this article I give some history of the area, the bridge and include many of the photos I took. 

Deptford is an area on the south bank of the Thames that lies within the boroughs of Greenwich and Lewisham. The name Deptford originates from a ford where the River Ravensbourne was crossed by the A2 (Watling Street... the old Roman Road) and first appeared in records as Depeford, meaning deep ford, back in the 1200's.

In the mid-16th century it was home to the Deptford Dockyard, one of the Royal Dockyards, and was a major shipbuilding location until it closed in 1869. The whole area is currently undergoing regeneration focussed on improving the town centre with amenities and housing projects.

Deptford Creek is where the Ravensbourne meets the tidal Thames and at high tide is very deep. This meant that it could be used by sailing barges with their tall masts who had right of way over any other form of transport. This meant that when plans were made to extend the London and Greenwich Railway to Greenwich a decision had to me made as to how the railway could cross the Creek, a challenging task for the railway. The idea to extend the viaduct was a non-starter due to both the high tides and the right of way granted to shipping.

Two options were put forward, a swing bridge or lifting bridge. There would have been many problems with constructing a swing bridge at the same height as the viaduct, so the decision was made to construct a lifting bridge. This would allow the rail tracks to be raised letting high-masted shipping through. The complications in constructing such a structure delayed the extension of the line to Greenwich which didn't open until December 1838.

There have been three lifting bridges built over the years with the first opening in November 1838. Constructed of iron it had a central section where the two railway lines crossed the creek. Opening and lifting the bridge was a time-consuming task which would take between 30 minutes and an hour to complete and required eight strong men to complete the task. Bolts had to be removed that secured the tracks to the fish-plates and a complicated series of chains, pulleys and counterweights were then tackled by the men to raise the section of the bridge and allow ships to pass. Delays in the operation often meant that train timetables were seriously disrupted with passengers facing long waits, either on the train waiting to continue their journey or those people waiting in Greenwich to meet friends and family.

An Act of Parliament required the bridge to be raised promptly and in a timely manner. Failure to raise the bridge was a criminal offence and the railway company could be fined. It wasn't until the 1980s that the act was abolished.

In 1884 the original lifting bridge was replaced after being in service for more than forty years. However, technology had not improved the procedure to raise the tracks, which was now even more complicated than before. The actual rails had to be removed to allow the bridge to be raised and rather than eight men it now required twelve!

This second bridge was in service for almost eighty years before being replaced in December 1963. The new bridge was designed by British Rails Southern Regions Chief Civil Engineer, A H Cantrell and built by the Glasgow firm Sir William Arrol & Co.

Any barges wanting to pass through during high tide would have to book a time in advance to allow the bridge to be opened.

In the 2000s the central span, which weighed around 40 tonnes, was welded shut and new rails were laid in a permanent position.

The bridge, which is now a listed structure, is managed by Network Rail who are considering removing the lifting mechanism which, after being inoperative for almost thirty years, has become run-down and fallen into disrepair.

Often described as 'ugly' it is part of Deptford's industrial heritage and many locals would hate to see it demolished. Maybe a new lick of paint would make it more attractive and could also serve to protect the ironwork which has either rusted over the years or was, at some time, painted black.

My own personal opinion is that it should remain, freshly painted, as it has so much historical value and from experience I have seen so many old railway structures demolished or left to slowly disintegrate and it is such a shame.

Visiting the bridge is easy and it can be reached from either Deptford or Greenwich Stations, both on the line out of London Bridge and with a journey time of less than ten minutes, and then a short ten minute walk from either station.

I approached the bridge from Greenwich Station, continued across Ha'Penny Bridge and along the Creekside Street Art Footpath, where all the railway viaduct arches are covered in street art, before turning back.

Ha'Penny Bridge, which is painted blue and visible in one of the photos above, also has an interesting history. It's actual name is Ha'Penny Hatch Bridge and the original wooden bridge was built in 1836 allowing passengers who had travelled by train to Deptford, the end of the line at the time, access to the other side of Deptford Creek and onto Greenwich.

As we have already seen the line was extended in 1838. For those two years it allowed passengers to finish their journey, on foot, at the cost of a halfpenny. The original wooden bridge closed in the 1920's.

The modern replacement, built in 2002, still gives access across the creek and has a steel lifting mechanism which continues to allow access for boats that occasionally make their way up and down the creek.

Most of the photos included in this article were taken from the Ha'Penny Bridge and the Creekside Street Art Footpath although I also walked around the local area to capture different views.

I enjoyed the walk and pleased to have viewed this impressive structure and would recommend a visit to anyone interested in the history of the railways. This will not be my last visit to London and I look forward to discovering more of London's hidden gems.

I will be covering some of my other photographic trips to old railways and will be posting more articles in the future.

HISTORY ARTICLES

I recently set up a new profile on my instagram account which concentrates on my interest in World War One, World War Two and my relevant photography... @ww1.ww2_history_photography

This blog has also included a few articles on history and my various Leger Battlefield Tours to Belgium and France and, with another trip very soon, I will be adding more articles in the coming months.

In the meantime I have written this latest article to promote those I have featured on this blog over the past few years. They are listed below with the title, date first published, an image, a short excerpt and the link to the full article.

ORADOUR-SUR-GLANE
First published 5 March 2021

Oradour-sur-Glane was a small idyllic village, with a population of around 350, located approximately 15 miles north-west of Limoges which, on 10 June 1944, was the site of one of the worst crimes against civilians in occupied France.

Following the allied landings on 6 June 1944, along the beaches of Normandy, efforts by the resistance increased with the aim to disrupt German supplies and communications. Any organised attacks against German military personnel or property was met with brutal consequences resulting in members of the French resistance or sympathizers being killed or sent to concentration camps. Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, Commander-in-Chief for the West, ordered that the resistance must be crushed, swiftly and with ruthless initiative.

There has been much speculation as to why Oradour-sur-Glane was subject to such a horrific massacre, especially when no German troops occupied the village and it seemed likely that the war would pass it by. Of course, as we shall see, this couldn't be further from the truth.

A number of reasons have been given... the killing of German troops by the resistance or an attempt to blow up a bridge at the nearby village of St. Junien. However, the most common theory was the abduction and execution of SS Sturmbannfuhrer Helmut Kampfe.

Read the full article here...

Oradour-sur-Glane

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D-DAY LANDINGS IN NORMANDY
First published 13 June 2022

An early start saw us heading the short journey to Pegasus Bridge, originally the Benouville Bridge, the site of the first action of D-Day.

Led by Major John Howard, a force from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and a platoon of Royal Engineers, landed in fields close to the bridge in three Horsa Gliders at 00:16 on 6 June. The defending Germans were taken by surprise and within ten minutes the bridge was in Allied hands. 

Reinforcements from the 7th Battalion Parachute Regiment soon arrived. One member of the regiment was actor Richard Todd who would go on to play the role of Major Howard in the film The Longest Day.

The bridge was renamed Pegasus Bridge in late 1944 in honour of the operation and the name was taken from the shoulder emblem worn by the British Airborne Forces, Bellerophon riding the winged horse Pegasus.

The original bridge was replaced in 1994 and is now housed in the grounds of the nearby museum along with a replica Horsa Glider.

Inside the museum you can follow the story of the capture of the bridge with hundreds of items related to that first attack including uniforms, equipment along with scores of photos and information boards.. A very interesting museum that would take several hours to read and view every item.

Read the full article here...

D-Day Landings In Normandy

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DUNKIRK AND FORTRESS EUROPE

First published 5 August 2023

Following Hitler's invasion of France on 10 May it was only a matter of a few days before his Panzer Divisions had moved through Northern France towards the coast. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and French Army were trapped in a pocket and were forced to retreat to Dunkirk.

Forced back towards the coast they formed a perimeter along the canals and both the Royal Welch Fusiliers and Durham Light Infantry were ordered to defend and hold Robecq, Saint Floris and Saint Venant.

This first stop was an opportunity to see the canal area at Saint Venant defended by the Royal Welch Fusiliers and Durham Light Infantry and the memorial. We also visited the Communal Cemetery where many of those killed in Saint Venant are buried.

Moving on to Cassel Hill we examined the last stand of the Gloucestershire Regiment and the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. They had reached Cassel on 25th May and were ordered to hold the western and eastern halves of the town. The plan was to hold the line to allow the BEF to be evacuated from the Dunkirk beaches.

Despite early success in holding the Germans back, continuous heavy air and ground attacks reduced much of the town to ruins. Most of the regiments men were either killed or taken prisoner. However, they had succeeded in delaying the German advance giving the troops in Dunkirk the much needed time to get off the beaches.

Read the full article here...

Dunkirk And Fortress Europe

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WAR BY TIMETABLE

First published 26 August 2024

An early breakfast and then we set off to our first stop of the day, the Steam Railway of the Three Valleys in Belgium whose name derives from the three rivers the line follows, the River Eau Blanche, River Eau Noire and River Viroin. It is a non-profit society that operates the service which connects with the Belgian rail network at Mariembourg.

A specially arranged journey on a period steam train saw us travel the 14 kilometre journey from Mariembourg via Nismes, Olloy-sur-Viroin and Vierves to Treignes, the last station before the French border. The line does continue the 2.5 kilometres to the border but is not used anymore. An enjoyable journey with great views of the Belgium countryside from our carriage. The staff at the station and onboard the train were excellent and very helpful.

At the end of the journey there was time to look around the museum which was very interesting with its collection of various trains, both steam and electric, along with items of railway memorabilia.

Following a quick lunch, Croque Monsieur and a refreshing drink, in the cafe at the station in Treignes we headed out of Belgium and to our next stop in France.

At La Capelle we visited the memorial marking the spot where the German parliamentarians crossed the French lines seeking an Armistice on 7 November 1918.

Read the full article here...

War By Timetable

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WAR BY TIMETABLE

Recently returned from my fifth Leger Battlefield Tour... War By Timetable, which explored the role of trains in World War One. This tour covered two of my many interests, history and steam trains and, as with previous Leger Battlefield Tours, did not disappoint.

In this article I take a detailed look back at the tour, the places we visited and where relevant, some World War One history. I have also included just a small selection of the many photos I took during my trip.

Our journey began early in the morning with the short journey down to Stop 24 in Folkestone where we boarded our tour coach for the week. The original plan was to head to Dover and catch the ferry to Calais. Unfortunately, due to problems beyond the control of Leger, we were delayed and a change of plan saw us take the Eurotunnel across to France. I must say at this point that the staff at the Leger desk were excellent, keeping us updated and also supplying food vouchers and drinks during the long wait for our replacement coach to make its journey from Nottingham down to the coast.

During our drive through the French countryside towards our hotel in Saint Quentin our guide, Andrew, pointed out several interesting locations relevant to the First World War including Vimy Ridge, Arras and Cambrai. His knowledge of the subject was second-to-none and he told us stories about how the war started, Britain's involvement and the various battles.

As we passed Vimy Ridge we heard how, in April 1917, four divisions of the Canadian Corps in the 1st Army fought against three divisions of the German 6th Army with the objective of drawing the Germans away from the French forces who were preparing an offensive along the Aisne and the Chemin des Dames Ridge. It was part of the Battle of Arras.

The Battle Of Arras was a British offensive during April and May 1917 which saw them achieve the greatest advance since trench warfare had begun, although when the German defences recovered it resulted in a costly stalemate for both sides.

Continuing towards Saint Quentin we passed close to Cambrai, the site of a late-1917 British attack and the biggest German counter-attack since 1914. It has gone down in history as the first battle to use tanks and records show the use of over 350 armoured vehicles involved during the offensive.

Arriving at the hotel it was time for a refreshing pint and then a good nights sleep in preparation for the busy days ahead.

An early breakfast and then we set off to our first stop of the day, the Steam Railway of the Three Valleys in Belgium whose name derives from the three rivers the line follows, the River Eau Blanche, River Eau Noire and River Viroin. It is a non-profit society that operates the service which connects with the Belgian rail network at Mariembourg.

A specially arranged journey on a period steam train saw us travel the 14 kilometre journey from Mariembourg via Nismes, Olloy-sur-Viroin and Vierves to Treignes, the last station before the French border. The line does continue the 2.5 kilometres to the border but is not used anymore. An enjoyable journey with great views of the Belgium countryside from our carriage. The staff at the station and onboard the train were excellent and very helpful.

At the end of the journey there was time to look around the museum which was very interesting with its collection of various trains, both steam and electric, along with items of railway memorabilia.

Following a quick lunch, Croque Monsieur and a refreshing drink, in the cafe at the station in Treignes we headed out of Belgium and to our next stop in France.

At La Capelle we visited the memorial marking the spot where the German parliamentarians crossed the French lines seeking an Armistice on 7 November 1918.

The German government, under Prince Max of Baden, had contacted President Woodrow Wilson asking him to open the way for an armistice. Conditions were imposed on Germany and they were told to nominate a delegation to Western Front Commander in Chief, Marshal Ferdinand Foch. Once done the Germans were told where to approach the French lines where troops were told to expect the delegations arrival. 

Four cars with full headlights, displaying white flags and with a trumpeter sounding the cease fire approached the French lines near the hamlet of Haudroy. It was there a French bugler, Pierre Sellier, replaced the German trumpeter on the duckboard and would continue the journey to La Capelle and onto Compiegne where the armistice was signed on 11 November 1918, ending four years of conflict. 

On 14 August 1940, during the Second World War, the Armistice Memorial was destroyed by the Germans, who deemed it offensive, and it was reconstructed and inaugurated a few years later after the end of the war.

During the day and while we were on the coach travelling between the different points of interest we were told more about the war. In particular, the history of the 1st Division British Expeditionary Force (the first British formation to move to France and who took part in most of the actions throughout the war), the various battles and in particular The Battle of St. Quentin (also called the First Battle of Guise), the Battle of Le Cateau, the rear guard action at Etreux and the Retreat from Mons.

The Retreat from Mons was the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force and the French 5th Army following defeats at the Battle of Charleroi and the Battle of Mons, both in August 1914.

A counter-attack by the French at Guise on 29 and 30 August failed to end the German advance. Similar attempts by the British at Le Cateau and Etreux also failed.

At Chapeau Rouge, La Groise we stopped to view the BEF Memorial which bears the inscription, "To the Glory of God and to the abiding memory of the 1st Division British Expeditionary Force which from August 1914 to November 1918 served and suffered in France and left there close upon 16,000 dead." It also includes the final two lines of Rudyard Kipling's poem, For All We Have And Are, "Who Stands If Freedom Fall? Who Dies If England Live?"

Following the retreat from Mons in August 1914 many of the soldiers from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Munster Fusiliers were buried in an orchard at Etreux. The family of Lieutenant Frederick Styles, who had been killed during the rearguard action, purchased the orchard and erected a large Celtic Cross in the centre of the cemetery. The cross listed the battle honours of The Munsters.

There are 99 identified graves at Etreux British Cemetery including Second Lieutenant Carol Edward Vere Awdry of the Royal Munsters, whose story was told to us. On 27th August Awdry, sword drawn, led his men in support of the attack that was underway and was killed by a shot through the lungs.

I recognised the surname and was reminded of where from, when we were told about his family. Carol Edward Vere Awdry's half-brother was Wilbert Vere Awdry, an Anglican cleric, railway enthusiast and children's author. More famously known as the Reverend W, Awdry, he was the creator of Thomas The Tank Engine and author of the series of children's books.

Our final visit of the day was to the Necropole Nationale - Flavigny Le Petit Cemetery in Guise. The cemetery was constructed by the Germans following the Battle of Guise in August 1914. It is unusual in that there are soldiers buried from three different nations, Germany, France and Britain. It was interesting walking around and seeing the different headstones/crosses used by the various nations.

The cemetery contains the graves of 2,332 German soldiers killed in World War One. The cemetery also includes other casualties from the war with 2,643 French graves and 48 British graves.

Back at the hotel, following an informative and enjoyable day, with temperatures during the day between 26 and 30 degrees it was good to relax and enjoy a couple of pints in the hotel bar.

Day two began at the Bagneux British Cemetery located close to the village of Gezaincourt near the town of Doullens. 

It was at this point of our trip that we learnt more about the Casualty Clearing Stations. Known originally as Clearing Hospitals they were part of the evacuation chain although they were located further back than the field hospitals. Manned by the Royal Army Medical Corps their job was to treat soldiers so they could return to the front line or, in the case of the seriously wounded, transferred to a base hospital. They were normally located near to railways to allow movement between the battlefield and hospitals. Throughout the war these Casualty Clearing Stations would relocate as the front line moved.

Bagneux Cemetery was our next stop during the tour and along with the Devonshire Cemetery, which was our last stop on the tour (more of which later), was very emotional. There are 1,374 soldiers of the First World War buried or commemorated there including three nurses who were killed in nearby Doullens.

On 30 May 1918 the Germans bombed the No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital based in an ancient citadel in Doullens. The nurses were assisting in surgery when the bombing took place and all three were killed and buried in Bagneux Cemetery approximately 2 kilometers from where they died.

The nurses were, Nursing Sister Agnes MacPherson (age 27), Nursing Sister Eden Lyal Pringle (age 24) and Nursing Sister Dorothy Mary Yardwood Baldwin (age 26). We were shown photos of the nurses while standing near the graves which was a very sad moment.

We had time to walk around the cemetery and read some of the inscriptions on the gravestones. What always strikes me whenever I visit a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery is how peaceful and well-maintained they are and it is thanks to all those who work for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) for all their dedicated and hard work all over the world.

On our short walk back to the coach we discovered part of the railway line that ran past the cemetery and close to the Casualty Clearing Stations in the area.

A 30-minute drive found us at our next place of interest, Heilly Station Cemetery. In April 1916 the 36th Casualty Clearing Station was located in Heilly, to be joined in May and June by the 38th and 2/2nd London. However, by June 1917 all three had moved on.

It was in May 1916 that work began on the cemetery, a short distance from Heilly Station, and was used by the three Casualty Clearing Stations until April 1917. During 1918 it was used by Australian units then hospital burials when the 20th Casualty Clearing Station was based nearby.

There are 2,800 servicemen buried or commemorated with 12 of the graves unidentified. There were also casualties whose graves were not exactly located and special memorials were erected. The cemetery also includes 83 German graves.

Many of the burials were carried out under extreme pressure with many graves close together and not marked individually. Furthermore, some contained multiple burials and these did not include the regimental badges. However, along the cloister walls there are 117 badges carved into the wall.

Once again this is another cemetery that is well-tended and so peaceful. In fact, when we turned up there were volunteers working on cutting grass and undertaking general maintenance. They even stopped working so as not to disturb our visit.

For lunch we stopped at Corbie, a short distance from Heilly, where we found a nice cafe in the city square and enjoyed a meal and drink before returning to the coach.

On our way to our next stop, another train journey, we passed the site where Baron von Richthofen (The Red Baron) was shot down on 21 April 2018 over the Morlancourt Ridge close to Vaux-sur-Somme. There is a debate as to who actually shot him down. It has been said he was flying low over Australian positions and gunners shot him down although another claim is that Canadian pilot Roy Brown who was flying behind and above Richthofen was responsible. Maybe we will never know for sure.

Our next steam train journey would see us travel through the Somme Battlefield in open sided carriages, and was the most interesting of the three train journeys on the tour.

The 600mm narrow gauge railway was built in 1916 for the needs of the Battle of The Somme and used to supply the trenches and artillery with estimates of 1,500 tonnes moved every day. It was part of a larger military network built in preparation of the 1916 offensive. After the war it was operated by a sugar refinery in Dompierre to transport sugar beet. In the 1970s a group of enthusiasts bought the line and rolling stock from the refinery and hunted across the country for other locomotives. They opened the line which ran for 1.5 kilometres in 1971.

We all boarded our open-sided carriage for the journey and had already been advised not to wear anything white during the journey as the smoke and soot emanating from the train while we were in the tunnel might ruin our clothes. Fortunately it was all ok.

During the one-hour return journey, which runs alongside the Somme Canal and River Somme, there are superb views of the Somme Valley. There was also time after the journey to look around the museum, located at the departure point, which held a fascinating collection of narrow-gauge rolling stock and other items.

Another interesting and emotional day came to an end and it was back to the hotel for dinner and a good rest.

The next day found us heading to Le Crotoy and The Steam Railway at the Bay of the Somme for our final rail journey which would take us to St Valery-sur-Somme. It is another narrow-gauge railway that runs the entire length of the bay connecting Le Crotoy with Noyelles-sue-Mer and St Valery. During the summer season it runs on to Cayeux-sur-Mer.

During the almost 25 kilometre journey we passed brooks lined with willows, salt and freshwater marshes, fields, and the beautiful greenery of the Somme Bay.

Throughout the whole trip my love of steam trains and old railways was well catered for and at St Valery there was another highlight for those on the trip who had the same interest as me, and there were quite a few. We had the opportunity to watch as the train was uncoupled and with the use of a turntable moved onto another track and travel to the other end of the train to be coupled for the return home.

We had a couple of hours in St Valery and a group of us walked along the waterfront, grabbed a drink at a lovely little cafe and then a much needed ice cream before returning to the coach.

St Valery is a lovely seaport and resort on the south bank of the River Somme estuary and with its medieval character and long waterfront area has become a popular tourist destination. It is somewhere I would love to visit again and spend more time looking around.

It was back to Le Crotoy and the Communal Cemetery to find out more about those soldiers 'Shot at Dawn'. The actual cemetery only holds four World War One casualties, one of which is Lieutenant Edwin Leopold Arthur Dyett.

During World War One the British Army executed around 300 soldiers of which just three were officer, Edwin Dyett was one of those officers. A junior officer in the Nelson Battalion of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, in October 1916 he was with the rest of the Division on The Somme preparing for the attack on Beaucourt-sure-Ancre.

Feeling that he wasn't suitable, an impression the Company Commander shared, he had already applied to be transferred away from the front. Not considered as quality material he was left as a reserve officer and was only sent forward with the reserves. Unable to find anyone from his unit he chose to return to Brigade Headquarters with another officer. He took exception to being asked by a junior officer to accompany men who needed to be taken back to the front lines and he continued towards the rear.

He was reported by the junior officer for refusing to go forward and the following day was arrested and later charged with desertion. He did not give evidence at his trial and  on 2 January 1917 Field Marshal Haig confirmed the death sentence. Dyett was told on 4 January and the following day, at 07.30, he was shot at dawn by members of his own Battalion. His final words were, "For God's sake shoot straight."

Although China never sent any troops overseas during World War One more than 100,000 labourers served as part of the British Army for both the British and French forces during the war. As the Chinese Labour Corps, they cleared mines, built munitions depots, transported supplies and repaired roads and railways.

Noyelles-sur-Mer was the base depot of the Chinese Labour Corps, their biggest camp and also the site of the No.3 Labour General Hospital. Almost 2,000 lost their lives and 841 are buried at the Chinese Cemetery in Noyelles which was our next visit.

The inscriptions on the headstones are in Chinese and included four different inscriptions in English and Chinese with one reading, "A Noble Duty Bravely Done." There is an inscription carved on the entrance which in English translates roughly to, "This site commemorates the sacrifice paid by the 1,900 Chinese workers who lost their lives during the 1914-1918 war, these are my friends and colleagues whose merits are incomparable." The cemetery is adorned with trees native to China, creating a reminder of their homeland.

I had never heard of the Chinese Labour Corps and it was very interesting to find out more about their contribution to the war. 

The main entry point to the Somme battlefields in 1916 for most of the soldiers was Pont-Remy Station and it was there we headed to next. Now disused, although trains run by SNCF still travel between Amiens and Abbeville, the station and cobbles leading up to the station once echoed to the sound of the many thousand troops heading to the front lines.

I was surprised there is no information at the station on its history and maybe SNCF should consider a board detailing its World War One connection along with relevant images from the period.

Our final visit of the tour was to the Devonshire Cemetery near Mansell Copse (not included in the original itinerary but as our guide put it... 'A Brucie Bonus') and it was somewhere I am glad we had the opportunity to see.

Before entering the cemetery we had a chance to view where the British and German lines were on the 1st July, the first day of the Battle of The Somme. The two images below are taken from where the British trenches were located, south of Mametz, and show the view across to what would have been the German trenches.

Mametz was within the German lines and captured on the first day of the battle while the woods to the east were taken in the days that followed.

The cemetery just visible in the lower picture is the Gordon Cemetery which was made by the men of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders who buried their dead from the 1st July in what had been a support trench.

At the Devonshire Cemetery we heard about their part in the battle. The 8th and 9th Battalions of the Devonshire Regiment attacked the German lines on 1st July and suffered very heavy losses as they left their forward trench. Later that day the survivors buried their fallen comrades, over 160 men, in the same trench. Three days later a ceremony was held and a wooden cross was placed bearing the words "The Devonshires Held This Trench, The Devonshires Hold It Still."

Of the 163 graves, ten are unidentified burials and only two were not part of the Devonshire Regiment. Looking at the two rows of graves it was easy to see where the original trench had been and it was an emotional moment to look at the headstones and imagine what it must have been like back in 1916. Along with the Bagneux Cemetery discussed earlier, this visit was the saddest part of the whole trip.

The wooden cross disappeared, possibly stolen, and in the 1980s officers of the Devonshire Regiment, who were visiting the site, decided to do something about it. On their return a collection was made and a new stone was placed at the entrance to the cemetery bearing the same words as the wooden cross. Those words certainly got to me and will forever live in my memory.

It was the end of our tour and time to head back to the hotel for dinner, a final few pints and a last chance to sit and talk to the other people on the tour before packing and an early night. We had to leave early the next morning for our journey home and although it was sad to be going home there were so many memories to look back on. 

I met a great group of people on the tour and especially want to mention Jules whose company I enjoyed over dinner and a few pints.

There are still so many tours I would like to do and next year I will be going on the Operation Market Garden trip to Arnhem with my good friend John Chisholm, who I met on my previous trip to Dunkirk.

Last, but by no means least, thanks go to our knowledgeable tour guide Andrew Thornton and our excellent driver Michael (Mick) Page who besides doing an amazing job, certainly kept the rest of us in the coach amused with their banter and jokes each day.