Prototype and traffic

King's Cross - Suburban

It's helpful to begin with the Inner Suburban service, which covered stations up to around 25 miles north of the terminus, and a few mile southwards to Moorgate, and for a long time was served by quadruplet sets permanently coupled in pairs to make 8-coach trains commonly (but misleadingly) called "quad-arts". There were three periods of construction:

These developments and variations are covered separately (see link below). This topic covers the trains/traffic. In BR days, attempts were made to replace the "quad-art" trains by BR Mk.1 formations but the greater length of the coaches was problematic at Moorgate and its short platforms: developments during this later phase were described in detail in Model Rail, see in the Articles Index under "LNER Workings - BR Mk.1 - Secondary and Suburban". Hence these parts follow:

Inner suburban - "quad-art" sets
Outer Suburban - "quad-art" sets
Enter the Mk.1 stock

As always, the illustrations are shown in chronological order.

New additions placed here temporarily.

Two pictures from just after WW2 showing 1st and 3rd series quad-art sets; a good comparison of how they evolved:

N2 No 9499 is near New Southgate on 30th August 1948 with a train for Welwyn Garden City. A 1st series "quad-art" set can be seen with the opening toplights above the compartment windows removed (see 1931 picture of N2 4766 below and link underneath for details). The Fox bogies show well. Photo: E.R.Wethersett.

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A slightly earlier view on 5th July 1947 also near New Southgate with an Inner Suburban train for Welwyn Garden City. N2 No 9587 has a 3rd series "quad-art" set on Gresley heavy bogies. This time the signals can be seen! Photo: E.R.Wethersett.

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Inner suburban

In a scene from 1931, N2 No 4766 is approaching Wood Green with a 1st series 1921 GNR "quad-art" train. Clearly visible is the rebated guard's end with ducket and hinged, opening toplights in the compartment windows. The doors have fixed toplights. It's a warm day and many of the toplights are open - it was a feature of GNR-based designs that tends to be overlooked. They were later made rigid, and then eliminated altogether. To the right, a North London Railway train is headed by LMS "Jinty" No 16594, hauling ancient NLR 4w carriages. What a contrast! Photo: Author's collection.

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In an undated view from the 1930s, N1 No 4600, a long-stayer at King's Cross, sets off with a 2nd series set. The guard's end shows well and the destination of Potters Bar. Bogies are Gresley 8' heavy. Photo: author's collection.

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N2 No 4757 has an LNER "quad-art" train as it attacks Holloway bank on the exit from King's Cross in 1937. The destination board on the loco declares that it's for Hatfield. Note the ventilator bonnets over the doors. Photo: Photomatic.

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In this post-War scene from 1946, N2 2674 is near Hadley Wood with an LNER-built "quad-art" train coming out of the sun. The set number, 93, can just be made out on the end carriage. With apologies for the mucky state of the picture - AG Ellis copied many pictures with, it has to be said, varying degrees of success. Photo: AG Ellis

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N2 69521 attacks Holloway bank with an empty train towards the carriage sidings after the morning rush hour. A destination board for Hertford is still being carried and wedged behind it, another for New Barnet.

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L1 No 67784 heads out of King's Cross in June 1958 with the unique Set No 85 in which 1st class was restored and a strengthener was required for an evening rush-hour semi-fast working. This was the 5.58pm to Welwyn Garden City and the strengthener on this occasion was at the head and a Thompson 3rd, now 2nd of course. Photo: P.H. Groom.

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Outer suburban

Quad-art sets were also used for Outer Suburban workings as far afield as Cambridge and in this view from the 1920s, K2 No 4667 (KX) is at an unknown location with an Up train on an evening made up with a 2nd series set. The set numbers were 67-76 and the first digit "6" can be seen. Photo: author's collection.

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A scruffy post-War B17, No 1654 Sunderland at Hadley Wood station has an Outer Suburban working from Cambridge-King's Cross with a 1921 GNR "quad-art" train in the late 1940s. The Fox bogies can just be made out in the deep shade. The bodies are in the as-built condition with a full set of toplights, although the opening ones in the passenger windows had by then probably been sealed for not a single one is open. Photo: Author's collection.

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Another post-War Outer Suburban working from Cambridge-King's Cross behind a filthy loco, this time B1 No 1096, a March loco at the time as it rounds the curve near Potters Bar on 7th April 1946. It's another 1921 GNR "quad-art" train on which the Fox bogies are clear to see, and part of the Set No on the end "6-". In this set the passenger toplights had been eliminated altogether by re-glazing the whole window. Photo: D.A.Dant.

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Enter the Mk.1 stock

Withdrawal of the oldest, ex-GNR 1921 "quad-art" trains began in the early 1950s to be replaced by 5-sets of BR Mk.1 stock, initially made up: BS,S,S,S,BS.

They fitted into Moorgate but their capacity was so much lower that they could only be used off-peak. N2 No 69591 is leaving Hornsey with a train bound for Hatfield. Photo: P.H.Groom.

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N2 No 69532 has a similar formation with a down working north of Finsbury Park. The inverted destination board states CUFFLEY. Photo P.H.Groom.

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Second generation "quad-art" trains of 1923-24 were still serving in November 1959, seen here passing Bounds Green signal box at Wood Green behind "Baby Deltic" No D5904, which has the 10.45am SuO Hertford North-King's Cross. Photo: J.F.Aylard.

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Brush Type 2 No D5605 with a down working of BR Mk.1 stock (BS,S,S,S,BS), north of Finsbury Park. The coaches are a mixture of crimson and lined and unlined maroon liveries. Photo: Peter Groom.

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History of the quad-art designs is here.