French platforms and ballast

Now there's an enticing title for a blog!

Today had my first "visitors" to the site from France. What kept them so long? Can they not read English?

This book is a great source of photos for the era of late 1950s early 1960s when steam, diesel and electric were all prevalent on French tracks.

As far as I can see, tracks within mainline stations, especially under the canopy itself had only a mere smattering of ballast and certainly no discernible "shoulder"; the tracks seem to have been bolted directly onto concrete.

Whereas once out on the open road, so to speak, the track is raised up and thus does have a shoulder to each side of the ballast.

Most platforms were basically gray with sometimes an edging of coping stones, or an overhang or nothing at all. Later on, white lines to highlight the edge appeared.

I think I'll choose the edging which gives maximum visual effect.

I'll copy the lamp posts in this picture.

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Radio 3 on playback through the BBC iPlayer. A real enhancement to my quality of life.

Choral Evensong from St John's Church, Upper Norwood, London with the Choir of King's College, London on the Feast of the Holy Innocents

Introit: Vox in Rama (Bernadino de Ribera)
Responses: Tomkins
Office Hymn: Salvete flores martyrum (Victoria)
Psalms: 123 (Roseingrave) 124 (Knight) 127 (Garrett) and 128 (Turle)
First lesson: Jeremiah 31, vv15-17
Magnificat sexti toni a 12 (Victoria)
Second lesson: Matthew 2, vv13-18
Nunc dimittis (Victoria)
Anthem: Singet dem Herrn BWV 225 (Bach)
Hymn: Unto us is born a Son
Organ Voluntary: Prelude in G major BWV 541 (Bach)
Director of Music: David Trendell
Organ Scholars: Richard Hall and Christopher Woodward.