Words and pictures by Mark Richards

The last First Capital Connect service from Moorgate departed at 1954 on Friday 20^th March 2009 bringing the curtain down on the Moorgate branch, which dates back to 1868.

The branch, which runs from Farringdon via Barbican has been closed permanently to passenger services as part of the Thameslink programme, which will see the platforms at Farringdon extended to take 12-carriage trains. This will sever the junction for Moorgate.

The final scheduled passenger service was the 1906 to Bedford formed of Southern-branded units 319214 and 319009. A countdown clock at the head of platforms 5 and 6 at Moorgate marked the last minutes and seconds to the departure, although it clearly hadn’t been set correctly as the countdown ended a couple of minutes before the 1906 was due to depart.

Units 319370 and 319372 arrived at Moorgate with the penultimate passenger service, arriving on Platform 5 and shortly after their departure ‘toothpaste’ liveried 319364 and 319365 arrived also at Platform 5 to form the 1954 to Kentish Town, the ‘official’ last train from Moorgate.

There were about 200 enthusiasts I would guess at Moorgate for the final departure and the First Capital Connect staff were joined by Managing Director Elaine Holt who was helping issue the commemorative tickets, chatting to the crowd and posing with the headboards adorned to the two 319s. The commemorative tickets for the final service were free with a donation requested to The Railway Children charity.

Unfortunately there were some who did not heed the warnings that flash photography was not allowed due to the close proximity of the London Underground. The warnings over the public address became steadily more exasperated until finally they were warning that the British Transport Police would be called to remove individuals continuing to use flash photography. Fortunately this did not happen although it did slightly dampen the spirits of what was otherwise a good-natured evening.

319364 and 319365 left Moorgate on time at 1954 with little fanfare, other than a short blast on  the horn and wave goodbye from Elaine Holt and her team on the platform. You can view our Farewell to Moorgate gallery here.

Above: Commemorative ticket issued by First Capital Connect for the final service from Moorgate

Right: 319364 Transforming Blackfriars and 319365 Transforming Farringdon shortly after arrival at Moorgate before being prepared for the final 1954 departure to Kentish Town