Compound Eye's photostream  

The first time I skimmed through this book I knew exactly where I'd seen this shot before... It's the 'Head Technician' from the quite splendid Pye Corner Audio Transcription Services -

pyecorneraudio.bandcamp.com/album/the-head-technicians-ge...

In reality, a photograph of the Mail Rail control room at Mount Pleasant depot.

This looks like one of the very early trains, as the motive units I'm used to seeing look far more conventional than this - more like mini shunters.

Although not intended for passenger transport, the Mail Rail does actually have a small number of carriages intended for work crews and one royal carriage spacious enough to accomodate Phillip's outdated racist bigotry and the Queen's outrageous hats.

I've seen a lot of photographs of the Mount Pleasant depot station and control room [the hub of the entire system], but I wonder what surprises the other stations and depots might hold.

What appears to be a line switching console for a station overtaking loop, with empty mail rail bins behind.

I love this sort of modernist technology, and would half fancy building a nicely lit 'mock-up' if I had the tools and the time.

The clincher. This chapter single-handedly made L&L 1970 a must have purchase.

Sadly, London's 'Mail Rail' is no longer in use, although kept in full working order and it's various stations routinely powered up. I would love to visit, but the PO won't even let Subterranea Britannica down there these days.