lostwin - BR in the mid 80's

[Sun Chariot]

31/07/85. 45037 brings it's mixed goods load into the station environs.

View attachment 156365

The first half of the 1980s involved annual family pilgrimage, to my grandmother in Exmouth. Exeter St David's & Dawlish were regular haunts, during those summer holidays. So this photo brings back many fond memories.
Peaks and wagonload freights - ah, those were the days!

My 35mm photography only started in 1986 and so I rue the shots merely captured on dreaded 110 format.

 

[lostwin(m)]

I like the backdrop at Plymouth station, with rows of housing either tucked up against the line or providing a more distant visa depending on which side you shot. Examples of both to follow.

29/07/85. 47001 with loaded railflats threads its way through Platform 8.

 

[lostwin(m)]

March (?) 86 - I don't have an exact date for this one. Possibly a contender for the smartest shunter around at the time - although efforts were made locally in a few places to enhance the appearance of the station pilot. 08953 carrying the name Plymouth on the end of vans.

 

[lostwin(m)]

The first half of the 1980s involved annual family pilgrimage, to my grandmother in Exmouth. Exeter St David's & Dawlish were regular haunts, during those summer holidays. So this photo brings back many fond memories.
Peaks and wagonload freights - ah, those were the days!

My 35mm photography only started in 1986 and so I rue the shots merely captured on dreaded 110 format.

I have a few 110 cameras in my collection, although these were acquired after my rail photography days. The Pentax and Minolta SLR versions have decent lenses that help improve results, but negative size is a limiting factor. Amazing the quality that can now be obtained digitally from much smaller sensors than 110 size - such as those in a phone.

 

[Ashley Hill]

March (?) 86 - I don't have an exact date for this one. Possibly a contender for the smartest shunter around at the time - although efforts were made locally in a few places to enhance the appearance of the station pilot. 08953 carrying the name Plymouth on the end of vans.

View attachment 156417

It lost that name by 1988 when it came to Exeter. By then it often carried the name Gillian on the battery box who was a girl I knew at the time. (Don’t tell Mrs H). It was either done in chalk or tar so never stayed on long.

 

[Peter Sarf]

It lost that name by 1988 when it came to Exeter. By then it often carried the name Gillian on the battery box who was a girl I knew at the time. (Don’t tell Mrs H). It was either done in chalk or tar so never stayed on long.

Poor girl. And what was the shunter name made up of !.

 

[whoosh]

Wow! @lostwin(m) I'm delighted to have discovered this thread. The dream-like quality of black & white; the familiar sights that are now out of reach; the ordinary, drab days of BR blue - but the not so ordinary compositions of many of the pictures; the added interest of people. AND quite a collection of different locations far and wide.

Superb!

 

[lostwin(m)]

Wow! @lostwin(m) I'm delighted to have discovered this thread. The dream-like quality of black & white; the familiar sights that are now out of reach; the ordinary, drab days of BR blue - but the not so ordinary compositions of many of the pictures; the added interest of people. AND quite a collection of different locations far and wide.

Superb!

Great feedback, thank you - very much appreciated and glad you have enjoyed travelling back in time. It's hard to believe that this is all now nearly 40 years ago. I do still remember taking some of the images and the journeys involved quite clearly, others I look at and I don't recall that I even travelled to the location - so some surprises along the way, even for me!

I am still scanning fresh images from my collection, so I have a few more lined up to post over the next couple of weeks.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Hopefully this little set of shots is of interest. Given a bit of time, I would often take multiple photographs of a particular train at a specific location, finding different ways of capturing the scene. In this instance, the arrival removal and run round of the loco gave a number of options. In fact, two images of this working have already been posted in the thread, this is the best of the rest of the dozen or so I took at the time.

09/07/86. 27042 after arrival at Arbroath having worked in on the 16.03 from Glasgow. The loco is about to be detached to run around the train. You can just see the driver jumping down from the cab - I think this is the carriage sidings beyond the station.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Now detached and running round the stock.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Running back through the station, the old loading gauge is an interesting feature.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Attached to the stock and in place to work the 18.50 return working to Glasgow.

 

[Sun Chariot]

09/07/86. 27042 after arrival at Arbroath having worked in on the 16.03 from Glasgow. The loco is about to be detached to run around the train. You can just see the driver jumping down from the cab - I think this is the carriage sidings beyond the station.
View attachment 156567

Gem of a shot. It begs to be modelled in N or OO scales.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Gem of a shot. It begs to be modelled in N or OO scales.

Thanks! It’s not as sharp as I would like, but I liked the composition - it’s unusual to be able to include the whole train shot from the rear.

 

[lostwin(m)]

I have uncovered a few more shots taken at Leeds. This is one of the locations I have no recollection of ever visiting, photographic evidence obviously suggests otherwise!

05/07/86. 45119 arriving 40 minutes late on the 08.00 Liverpool - Newcastle. The window hanger doesn't care, the little girl in the first carriage window is less convinced...

 

[lostwin(m)]

Same train, much discussion. Dare I call this shot 'Peek of a Peak'?

 

[lostwin(m)]

18/07/86 - looks like I was back there again. I never took much interest in identifying the various classes of DMU. But this one I do recognise, as Hornby released a model of it at the time - it's a 110, isn't it?

Based on the headcode it is going to - or perhaps come from - Doncaster.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Back down to my stomping ground in Hampshire and a mix of Cromptons and what I think (hopefully) are 3 & 4 ‘Hamp’ units.

10/08/85. 33107 is positioned to detach the rear mail van from a NE/SW cross country working.

 

[lostwin(m)]

11/08/85. 33112 has arrived from Reading hauling a 4TC and sits in the Platform at Portsmouth Harbour next to a 3H unit.

 

[lostwin(m)]

11/08/85. Just up the line at Portsmouth and Southsea, another 3H unit departs for the Harbour. (Edited)

 

[lostwin(m)]

The narrowing platforms seen in the image above allowed for an interesting view when you positioned yourself right at the end.

 

[Gloster]

11/08/85. Just up the line at Portsmouth and Southsea, another 3H unit approaches from the NW.

View attachment 156621

I reckon it is leaving westwards for the Harbour.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Yes, having checked Google maps, I agree. The station is not at all where I would have put it if asked from memory. I felt it was on the northern outskirts, but it seems very central. Funny how your geographic perception can work if you never leave the station.

Even to this day, if someone asks me if I have been to a certain place in the country, I have to qualify my positive response by stating that I’ve actually only been to the train station!

 

[lostwin(m)]

A varied batch of stuff coming up from two trips to Scotland in July and October '86.

18/07/86. A unit leaves North Queensferry and heads for the Forth Bridge en-route to the capital.

edit: looking at this more closely, it is strange that you can only see one span of the bridge - and it is not Photoshop!. I'd assumed it was straight but presumably it must have a slight curve which hides the remaining spans from this view.

 

[lostwin(m)]

18/07/86. 47701 eases into Waverley at the front of a push-pull working from Glasgow. At least that's what my notes say, I reckon looking at it now, it is actually departing for the second city.

 

[lostwin(m)]

18/07/86. 47018 pulls into Markinch (nope, me neither!) working the 12.30 Dundee - Edinburgh.

 

[lostwin(m)]

18/10/86. 25037 has brought the last leg of the 16.48 from Penzance into Edinburgh, from Carstairs. Wide open aperture gives a portrait style image.

 

[lostwin(m)]

21/10/86. 47537 is awaiting its next duty at Glasgow Central.

 

[Cowley]

Loving these photos @lostwin(m)!

 

[D6130]

21/10/86. 47537 is awaiting its next duty at Glasgow Central.

View attachment 156696

Nice composition with the 1961-vintage Westinghouse signal in the foreground.