lostwin - BR in the mid 80's

[lostwin(m)]

I'm a new member to the site, but have been lurking for a while - particularly on the fantastic 'Back in the Day' thread. It has inspired me to dig out my old B&W negatives, grab a scanner and re-discover what I took at the time.

Like many I expect, I started by spotting and snapping but it evolved into bashing and more focused photography (pun intended!). I saved hard for my first proper camera - a Nikon FM2 with 50mm lens - and from '85 to '87 that accompanied me on my journeys around the network, until music and girls become more distracting By shooting B&W, I could develop and print myself and I was lucky enough to have a darkroom in the house - although my parents were very persistent in calling it the bathroom!

I loved Modern Railways Pictorial magazine at the time, particularly the Picture Parade and Rail Rover sections. Here, away from the news items, more creative approaches to recording the railways were encouraged and the traditional 3/4 view was much less dominant. Photographers like Les Nixon and especially, Brian Morrison were big influences. Looking back, I can see some of that in the photos I tried to take - albeit, not always successfully.

I could post a link to the Flickr page I have started, alternatively I could add a selection on subsequent posts - what is generally preferred?

To give a taste, this is one of my favourites.
25/10/86 - 87006 'City of Glasgow' awaits departure at the head of 15.10 to Euston, at Glasgow Central Station.

 

[lostwin(m)]

21/06/85. Class 20 - 20101 & 20177, Birmingham New Street. There is something vaguely dystopian about this image of a pair of 'choppers' at the head of a mail train at BNS. Possibly the steampunk front end or the reflection of overhead gantries in the cab windows. Or maybe it's just the nuclear bunker vibes of the brutalist concrete station itself.

 

[Cowley]

21/06/85. Class 20 - 20101 & 20177, Birmingham New Street. There is something vaguely dystopian about this image of a pair of 'choppers' at the head of a mail train at BNS. Possibly the steampunk front end or the reflection of overhead gantries in the cab windows. Maybe it's just the nuclear bunker vibes of the brutalist concrete station itself.
View attachment 144267

Love it. Welcome to the forum and please keep the photos coming. This is my favourite era!

 

[lostwin(m)]

Love it. Welcome to the forum and please keep the photos coming. This is my favourite era!

Thank you, I appreciate the welcome. Hopefully the format I am using to post is working Ok - I am inserting a full image, but compressing to a manageable size before doing so. I'll dig out one of my Syphon pictures next for you....

 

[Cowley]

Thank you, I appreciate the welcome. Hopefully the format I am using to post is working Ok - I am inserting a full image, but compressing to a manageable size before doing so. I'll dig out one of my Syphon pictures next for you....

Yep seems to working fine as far as I can see. I like the atmosphere of the black and white too.

You can can add multiple photos to each post if you want. Not sure if you were aware of that?

 

[lostwin(m)]

11/06/86. 37417 will shortly depart Garve station on the 17.55 Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh as the single track beyond is now clear following arrival and departure of 37414 on the 17.10 Kyle to inverness - seen disappearing in the far background. Fortunately, I was hiking at this point, so not left completely stranded!

 

[lostwin(m)]

31/10/86. 73002 stands at the head of the 03.30 Victoria - Dover Western Docks mixed passenger / mail service.

Now these were strange trains - primarily a newspaper and mail service - they were also an advertised passenger turn, usually with a single BSK mk1. I recall that they always seemed to attract a very odd assortment of occupants squashed together in the limited number of seats - city workers who had missed the last train, late night revellers, early morning workers - and even the odd train basher. For the latter, these were the services that the very tough to score 73/0's could appear on, especially as they were not permitted to work the Gatwick Express services. Tonight was my lucky night!

 

[lostwin(m)]

02/05/85. Stored at the back of Leicester Depot, awaiting decision on their long term future - 08021 and 08382 are in the process of being consumed by the undergrowth.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Fabulous times. Thamks for sharing.

My 35mm photography started mid-1986, it triggered several years of summer Rail Rovers - and many reels of Kodak and Fuji! I love the early sectorisation years and I look forward to enjoying the photos you share.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Fabulous times. Thamks for sharing.

My 35mm photography started mid-1986, it triggered several years of summer Rail Rovers - and many reels of Kodak and Fuji! I love the early sectorisation years and I look forward to enjoying the photos you share.

It was a really interesting time and one in which you could feel the variety ebbing away. classes 25 and 45 were all being cut into when I was around and the 40's were becoming very scarce. It wouldn't be long before others would follow. But equally, loco naming and BR liveries were evolving from the uniform blue / vellow, plus Railfreight creating it's own identity, were adding variety. Another big change was colour light signalling replacing semaphores and the signal boxes that would have controlled them. A troubled decade in many ways, but rich in railway terms.

 

[lostwin(m)]

30/07/85. Talking of semaphore signals reminds me of this picture. Despite being two arms down, the gantry at Newton Abbot still made for an impressive frame for 50044 with the 09.36 Liverpool - Penzance service in 1985.

 

[lostwin(m)]

15/10/85, 20170. This one always seems to bring a smile, the guard has obviously got a brew on! This lone 20 takes the freight line past Leicester station heading for the shed.

 

[telstarbox]

31/10/86. 73002 stands at the head of the 03.30 Victoria - Dover Western Docks mixed passenger / mail service.

Now these were strange trains - primarily a newspaper and mail service - they were also an advertised passenger turn, usually with a single BSK mk1. I recall that they always seemed to attract a very odd assortment of occupants squashed together in the limited number of seats - city workers who had missed the last train, late night revellers, early morning workers - and even the odd train basher. For the latter, these were the services that the very tough to score 73/0's could appear on, especially as they were not permitted to work the Gatwick Express services. Tonight was my lucky night!
View attachment 144303

Great photo.

 

[lostwin(m)]

29/04/85. Power car 43082 heads the 2025 Derby - St P, at Leicester station.
I enjoyed trying night time photography, although results could be somewhat unpredictable. This one came out well though and a low shooting angle helps make the most of the reflections from a rain soaked platform. 15 second exposure at f5.6.

 

[lostwin(m)]

And on a platform reflections theme...
21/10/86. D200/40122 idles at Carlisle after another North West downpour.
(Picture edited 27/10 to the one i meant to post)

 

[lostwin(m)]

01/09/85. By 1985, Peaks were clinging on on the MML, relegated to secondary stopping services as the availability of HST's continued to grow. 45146 on the 17.05 to Nottingham, will have to wait for the HST - power car 43155 leading - to leave with clear track ahead, on the 17.00 to Sheffield.

 

[lostwin(m)]

13/07/86. 37415 at Kyle of Lochalsh with the 14.00 service to Inverness.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Of the 1500 or so photos that I have, maybe 10% have enough standalone merit to be posted. I'll gradually work through them, but if there are any requests for a particular location or type of train then let me know. Remember, my shots cover a fairly tight time period, mainly '85 & '86 and whilst I travelled fairly extensively, I do seem to have limited pictures for the North East and North West and Wales.

 

[Cowley]

Of the 1500 or so photos that I have, maybe 10% have enough standalone merit to be posted. I'll gradually work through them, but if there are any requests for a particular location or type of train then let me know. Remember, my shots cover a fairly tight time period, mainly '85 & '86 and whilst I travelled fairly extensively, I do seem to have limited pictures for the North East and North West and Wales.

Anything around the South West for me, however I’m interested in everywhere really. Especially rarely photographed stuff like the 73 on the mail you posted.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Of the 1500 or so photos that I have, maybe 10% have enough standalone merit to be posted. I'll gradually work through them, but if there are any requests for a particular location or type of train then let me know. Remember, my shots cover a fairly tight time period, mainly '85 & '86 and whilst I travelled fairly extensively, I do seem to have limited pictures for the North East and North West and Wales.

You certainly travelled more during 1985-1986 than I! My '86 shots were primarily Crewe Works scrap lines (40s, split box 45053, a long-term resident 84008). From 1987, I had more opportunities for photography.

Although I'd regularly seen the 25s In the early 1980s, my only 35mm shots of 25s are 057 at Crewe, plus Tamworth Castle in "Ice Cream van" garb and, later, in 2-tone green. So, any photos you can share of 25s in active service, I'd love to see them!

I also enjoy 1980s photos of the disappearing infrastructure / rolling stock - eg, vacuum fitted freight stock / semaphores / gated level crossings.

 

[Sun Chariot]

11/06/86 .... 37414 on the 17.10 Kyle to inverness - seen disappearing in the far background
View attachment 144297

Interesting to see an inspection saloon on the back of the Inverness-bound service. I presume a "piggyback" return to Inverness depot; unless it was being used as an observation car for West Highland passengers? I don't recall such a use; I'm only aware of the 101 conversion for Kyle Line, plus the "Mexican Bean" 104 for Oban Line.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Interesting to see an inspection saloon on the back of the Inverness-bound service. I presume a "piggyback" return to Inverness depot; unless it was being used as an observation car for West Highland passengers? I don't recall such a use; I'm only aware of the 101 conversion for Kyle Line, plus the "Mexican Bean" 104 for Oban Line.

I was trying to interpret my notes for this photo for about 10 mins last night- I think I got the direction of the trains correct, but it is possible I've got them the wrong way around.

 

[lostwin(m)]

As there seems to be some interest in the night mixed passenger / mail trains out of London, I'll post a few others that I have.

01/11/86. On the same night as the previous picture, here is 73002 again this time standing next to 73130 which was heading a similar service - 03.10 Victoria - Sittingbourne.


And here is 73002 after arrival at Dover Western Docks.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Slightly later in the year, I had a highly productive double overnighter 23 & 24/12/86.

23/12/86 - 73116 & 73133 were at the head of the 22.38 Weymouth - Waterloo, seen here at Woking at 2.50am. Again a mixed passenger / mail service.


The following night, I needed to get to the Kent coast for Christmas with my relatives. What better way than to try my luck with the overnight mails. Tonight they produced big time, with both 73003 and 73004 heading up services, both to the Kent coast - but completely different routes. A bit of timetable work and an early morning unit move allowed me to grab both of them for haulage. A nice early Christmas present!

24/12/86. These were not quick services, as at each stop they needed to disgorge the appropriate mail bags. I jumped on to the platform at Broadstairs to photograph the scene - my notes say it was 4.50am. 73004 heads the 02.45 Victoria - Deal.

24/12/86. The driver of 73003 secures the cab after arrival with the 03.30 Victoria - Dover WD.

 

[lostwin(m)]

Finally - and correct me if I am wrong here - but these Kent bound services had moved to London Bridge by 1987. Certainly, that is where I took this image of 33211 on the 04.09 to Ramsgate, 09/08/87. My notes also remind me that I had put my bags on the train to 'reserve' a seat whilst I took photos well before the official departure time, only to see the train power out of the platform. Fortunately, it was only a shunting manoeuvre and the train, with my stuff came back 5 mins later!

 

[Ash Bridge]

And welcome from me to the forums.

Many thanks for posting these shots, absolutely superb!

 

[lostwin(m)]

And welcome from me to the forums.

Many thanks for posting these shots, absolutely superb!

thank you!

 

[lostwin(m)]

You certainly travelled more during 1985-1986 than I! My '86 shots were primarily Crewe Works scrap lines (40s, split box 45053, a long-term resident 84008). From 1987, I had more opportunities for photography.

Although I'd regularly seen the 25s In the early 1980s, my only 35mm shots of 25s are 035 at Crewe, plus Tamworth Castle in "Ice Cream van" garb and, later, in 2-tone green). So, any photos you can share of 25s in active service, I'd love to see them!

I also enjoy 1980s photos of the disappearing infrastructure / rolling stock - eg, vacuum fitted freight stock / semaphores / gated level crossings.

I have a few pictures of 'rats' on both passenger and freight. This one's pretty good;

Jan '86 - 25202 with coal train empties, passes Ratcliffe Power Station.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Jan '86 - 25202 with coal train empties, passes Ratcliffe Power Station.
View attachment 144352

Wonderfully moody shot - many thanks

 

[Hairy Bear]

Pedant mode - "ON"
Except there not coal empties.
They'll be the short lived ZHV wagons for ballast spoil, you can tell by the 2 cutouts in each wagon.
Pedant Mode - "Off"