Commuting in Days Gone By

[Matey]

Here's a chance to let imagination run riot. You are permitted to go back in time, or not, and imagine that you have the ideal job that allows you to commute daily on a stretch of line of your choice that either exists today, or has existed at some time. Journey time max 90 mins and one change allowed. Please explain the reason for your choice and what period your commuting would be in.

 

[Mat17]

Sheffield Victoria to Manchester London Road in the early-mid 1950s. Always wanted to travel the line, never got the chance. I'd like to see it in its prime, catch the tail end of the steam service and experience the transition to a new, modern electrified railway system.

 

[Bevan Price]

No need to imagine, it is what I did for several years as a student.
St. Helens Shaw Sreet to either St. Helens Junction or Earlestown (dependent on lecture times):
Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T and 2 coach push-pull set.

St. Helens Junction. Joined 07:45 Liverpool Lime St. - Manchester Exchange.
Usually a Stanier Black 5, but other classes could appear. including 2-6-4 Tanks, Jubilees, and just once, a Bushbury 4F 0-6-0

or Earlestown. Join 09:00 Liverpool- Newcastle; almost always a Royal Scot or Rebuilt Patriot 4-6-0.
(Loco worked as far as Leeds, returned in early afternoon, then worked locals Liverpool to Preston and back)

Return
Mainchester Exchange dep. 17:00 (Hull-Liverpool service)
Almost always a Farnley Junction Black 5 4-6-0; very occasionally a Jubilee or something else.

Earlestown. Join train from Warrington to St. Helens Shaw Street,
Still a 2 coach push-pull set, but loco being sent to St. Helens was booked to return south from St. Helens on a freight (SX).
Could be almost anything; Crewe South Black 5 4-6-0s and Stanier 2-6-0s were the most common, but Jubilees were not unknown, and a very occasional Stanier 8F 2-8-0.

 

[Sm5]

1. Blackpool to Manchester, on an LYR Club train, with Dreadnought 4-6-0s, Highflyers etc. 1920’s.
2. Brighton Belle 1930’s.
3. Reading to London Paddington with fast Prairies 1940’s.
4. Enfield to Liverpool st with N7’s 1950’s.
5. Crewe to Manchester with AM4’s 1960’s.
6. Moorgate lines with 31’s 1970’s.
7. Liverpool and Manchester DC lines 50x stock) 1980’s.
8. Blackpool to Manchesters with anything SP had, plus 31/37’s 1990’s.
9. SWR Metrolines with mk1 EMUs 2000’s.
10. Cornish branches with 143’s 2010s.
11. Southern Metro with 455’s 2020’s.

somewhere in that lot i’d fit Baby Deltics, and NBL class 21/29, and LMS 2-6-4Ts..

 

[30907]

Provided I can use average journey times, Southampton (otherwise Winchester) to Waterloo around 1960. I would have preferred Salisbury for the extra mileage, but the average journey time is 91min
The homeward train is the non-stop 6.30pm, and when I don't need to be in early I will use the Up Royal Wessex.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think for me it'd have to be Metro-Land of Betjeman's time. Affordable houses (relatively, I am on a London salary but couldn't afford one now!) in beautiful places with the lovely curiosities of the Metropolitan Line.

Not sure I'd be too bothered about which station.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I think for me it'd have to be Metro-Land of Betjeman's time. Affordable houses (relatively, I am on a London salary but couldn't afford one now!) in beautiful places with the lovely curiosities of the Metropolitan Line.

Not sure I'd be too bothered about which station.

Chorleywood or Rickmansworth would be good - if decently dressed you could treat yourself to a "gin and splash" on the return in a Pullman car. Suplement required of course.

Ist class from Penarth in the 1920's I rather fancy .......

 

[Statto]

Merseyrail in the 60s well before the loop & link were built, using the former triangle at Bidston Moss, & the old Hamilton Square station when it was a 2 platform layout, & Bidston station used to be totally different too, with additional tracks going to the old steel works.

 

[Harvester]

Peterborough-Kings Cross 1962/63. In the year leading up to the June 1963 steam ban, the Parlies produced a wide range of steam motive power. In addition to the B1s and V2s, A1, A2, A3 and A4 Pacifics displaced by diesels on top link work, were regularly employed.

 

[SteveM70]

Crianlarich or Arrochar into Glasgow, late 70s to mid 80s.

It’d mean I was living in the countryside in an area I love, working in one of the great cities, and a 27 or 37 to get me to and fro.

Ideally with steam heated compartment stock

And there’d be the occasional weather-related mayhem as an added bonus

 

[Bletchleyite]

Merseyrail in the 60s well before the loop & link were built, using the former triangle at Bidston Moss, & the old Hamilton Square station when it was a 2 platform layout, & Bidston station used to be totally different too, with additional tracks going to the old steel works.

Might be nice to see Exchange, Central and old Ormskirk I guess, but I don't think the rest of suburban Merseyrail has changed that much.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Crianlarich or Arrochar into Glasgow, late 70s to mid 80s.

It’d mean I was living in the countryside in an area I love, working in one of the great cities, and a 27 or 37 to get me to and fro.

Ideally with steam heated compartment stock

And obviously a shorter working day with the first arrival into Queen St well after 11.00 and the last train back at 18.35/18.50 although the 1638/1650 with refreshments available from the RMB would be preferable.

And there’d be the occasional weather-related mayhem as an added bonus

And more frequently delays due to loco failures - or sometimes looped at Dumbarton Central to wait delayed passengers who missed the train from Queen St coming out on the next EMU!

 

[Springs Branch]

In the late 1960s and through the 70s, an uncle had a regular 'briefcase & brolly' commute between Bolton and Manchester Victoria.

Although he would grumble about the frequent and sometimes hefty fare increases and ASLEF industrial action at the time, as a general rule his daily journeys sounded fairly dependable, comfortable and easy. Certainly, compared to the disruptions, cancellations, overcrowding and bustitutions you'd likely get doing the same commute today.

IIRC, his inward trip in the morning was on a 6-car 'white stripe' BRCW Class 104 ex-Blackpool. Never seemed to be a problem getting a seat from Bolton, and he had the option of cursory conversation (most likely a moan about the unions or BR) if sitting with some of the 'regulars', or hiding behind a rustling broadsheet newspaper, depending on his mood. At Man Vic, he could nip out of the side gate near Platform 16 to get to his office on Cheetham Hill Rd, rather than navigating the crowds at the main ticket barriers.

I think his most conveniently-timed train home in the evening was bound for Blackburn, so likely a Cravens 105. A bit noisy and rattly, with a few intermediate stops along the way, but he had the company of a friend who worked at Manchester Crown Court and often joined this train at Salford.

All in all, not a bad routine - mostly without any Reggie Perrin-type delays due to "badger on the points at Agecroft Junction", "wrong type of snow" or drunk vomiting in the carriage on Friday evenings. I have thought in the past I wouldn't have minded too much if I had to do something similar back then (from Wigan rather than Bolton).

Between Wigan and Manchester, I had the choice of a couple of fast peak-hour Southport expresses, stopping only at Salford (Central), usually formed of the 'white stripe' units. Or if commuting into Liverpool there were some non-stop trains between Wallgate & Liverpool Exchange, taking about 24 mins (Calder Valley units on the service to Bradford & Leeds).

I haven't chosen either of these for the scenic splendours along the way (Liverpool's derelict northern dockland and the abandoned coal mining areas along the Atherton line were dire in that era). Rather for an apparently dependable and relatively stress-free start and end to the working day.


BTW, speaking of commuting - what was the format of season tickets back in the day?
I have a vague memory of my uncle's being a stout piece of buff-coloured card printed with the relevant stations and expiry day applied in purple ink with a rubber stamp. Is this how they looked?

 

[The exile]

Of course, while it’s great to have the rose/tinted specs on, commuting in quite a lot of places would have given a lot less flexibility than now. Thinking of my local area, “commuter” stations now have more trains calling before 8am than they used to have all day….

 

[Rescars]

Here's a flight of fancy! Pre-Grouping, how about the Midland Railway service between Morecambe to Leeds, provided I am allowed to join my chums and travel in the Club Carriage?

 

[Matey]

Another flight of fancy! Pre-Grouping about 1914. First class return season ticket. Aviemore to Forres. Marvellous scenery on a challenging route, plenty of HR and GNoS locos to see and a wee dram and a bed at the Royal Station Hotel Forres (overnight at my employer's expense), if the line is blocked by snow.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Of course, while it’s great to have the rose/tinted specs on, commuting in quite a lot of places would have given a lot less flexibility than now. Thinking of my local area, “commuter” stations now have more trains calling before 8am than they used to have all day….

Largely because commuting now goes further out, helped by fast trains. In steam days, a Northampton to Euston stopper would have taken well over two hours, a bit long for a commute. The extent of the WCML commuter belt then was Watford DC.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Brighton to London Victoria on the Brighton Belle.
Three Bridges to London Victoria, changing at Gatwick Airport onto The Gatwick Express (back when it was every 15 minutes)

 

[43096]

Bristol/Swindon to London from 1976. Much faster trains than previously and of course Valenta power.

 

[mike57]

Brighton Belle, Brighton - London - Brighton before they repainted it in two tone grey blue. I was fortunate to travel on it twice as a youngster maybe aged 7 or 8. Makes me wonder, havent seen or heard anything about the 5BEL project recently.

 

[The exile]

Largely because commuting now goes further out, helped by fast trains. In steam days, a Northampton to Euston stopper would have taken well over two hours, a bit long for a commute. The extent of the WCML commuter belt then was Watford DC.

True - though not for the two I was thinking of which are both less than 10 miles from the main destination.

 

[32475]

Another season ticket for the Brighton Belle for me please! Circa 1967 in its proper livery and still plenty of green Maunsell stock to see, green and cream painted stations, green enamel signs and maybe seeing some steam thundering through Clapham Junction.
I never went on the Belle but I saw it plenty of times from ‘67 until its withdrawal.
At Victoria I’d also like to get occasional connecting trains on the Golden Arrow and the Night Ferry if I may?

 

[DarloRich]

As a flight of fancy: Fenny Stratford > Euston at almost any time pre privatisation. Would it be all that different? Slower perhaps but also a nicer train ( although I am a big fan of the 350's) with fewer passengers and perhaps a buffet

( and I take @Bletchleyite point above about the limits of historic WCML south commuting but there must have been people going to London. Those big houses weren't there for fun. I agree the people living in my house in 1923/33/43/53/63 & 73 weren't going to London for work but those in the big house?)

 

[Matey]

1. Blackpool to Manchester, on an LYR Club train, with Dreadnought 4-6-0s, Highflyers etc. 1920’s.
2. Brighton Belle 1930’s.
3. Reading to London Paddington with fast Prairies 1940’s.
4. Enfield to Liverpool st with N7’s 1950’s.
5. Crewe to Manchester with AM4’s 1960’s.
6. Moorgate lines with 31’s 1970’s.
7. Liverpool and Manchester DC lines 50x stock) 1980’s.
8. Blackpool to Manchesters with anything SP had, plus 31/37’s 1990’s.
9. SWR Metrolines with mk1 EMUs 2000’s.
10. Cornish branches with 143’s 2010s.
11. Southern Metro with 455’s 2020’s.

somewhere in that lot i’d fit Baby Deltics, and NBL class 21/29, and LMS 2-6-4Ts..

I travelled regularly between Reading and Slough in the 1950s. The drivers on the 61xx locos often raced the Halls on the fast line starting out from Reading. A signal stop, on the down line outside Reading in summer permitted one to gaze at the floral display of "Suttons Seeds" trial beds. Further up the line could be seen pannier tanks serving the Slough Trading Estate branch. The Windsor branch triangle junction and engine shed at Slough. All gone.

 

[devon_belle]

Richmond to Kensington on an LSWR steam train, or indeed a commute along that line when the GWR/MR ran on part of it, too. (Pictured: LSWR train at Kensington, 1872)


I also think I'd like to commute on the LBSCR elevated electrification system c1910. (Pictured: London Victoria in the 20s?)


Finally, commuting on the GWR broad gauge into London Victoria would be amazing. (Pictured: London Victoria LC&DR side, 1865)


I enjoy the idea of commuting on grouping and BR era trains too but I think these are well documented in photographs and in some cases living memory whereas older suggestions have more historical value to me.

 

[nw1]

Southern Region 1970s.

The stock would be much the same as what was actually there during my school commuting years (most of the 80s bar the first couple of years or so) but the workings and diagramming would probably be different and it would be interesting to see how it differed from that in place in the 80s.

Would also be interesting to see SUBs, something that I just missed out on.

I have a particular fascination for the 15 years or so prior to when I started to use the railways (so the 15 years starting in about 1967). Perhaps because it would be both familiar and different. I wonder if this is a common pattern for others?

 

[contrex]

Redhill to Victoria pre-1966, Tin Hal or 4-LAV. From 1963 to 1969 I commuted to school in Queen Mary SUBs and occasionally Shebas.

 

[AntoniC]

1977 - 1983.
I used to commute from Birkdale to Blundellsands & Crosby ( Merseyrail Network) to get to school at St Mary`s College Crosby.
My memory is the extra comfy seats on the Class 502/503 EMU sets !.

 

[Taunton]

Thing to remember about old-time commuting is that before about 1965 most offices worked a 5½ day week. That meant going in 6 mornings out of 7, which really cut down on desire for longer distance commuting, especially as Saturdays were only half a day and thus wasteful on travelling time compared to 4 hours work.

Merseyrail in the 60s well before the loop & link were built, using the former triangle at Bidston Moss, & the old Hamilton Square station when it was a 2 platform layout, & Bidston station used to be totally different too, with additional tracks going to the old steel works.

Ah. In the mid-1960s we moved from Somerset to along this very Wirral Electric line. It wasn't that much different to today, apart from the trains being more comfortable, more reliable, and longer, all 6-car. The service was more intense than nowadays and the peak hour working across the tunnel junction at Hamilton Square was an art to see from the platform end, with scarcely a delay, as were the automated reversing procedures at Liverpool Central. The third side of the Bidston triangle was not (or hardly) used by electric trains, although it had conductor rails, it did have the Wrexham line diesels, which went to New Brighton at this time.

The steelworks was actually built new, probably around 1970, on the site of the onetime Wrexham line marshalling yard and loco shed. It was a modern electric-arc type which reprocessed scrap. It only lasted about 15 years and closed in 1985.

 

[Rescars]

Richmond to Kensington on an LSWR steam train, or indeed a commute along that line when the GWR/MR ran on part of it, too. (Pictured: LSWR train at Kensington, 1872)
View attachment 138278

I also think I'd like to commute on the LBSCR elevated electrification system c1910. (Pictured: London Victoria in the 20s?)
View attachment 138280

Finally, commuting on the GWR broad gauge into London Victoria would be amazing. (Pictured: London Victoria LC&DR side, 1865)
View attachment 138279

I enjoy the idea of commuting on grouping and BR era trains too but I think these are well documented in photographs and in some cases living memory whereas older suggestions have more historical value to me.

What splendid photos - especially the mixed gauge at Victoria. And what are those signals?