Favourite final memories of motive power/trains.

[Cowley]

We all like a bit of nostalgia now and again and I was remembering recently the last time I had a 33 on a service train - 33101 from Exeter to Feniton on a chilly 5th January evening in 1991, watching it disappear into the darkness.
There's others too, one being in the late 90s as I was driving up the M5 northbound between Exeter and Tiverton Junction on my way to work in Tiverton. It was a misty morning at about 8:30am and I realised that I was being overtaken by a 47/8 on a loco hauled Paddington train. I managed to keep pace with it for a while but it was going faster than me as the flashing tail light disappeared and reappeared in the mist, it was a magical moment really and remains my favourite memory of the final days of 47s on proper trains.

I'd love to hear from people on here of their final memories of different trains/locos etc.
Sometimes you'd have had no idea that it was the last time you would have experienced a moment that you'd have seen so many times before.
What was it like when you look back and remember the last time you saw a Black 5/Thumper Unit or maybe a class 40/Deltic etc head off out of a chilly station in the middle of the night when nobody else was around to even notice it?

 

[GusB]

The last time I remember a scheduled loco-hauled service would have been in the early 90s. My friend and I took a trip to Aberdeen in his beige Metro and he was keen to try out the then-new class 158s. We took a short trip south to Stonehaven, and I remember phoning home from the train, watching with horror as the units on my Phonecard disappeared at a horrendous rate.

The return journey was 47-hauled. I'm not sure where the service originated, but something at the back of my mind says it was Penzance. By this time, I think Inverness - Aberdeen, which was my local route, had been Sprinterised. That was certainly the last regular loco-hauled train I remember being on.

 

[Cowley]

The last time I remember a scheduled loco-hauled service would have been in the early 90s. My friend and I took a trip to Aberdeen in his beige Metro and he was keen to try out the then-new class 158s. We took a short trip south to Stonehaven, and I remember phoning home from the train, watching with horror as the units on my Phonecard disappeared at a horrendous rate.

The return journey was 47-hauled. I'm not sure where the service originated, but something at the back of my mind says it was Penzance. By this time, I think Inverness - Aberdeen, which was my local route, had been Sprinterised. That was certainly the last regular loco-hauled train I remember being on.

That's funny because during one of those periods of my life that I drifted away from the railway scene I did somehow find myself on a sleeper train from Preston to Dundee one night around 1998 (it's a long story).
I remember waking up and deciding to go for a look out of a droplight as we crossed the Tay Bridge. When I exited the berth there was an enormous red headed guy standing looking out of the window with a kilt on (I still have to remind myself that this actually happened), and he gave me a filthy look despite my oh so friendly smile...
This I think was the last time I travelled behind a 47 on the mainline. Slightly uncomfortable but quite apt in a way.

 

[LowLevel]

The last days of the First North Western North Wales Coast to Birmingham loco hauled services in 2003. I remember going shopping in Birmingham with my mum and used one of these trains between Wolverhampton and New Street with a RES 47 and GW Mk2s. I've had 47s on service trains since but this was one of the last tranche of them being in regular service in various places.

Particularly poignant as I remember reading a newspaper on the train about the first night of America bombing Iraq to smithereens.

 

[70014IronDuke]

Cowley - is this a 'misplaced nostalgia' or a 'genuine nostalgia' thread?

Please clarify as any hint of rose-tinted eye-wear is strictly no no for me

 

[Cowley]

Cowley - is this a 'misplaced nostalgia' or a 'genuine nostalgia' thread?

Please clarify as any hint of rose-tinted eye-wear is strictly no no for me

To be honest I'd had a few last night when I started this and I woke up this morning thinking the same thing.
I hope it's genuine nostalgia though, so go on IronDuke, I know you were on some of those last Black 5 turns in the north west in 1968...

 

[yorksrob]

Pure nostalgia alert here !

I'll never forget my last journey on a VEP (scheduled or otherwise) after over twenty years of regular usage. I was travelling back from Leeds to my home town of Ashford in Kent, and as I waited in the Eastern side of Victoria there were four trains, one a VEP, the others electrostars/networkers. I waited in anticipation, hoping beyond hope that the VEP was going to Ashford. Finally with a flappety flap of the good old solari board (which Vic still had in those days) it was announced that the VEP was going to Ashford. I was extatic !

I was also near the barrier, so I was able to claim my customary place by the window in one of the standard class compartments, in spite of the train being quite busy with commuting types. It was a light summers evening, so I was able to enjoy a wonderful noisy trip back with the droplight down on the stopper from Vic as i had done so many times before

Sadly my luck was to run out for the rest of that weekend. I had a day trip to Canterbury (rail replacement bus - damn). I also made a trip to Sandling Junction (the reason for which escapes me) but that was an electrostar. To add insult to injury what should come speeding through non-stop, but a slammer in all its glory.

My trip back up North via London with my sisters was similarly slidy-doorified (although I later received a text from my sisters that they'd caught a slammer back to Ashford, much to my jelousy).

And that was that.

 

[DerekC]

Mine is a last journey behind a steam locomotive on the WCML, from Euston to Berkhamsted. I am pretty sure it was a Class 5. I recall night, frost and leaning out of the first window of the train with the bulk of the tender right next to me and the glow from the fire shining out now and then. Must have been in the winter of 1965/66 because the wires were up.

PS - definite nostalgia with maybe even a rose tint!

 

[30907]

Last BR steam (bar VoR), Swanage to Waterloo in August 1966. Rebuild 34040 Crewkerne, load 12 from Wareham.

 

[Mag_seven]

Last run behind a Class 87 was 87012 from Euston to Wolverton (I should have alighted at Milton Keynes but not paying attention made me miss the stop!)

 

[Cowley]

Last BR steam (bar VoR), Swanage to Waterloo in August 1966. Rebuild 34040 Crewkerne, load 12 from Wareham.

I just watched Clan Line race up the valley from our garden. Bullieds look magnificent in full flight I must say.

 

[class387]

Quite recent, but I was very sad at the end of the last journey on D78 stock. It was always my favourite LU stock and the train that made me a railway enthusiast so I was very sad to see it go so early.

Safe to say it was hard to get on a S stock after that.

 

[antharro]

Obligatory 442 reference.

I, in a group of 4 or 5 others, spent an afternoon riding 442s on the Weymouth mainline, including the last Weymouth as far as Bournemouth, then the last Poole from there, which was the last "official" 442.

This was before Southern butchered the interiors when they still had decent first class and the snug. The journeys went far too quickly, and watching the last train depart Poole for the depot was a sad moment for sure.

I'm also with class387 on the last D stock. And I was lucky enough to be on the last C stock which was taken out of service not even half way through its last booked duties.

 

[AJM580]

29/2/92. A dark night on a pretty cold Basingstoke. Waiting for the train back to London, and in the distance I could see a 50 approaching. It was 50033 Glorious, and I knew that this could well be my last 50 on a service train. Into the night we went, with 50033 storming along at close to 100 mph which was so evocative of many runs I'd had. On arrival at Waterloo, I paused for a while until the 50 was shut down then I slipped away to the Underground wondering if that was it for class 50s on the mainline. (it wasn't of course but that's another story)

 

[Calthrop]

A memorable “last” for me, was on a visit to Poland in August 1991. What was in my admittedly purist view, totally genuine and real steam on the Polish State Railways (distinct from “retained as an attraction” as at, first and foremost, Wolsztyn), would finish in well under a year from that date; and was hanging on in only a few locations. One such was centred on the depot at Ełk in Poland’s beautifully rural far north-east. We finished a week’s holiday of Polish steam-chasing, with a couple of days based on that town.

Ełk then, had active each day several 2-6-2s of Poland’s class Ol49 (there were plans then afoot – which didn’t in the event come to much -- to keep steam running from there attraction-wise, kind of a mini-Wolsztyn; but as at August ’91 what there was happening there, could be reckoned “organic”: would probably have been thus, steam-centre plans or none). On our last afternoon properly of the “bash” – before heading out of steam territory on our way home – we travelled the 28km. northward from Ełk, to the junction of Olecko, where a branch line split from the main. Our train was Ol49-hauled, travelling further on; but owing to logistical factors, we had to alight at Olecko to return to Ełk.

Rather splendidly for us, this meant that our return run to Ełk was on what has got to have been Poland’s very last named express with steam haulage. This train – running to / from these particular far-flung parts, only at the very height of summer -- was the Pogoria – plying between the north-east, and the Upper Silesia industrial area at the opposite end of the country. Scheduling and loco-diagram-pattern peculiarities meant that – on its southbound journey only – this train was regularly steam-hauled just over the short Olecko – Ełk stretch: it arrived at Olecko from yet further afield, behind a diesel loco. And this express was scheduled for diesel haulage throughout its run in the opposite direction, including this “crucial” section.

So I had the delight of my last-ever run hauled by Polish truly-real steam (hoping that fans of Wolsztyn – an excellent thing in its own right -- will forgive my putting it thus), being on a named express: seven coaches behind a class Ol49 “Prairie”. A 45-minute run to Ełk – despite express status, stopping at all stations over this section; west of Ełk, where diesel power took over again, progress would be much faster. (My first ever journey behind Polish steam was also with a member of the attractive Ol49 class – long very numerous, and popular for “middle-rank” passenger duties, and still in regular use at Wolsztyn today.)

 

[GW43125]

Obligatory 442 reference.

I, in a group of 4 or 5 others, spent an afternoon riding 442s on the Weymouth mainline, including the last Weymouth as far as Bournemouth, then the last Poole from there, which was the last "official" 442.

This was before Southern butchered the interiors when they still had decent first class and the snug. The journeys went far too quickly, and watching the last train depart Poole for the depot was a sad moment for sure.

I'm also with class387 on the last D stock. And I was lucky enough to be on the last C stock which was taken out of service not even half way through its last booked duties.

Reminds me of when I took my first-and last- journey on a 442. It was a crisp March evening and we took the evening Bridge-Brighton run (all that was left by then). After a mad dash through London Bridge station due to ticket issues (mainly me running out of money, oops!), we got a table of 4 in the front carriage. I had no idea how comfy they were. Darkness fell just after we left London Bridge. After I'd spent the first leg of the journey to Croydon cleaning my knee up after an unfortunate argument with an escalator on the tube (I'd never have been there if you hadn't cancelled all the trains, SN, grr!), I came back to the seat and decided to go and check out the front vestibule.

It turned out that the light wasn't working and the droplight window was unlocked; so I pulled it down and just stood there in darkness. Being the front of the train, it was almost silent, the only noises being the traction motors howling, the wind rushing past the window and the occasional noises of the EP contactors clicking and various AWS bells/horns. I certainly felt it was a rather fitting end to these, just being able to contemplate the final journey in darkness and alone, listening to the train working hard.

The end eventually came all too soon and it didn't seem right jumping off in the darkness of Brighton and hearing the hiss of dumping the brake pipe for the last time for me, knowing that in a week's time it'd once again all be over for the pigs (well, for now...). Final pictures aside and onto a 387 back to London, with a rather sombre mood having realised how good they were and how I'd have liked to have done it more. Such is life though

I appreciate it's a bit of a ramble but it sticks within the remit of this thread!

 

[70014IronDuke]

To be honest I'd had a few last night when I started this and I woke up this morning thinking the same thing.
I hope it's genuine nostalgia though, so go on IronDuke, I know you were on some of those last Black 5 turns in the north west in 1968...

Well, I had a wave of nostalgia - but pure and genunine, you understand, not any of yer misplaced nonsense - come over me when heading up the M1 near Hendon in a bus this summer.

It was not a 'last of' - except in a personal sense - but one rainy, foggy, wintry evening, I suppose it was 1980 or 81, I was driving up the M1 there at about 19.00 when a Class 45 plus 8 air-con Mk IIs and an RBK roared past me on the left to steadily, relentlessly disappear in the darkness. It's funny, I must have seen Class 45s on the Midland 10,000 times, from when they first came out to 1985 or so, but this incident made a huge impression on me. PErhaps it was the fact that driving that night was a lonely, and as you can imagine, not an easy job given the conditions - but the folks in the train, chatting, drinking and dining as its red tail lamp evaporated in the mist - had it so easy and relaxed: I was probably envious.

Actually, there is no probably about it.

 

[jumble]

Quite recent, but I was very sad at the end of the last journey on D78 stock. It was always my favourite LU stock and the train that made me a railway enthusiast so I was very sad to see it go so early.

Safe to say it was hard to get on a S stock after that.

For me a few highlights were
Last A stock in service on 5034 which was on the first train 50 years before and is now preserved
First and it seems Last Running Preserved A stock on Rickmansworth Festival 19 May 2013

However the best was being on Tornado in February where I can now say that I was on the last steam hauled scheduled service on the National Railway system where you could walk into a ticket office and buy a ticket and get on with no reservations .
( The last people said this 50 years ago.)

Regards Jumble

 

[RichmondCommu]

My last ever memory of a class 40 was at Manchester Piccadilly in September 1984. 40181 had arrived into Manchester from Skegness and was waiting to run over to Longsight light engine once its train of mk1s had been moved. With the road clear the faithful English Electric type 4 accelerated hard out of Piccadilly with several blasts on the horn for good measure. My photographs show at least two dozen 'spotters watching the spectacle.

 

[shodkini]

I was at Oxford Poly in 1974/5, and still remember a journey from Oxford to Paddington - we left 8 minutes late and arrived on time - not bad for a 60 minute journey - I wasn't expecting such a ride from a Western hauling 6 coaches, but I do remember working out our speed as 110mph at one point, and the ride was interesting to say the least. Riding behind one a few years back at 25 mph on the WSR was not quite the same.....

 

[fowler9]

I remember doing the last Spoon on a loco hauled from Warrington to Lime Street on the trans pennines and the last 37 on a Liverpool to Cardiff. Can't remember the loco numbers off the top of my head. I was on the last Generator 47 on the Trans Pennines as well but can't remember if that was the same as the last loco hauled on the route. It is all noted down somewhere.

 

[lyndhurst25]

My last ever memory of a class 40 was at Manchester Piccadilly in September 1984. 40181 had arrived into Manchester from Skegness and was waiting to run over to Longsight light engine once its train of mk1s had been moved. With the road clear the faithful English Electric type 4 accelerated hard out of Piccadilly with several blasts on the horn for good measure. My photographs show at least two dozen 'spotters watching the spectacle.

Caught on film too -

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6nwoVfpZEL0

 

[Harpers Tate]

I don't remember a specific occasion; it's one of those things that was once commonplace, and then just disappeared. And it's being in a 1950/60 DMU, with a view of the track ahead. Doesn't really matter where. The biggest thing missing from the modern UK Railway, IMO.

Like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-TkUAma8Y8

 

[47403]

The more memorable regular working for me was the Trans Pennine turns from Newcastle-Liverpool, from the age we were trusted to go out and travel on trains, as long as there was a few of us in a group, early 80's, till the time I was old enough to go by myself after work, mid to late 80's, this turn played a huge role for me, in this hobby.

Whenever my mates and I went South for trips on the rails, the earliest Liverpool turn, we could make, after I'd done my milk and paper round, was always the first train of the day. Yeah my mate Cal and I, had some heated banter about the merits of peaks and duffs but it churned out many locos. EH(we called them EH, just an abbreviation of ETH) 45's and 47's predominantly but it was no shock to get an NB Peak or 47 turn out. Even the odd 46, sometimes got pushed out. 31/4's sometimes sneaked on too. Sometimes the turn was doubled headed, both by Peaks and 47's. I've also been aboard, on a few occasions, where it failed too and got rescued by an NB 31, 47 and a 56

The rarest I had was 40013, rare in the fact that, by this time, the whistlers were going out of service, big style by then and at that time too, it was rare to even see a 40 in the North East, nevermind see one on a passenger turn. Needless to say that Saturday, the 14.20 to Liverpool was rammed with bashers., as we crossed the King Eddie Bridge, I looked up and down the length of the train, there wasn't a window that didn't have a head sticking out of it. As a result, I scrapped all plans and took it to York, the scrapped plan was the Yarmouth train, 99 times out of a 100, it was an NB 37, today it was in the hands of an NB 47, sure it was 47319, I cant remember exactly but that certainly springs to mind, it was a bit of a large one(proper freight loco) as was ignoring another rather massive 47363, on a DMU replacement on the Carlisle-Boro turn. Don't worry I got back later and bounced to Sunderland on another unit, to get it returning on a Boro-Newcastle turn.

The last few weeks of the loco hauled trans pennine turn, it started throwing in a few weird 47's our way, where once it'd be the GD stalwarts, my faves the Gennies, GD's finest, were 3 quarters muck n ****e, 1 quarter BR Blue, to the very smart but largely still manky version of the Large logo livery to ScotRail intercity liveried, with Highland Stag 47642 Strathisla and 47541 Queen Mother, as well as large logo liveried, complete with Scotty Dog, 47597 and 47635 Jimmy Milne, 47642 and 47597, were the last 2 47's I required for haulage on the trans pennine turn but 47512 was the very last I had on it. I couldn't make the last ever turn but a GD based 47443, carrying 47401's (another GD stalwart) nameplate, North Eastern was a quite a fitting send off.

How ironic, it'll be when the TPE Cats, return loco hauled trains over the Pennines. Cant wait.

 

[Taunton]

Steam at Taunton in my childhood moved surprisingly rapidly from dominant to gone. The loco depot, last steam depot in the old 83 area, closed in 1964, so the next summer was all diesels ...

One hot, lazy, August 1965 afternoon, sat lineside west of the station, all the down main boards came off, there was nothing in the station, so an unusual run-through was coming. Then a strange sound, a staccato beating noise, and into sight, at quite some speed, came a 38xx with cement wagons. The strange noise was from it being linked up to some very short cut-off. Off it went towards Exeter, the sound disappearing into the distance. I didn't know it at the time, but that was the last steam service I ever saw at Taunton.

 

[fowler9]

I remember doing a class 110 (I think) from Hull to Doncaster many years ago with a view out of the front. I think it was the last old generation DMU I went on on a main lie service.

 

[delt1c]

Watching the last Delt1c depart Kings X light engine and disapear into the tunnels. was a very sad day as no one could have believed a Deltic would return to the mainline.
The air was filled with Deltic clag and deep sorrow that Saturday night

 

[j.crocker355]

Sitting in the car at a long defunct DIY shed in Plymouth when I was a child while my parents bought DIY stuff.. This was the 80's so there was plenty of NSE livery 50's and various livery's of HST and 37's thundering past on the tracks opposite the car park, it's what got my love for the 37 and 50's



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