Hard- difficult places to visit and locos to clear.

[EbbwJunction1]

I think DT was roughly where ASDA is.

That would make sense, because I've seen a photo of what was called the "Townhill Loops" with a connection to the (then closed) depot - thanks.

 

[Revaulx]

I think DT was roughly where ASDA is.

Ah ok. Old OS maps show an Engine Shed between Dunfermline Upper station and the football ground; that line is now closed and the site occupied by housing. This was definitely the location of the steam shed (Dunfermline 62C) which was closed in 1967.

Townhill was a goods yard and wagon works on the main line where ASDA is now. Presumably there was a newly built diesel shed there.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Ah, that makes sense ... there were two depots on different sites; thanks.

 

[Bigman]

The Meldon Quarry gronk was probably my last one to clear. Finally got there for an open day back in the early 90's. Neville Hill and Toton were always the most impossible to get round without a permit.

 

[Revaulx]

Ah, that makes sense ... there were two depots on different sites; thanks.

Looks like it! I can’t find anything online specifically regarding the “new” shed (location, opening/closing dates etc).

 

[deltic14]

I started spotting in 1975 and was a regular platform ender at Peterborough. I didn't get to Scotland until 1980 and despite subsequent repeated visits the Haymarket based class 20's were very elusive partly because they were outbased at DT for Fife coal trains. I managed to get to DT in August 1983 using a Platform 5 Shed directory book. I asked permission to go round and was very pleasantly surprised when the depot foreman gave me permission. I picked up a few of my last class 08's but none of the 20's ! Ironically the miners strike led to many 20's being reallocated and on the 17th April 1984 I was stunned and very delighted to cop HA based 20's 20 226 and 20 227 working light engines with 46 017 at Peterborough heading towards March. I think they may have been reallocated to Toton. I had to wait until September 1986 to get my last 20's numbers 20 223 and 20 220.

 

[Leyther]

As commented in previous posts.
The laira allocated meldon quarry shunter at the time I think it was 08584. Never saw it in the late 70's early to mid 80's as it rarely went back to Laira for maintenance.
Though I did go to holyhead walked through the town to the breakwater shed saw one of the 01's in the shed as the other was working out on the breakwater. I walked out on the breakwater and saw the other 01 and ended up with a cab ride back!.
Toton was difficult for me as no station nearby.
Though I did walk out to dunfermline townhill shed a few times walking up the hill from the station and past the football ground.

 

[deltic14]

08 584 was my last BR 08 for sight and it was a regular at Meldon Quarry. I was lucky - the weekend I decided to go and get it I found it stabled at Taunton..

 

[D6130]

The Severn Tunnel Rescue loco. Had to go to Sudbrook to see it, only when worked in area got to see it. 03s at Birkenhead and Gateshead hard to get, got lucky and allowed around both depots to see them. Wolverton 08s, 08629 was wanted by almost everyone. Only got that when went to works with someone as we had a job to do there! Couple of 66s exported to France and Poland still eluding me!!! Annoying loco I missed was 47233, think was a Cardiff or Crewe based loco, no idea why couldn't get it.

The first time I saw Canton's 47 233, it was lying derailed at a jaunty angle in the sand drag at Dorchester West, having spadded the Up Starter with a merrymaker excursion returning from Weymouth to South Wales in July 1974. My family were on holiday on what is now known as the Jurassic Coast and we went into Dorchester for shopping. While my mother and sister went round the shops and my father stayed at the caravan I, of course, had to investigate the stations. The loco was still attached to the leading mark 1 coach, which had ridden-up behind the loco and made a fairly hefty dent in the rear cab, but the rest of the train had already been removed. If I ever find my photos from that day, I'll happily post them on here.

the only one he requires is 50042.

50 042 was the last member of the class to haul me in BR days, on a Waterloo-Exeter in the Summer of 1991. Unfortunately she blew up at Milborne Port, between Templecombe and Sherborne and we had to wait nearly two hours to be rescued by a 47 sent from Westbury via Yeovil. As a result, I never made it to Exeter, having to bale out at Yeovil Junction in order to get home the same night.

 

[Chorley Cake]

Saw pretty much everything that was extant as a child in the 1980s, tagging along with my dad and his mate. Struggled getting around Stewart’s Lane and a few other SR depots. At one point was down to one loco that I never saw, 73002. Rekindled my interest about ten years ago and went to see it at Lydney, looking a little faded and unloved. Felt like a part of my life had been completed !

Never really struggled with Toton, the drive down to the office usually coughed up most of the stuff on depot anyway.

Awkward places for locos were Crewe Diesel and Electric, Haymarket, Stewart’s Lane, Ashfield Chart Leacon, Cricklewood.

Always found the ‘super’ depots were good (Toton, Thornaby, Eastfield, Tinsley, Stratford, March).

EMU depots were almost always a pig to get around.

 

[neilmc]

The Meldon Quarry gronk was probably my last one to clear. Finally got there for an open day back in the early 90's. Neville Hill and Toton were always the most impossible to get round without a permit.

Neville Hill was easy peasy - I grew up in the area and a walk across East End Park gave any number of entry points via rusted railings. But once you'd got all the shunters it never yielded very much in loco terms. A few far-out sheds (from a Leeds point of view) I never went round or only as part of a permit-holding coach tour, but I probably "bunked" upwards of fifty depots and major stabling points and only failed to get round a very small number. We'd given up spotting any kind of multiple unit so that probably meant some very inaccessible depots were not on our list.

 

[silverfoxcc]

Chorley Cske mentioned Haymarketas a bugger.to do, so when i was visiting my prospective wife in Edinburgh in 1975, who lived near the Shed, i ventured up to the foremans office and offered my apologies for being 15 years late!. He was an old timer and listened to my tale on wanting most of he Scottish A3s A2s and A1s at which point he said,, Well laddie Well laddie ( LADDIE!! i was 30!!!!) at least you can get a tour of the shed. Called another ex steam driver who took me around and we had a great chat about those days. Being from N London my forays in steam days wee few and far betwseen , in fact Hitchin on a family drive out on a Sunday was the limit,
Stratford (30A) was a swine, and one of the few times we did get onto it there was the last B17 and D16 buffer to buffer.
My lad got into trains and on the way back from my mums had to go near Hither Green. It was a Sunday and he expected a look in. Walked all the way around the shed to get to the foremans lair where permission was refused and told us to go out 'That Way' which involved doing the rest of the shed!!
And yes Scotrail were great for permits in the mid to late 80s It is amazing how much you can get away with using your 6yr old as the excuse!!!

 

[magpiespy]

Saw pretty much everything that was extant as a child in the 1980s, tagging along with my dad and his mate. Struggled getting around Stewart’s Lane and a few other SR depots.

I went round Stewarts Lane on spec one Sunday morning around 1989 with three friends. We just turned up and asked, and then wandered around. I have no idea whether the third rail was energised at the time, but we were all very careful when stepping over it just in case.

Awkward places for locos were Crewe Diesel and Electric, Haymarket, Stewart’s Lane, Ashfield Chart Leacon, Cricklewood.

Always found the ‘super’ depots were good (Toton, Thornaby, Eastfield, Tinsley, Stratford, March).

EMU depots were almost always a pig to get around.

We also visited East Ham late one evening, possibly the day before. It seems such a strange thing to do looking back, thirty years on. I have a very vivid recollection of lots of yellow ended units in a large well-lit shed. If I remember right we were only allowed to walk across a walkway behind the buffer stops.

I made a few trips from Chorley to Thornaby in the late 1980s. On one occasion my mate, who had a pronounced local accent, asked for the tickets and was given a couple of returns to Formby!

 

[silverfoxcc]

Just edited my post of yesterday so it reads ok!! Don't know how it got to be like that

 

[D6130]

I went round Stewarts Lane on spec one Sunday morning around 1989 with three friends. We just turned up and asked, and then wandered around. I have no idea whether the third rail was energised at the time, but we were all very careful when stepping over it just in case.


We also visited East Ham late one evening, possibly the day before. It seems such a strange thing to do looking back, thirty years on. I have a very vivid recollection of lots of yellow ended units in a large well-lit shed. If I remember right we were only allowed to walk across a walkway behind the buffer stops.

I made a few trips from Chorley to Thornaby in the late 1980s. On one occasion my mate, who had a pronounced local accent, asked for the tickets and was given a couple of returns to Formby!

IIRC, there were two main reasons why electric depots were difficult to get round:

(1) Third rail depots - obviously very dangerous.

(2) Overhead depots - lots of precious metals stored on the premises (e.g. mercury and silver for rectifiers), so an obvious security issue.

When I was a young spotter living in Scotland in the early 'seventies, Shields was virtually impossible to get round and, unlike most Scottish diesel depots, permits were not usually issued.

 

[Rutland23]

Wigan Springs Branch was my first at about 8 or 9 years old. My Uncle Tom fancied a look around, and I was lent out for the trip. Memories of the old steam crane in light steam.

I managed Shields a coupe of times, Eastfield, Polmadie, Hamilton, Craigentinny many times, but was refused at Cowlairs where we had spotted the class 140 just inside one of the sheds there when it was still a Carriage servicing depot.

Never a problem at Haymarket, and on longer trips was never refused.

On a trip to Motherwell one day, the driver of our 314 saw that we were spotting, and said, that as it was a miserable day, he would drop us at the shed to save us a walk in the rain!

Regards & Happy Days

Ian

 

[NorthWestRover]

From memory (and we're talking more than 40 years ago, so there may be some haziness) in the North West the two Crewe depots were difficult to get round, in Manchester Longsight, Newton Heath and Reddish were relatively easy whereas Guide Bridge was tough. Wigan Springs Branch was easy as was Allerton. Edge Hill was difficult as were Kirkdale and the Birkenheads, but Hall Road (?) was OK. I think Chester was OK. And Arpley was easy for me because I knew all the secret ways in, but it may not have been easy officially (there was a lot moving about).

 

[6Gman]

From memory (and we're talking more than 40 years ago, so there may be some haziness) in the North West the two Crewe depots were difficult to get round, in Manchester Longsight, Newton Heath and Reddish were relatively easy whereas Guide Bridge was tough. Wigan Springs Branch was easy as was Allerton. Edge Hill was difficult as were Kirkdale and the Birkenheads, but Hall Road (?) was OK. I think Chester was OK. And Arpley was easy for me because I knew all the secret ways in, but it may not have been easy officially (there was a lot moving about).

I was on Rock Ferry station one day when a railwayman (can't remember if he was station staff or a passing footplateman, probably the latter) gave me detailed instructions for Birkenhead (loco rather than EMU).

"Get off at Green Lane, cross the road and you'll see some steps cut into the wall - climb up there and there's a path to the shed"

And he was right!

 

[D1537]

From memory (and we're talking more than 40 years ago, so there may be some haziness) in the North West the two Crewe depots were difficult to get round, in Manchester Longsight, Newton Heath and Reddish were relatively easy whereas Guide Bridge was tough.

I have fond memories of Reddish; I went there to photograph the 76s just before they were withdrawn, and the staff there were very welcoming and even moved a 76 so that it lined up nicely with two others. When I said I was heading for Guide Bridge to take some more photos, they said if I waited half an hour I could have a lift there. They gave me a cup of tea and my "lift" to Guide Bridge was in the cab of 40171.

 

[JTP1973]

From my very distant days of spotting I always remember that Ripple Lane was hard to get around. I do remember someone getting a tonne of verbal's from someone telling them in no uncertain terms they weren't getting around the depot on a Sunday. I only time I got around there was an open day they once had. As an earlier poster said both Crewe electric and diesel seemed to be a no no.
I have memories of a few Sundays in the early 80's where we visited Ripple Lane(view only), Stratford(mostly bunked round, occasionally asked), Finsbury Park(Always asked), Willesden(normally view only, but did get round once), Old Oak Common(bunked) and Cricklewood(Seem to remember never being able to find anyone to ask about going round).

On our travels remember getting round Motherwell a couple of times, also Ayr a couple of times, managed Eastfield on an organised visit. Loved Birkenhead Mollington Street & Sunderland as well, both just rocked up and went round. Never was brave enough to try Gateshead, wish we had.

Also went to Radyr yard once on a Saturday lunchtime. As we arrived there was a driver leaving, he just told us to be careful as we walked around.

I was also lucky enough to go to Swansea East Dock on a Sunday once where there was a driver driving an 08 up and down, we were invited in to the cab and allowed to 'Drive' the 08 up and down a couple of times. One of my friends with us kept asking about if he was going to be moving any of the 37's there around, alas it was a no, again early 80's.

While on holiday in Chesterfield we got a bus over to Shirebrook, went to the foreman's office explained we were from Essex and asked for a look round. He was happy to let us round. Went along way to clearing my 56's and 58's. Went to Shirebrook again on an organised visit, included Derby works, Toton, Shirebrook, Coleville, Saltley and Tysesley

One final memory is of going to Swindon on a Sunday and wandering round to an industrial estate finding a hole in the fence and making our way across the Swindon - Gloucester line in to the yard at the back and spending a good few hours trying to see as many locos as possible.

A different world back then....

 

[D6130]

From my very distant days of spotting I always remember that Ripple Lane was hard to get around. I do remember someone getting a tonne of verbal's from someone telling them in no uncertain terms they weren't getting around the depot on a Sunday. I only time I got around there was an open day they once had. As an earlier poster said both Crewe electric and diesel seemed to be a no no.
I have memories of a few Sundays in the early 80's where we visited Ripple Lane(view only), Stratford(mostly bunked round, occasionally asked), Finsbury Park(Always asked), Willesden(normally view only, but did get round once), Old Oak Common(bunked) and Cricklewood(Seem to remember never being able to find anyone to ask about going round).

On our travels remember getting round Motherwell a couple of times, also Ayr a couple of times, managed Eastfield on an organised visit. Loved Birkenhead Mollington Street & Sunderland as well, both just rocked up and went round. Never was brave enough to try Gateshead, wish we had.

Also went to Radyr yard once on a Saturday lunchtime. As we arrived there was a driver leaving, he just told us to be careful as we walked around.

I was also lucky enough to go to Swansea East Dock on a Sunday once where there was a driver driving an 08 up and down, we were invited in to the cab and allowed to 'Drive' the 08 up and down a couple of times. One of my friends with us kept asking about if he was going to be moving any of the 37's there around, alas it was a no, again early 80's.

While on holiday in Chesterfield we got a bus over to Shirebrook, went to the foreman's office explained we were from Essex and asked for a look round. He was happy to let us round. Went along way to clearing my 56's and 58's. Went to Shirebrook again on an organised visit, included Derby works, Toton, Shirebrook, Coleville, Saltley and Tysesley

One final memory is of going to Swindon on a Sunday and wandering round to an industrial estate finding a hole in the fence and making our way across the Swindon - Gloucester line in to the yard at the back and spending a good few hours trying to see as many locos as possible.

A different world back then....

IIRC, back in steam days, didn't there used to be railway police officers on duty at some of the larger depots to deter and eject unauthorised spotters - as well as look after the general security of the premises?

 

[Chorley Cake]

From my very distant days of spotting I always remember that Ripple Lane was hard to get around. I do remember someone getting a tonne of verbal's from someone telling them in no uncertain terms they weren't getting around the depot on a Sunday. I only time I got around there was an open day they once had. As an earlier poster said both Crewe electric and diesel seemed to be a no no.
I have memories of a few Sundays in the early 80's where we visited Ripple Lane(view only), Stratford(mostly bunked round, occasionally asked), Finsbury Park(Always asked), Willesden(normally view only, but did get round once), Old Oak Common(bunked) and Cricklewood(Seem to remember never being able to find anyone to ask about going round).

On our travels remember getting round Motherwell a couple of times, also Ayr a couple of times, managed Eastfield on an organised visit. Loved Birkenhead Mollington Street & Sunderland as well, both just rocked up and went round. Never was brave enough to try Gateshead, wish we had.

Also went to Radyr yard once on a Saturday lunchtime. As we arrived there was a driver leaving, he just told us to be careful as we walked around.

I was also lucky enough to go to Swansea East Dock on a Sunday once where there was a driver driving an 08 up and down, we were invited in to the cab and allowed to 'Drive' the 08 up and down a couple of times. One of my friends with us kept asking about if he was going to be moving any of the 37's there around, alas it was a no, again early 80's.

While on holiday in Chesterfield we got a bus over to Shirebrook, went to the foreman's office explained we were from Essex and asked for a look round. He was happy to let us round. Went along way to clearing my 56's and 58's. Went to Shirebrook again on an organised visit, included Derby works, Toton, Shirebrook, Coleville, Saltley and Tysesley

One final memory is of going to Swindon on a Sunday and wandering round to an industrial estate finding a hole in the fence and making our way across the Swindon - Gloucester line in to the yard at the back and spending a good few hours trying to see as many locos as possible.

A different world back then....

Some great memories and stories there. Don’t fancy your holiday in Chesterfield though

 

[xotGD]

When 47402 was named inside the shed at Gateshead members of the public were able to attend the ceremony. Afterwards, we were able to just wander around the shed for a bit to see what was there. I remember a couple of ghostly looking 46s that had just been resurrected from storage at Swindon.

You could always see most of what was stabled outside of the shed from various vantage points. Including the end of platforms 9 & 10 (as was) at Newcastle with a pair of binoculars.