I wish I could have seen the railways of the past

[kenpix]

I was a post-war baby boomer and grew up in north-east London. Loved the atmosphere of Liverpool Street in the late fifties; the rhythmic sound of Westinghouse pumps, the slamming of carriage doors and the constant noise from steam locos arriving and leaving. The smell of steam, smoke and hot oil pervading the whole station. Smart green "Brits" and (often) dirty B1's and B17s hauling blood and custard stock. A fleeting glimpse of an N2 tank in the high level platform at adjacent Broad Street. Route indicating apparatus at each platform comprising rotating wooden boards with station names on. The two immaculate station pilot locos which never seemed to do any work. The long, meandering walk around the footbridge linking east and west sides of the station. The journey home to Walthamstow in the ghastly quint-art coaches - packed in like sardines, knees touching the person opposite, with everyone bouncing up and down in a strange dance at certain stretches of line. How we cheered when shiny new Brush and English Electric diesels appeared on the scene and yelled "scrap it" when seeing an often-spotted steam loco. Be careful what you wish for.....

 

[Bright Boy]

When I travel on the Manchester - Wigan- Southport line it feels like the I'm in the 80's, courtesy of Class 142 DMU's and run down stations !

Anyway, you can still see railways of the past, try the Great Central Railway, East Lancashire Railway or Paignton & Dartmouth Steam Railway (or whatever they are calling themselves these days) there are a few more but I just can't think of their names

 

[barbarajohn]

When i travel on the swift inter city pendaleno to london euston,i am all eyes right comming out of primrose hill tunnel, looking for ghosts of those massive great steam loco,s... I worked there "on loan" in 1956 as a f/man, I remember sitting on the turntable waiting for the royal train to steam past, and past she went, shining like an armoured knight!, breathing fire like a fiery dragon! WOOSH, she charged along, her whistle shrilling loud, as if to say,"i have the queen aboard, but i am the mighty KING",,,,john.

 

[EM2]

The only things I really wish I'd done was travel on the APT, and on the Woodhead route behind an EM2 (surprise!).

 

[barbarajohn]

if you would like a brimfull of railway nostalgia, hop aboard a 142 "nodding dog" from lancaster to skipton via bentham, o k, you,ll think you,ve ridden round the grand national for about umpteen cicuits, but the scenery will certainly make up for your jig-a-jig ride!

 

[BritishRail83]

I think all of us hark back to times before. I wish I could have seen the sixties for the Railways, end of steam, Beeching, new diesels and electrics etc. and for the Music as well especially the early sixties Joe Meek produced stuff!! That said I also have a fondness for the 80's. I was born in 1983 in Greenwich and grew up in Plumstead in South East London and me and my older Brother were always into railways and some of my earliest memories are Trains especially the EPB's and CEP's of the Southern Region in various liveries NSE, blue&grey, and Jaffa cake for the Ceps! I remember BR with much affection, the trains, the staff, the corporate identity etc. I am glad I got to ride on all The following unit types:
all the Southern slam door EMU/DEMU's of the late 80's early 90's Including sitting in the Guards seat on a 415 on a rush hour train!
class 101/108/115/117/121 DMU's
class 302/305/308/309/310/312 AC EMU's

also loco hauled behind 47's to Oxford and to Exeter with the odd Crompton!

Depot open days/Gala's as well, really great childhood memories.

I could go on and on. I has all changed but it will be same for younger enthusiasts. Enjoy your Railway of today.

 

[scarby]

I think all of us hark back to times before. I wish I could have seen the sixties for the Railways, end of steam, Beeching, new diesels and electrics etc. and for the Music as well especially the early sixties Joe Meek produced stuff!!

I keep meaning to go to look at Joe Meek's flat at 304 Holloway Road.

Gene Vincent, for whom Meek produced "Temptation Baby", lived in Welling just up the road from Plumstead for a while. According to the only source on the net I could find, it was supposedly at 112 Upper Wickham Lane. I did go to look for this, as I am sometimes in that area, but that address didn't seem to "exist" any more, I'm not sure if the house has been demolished or the source was mistaken about the house number.

 

[BritishRail83]

I keep meaning to go to look at Joe Meek's flat at 304 Holloway Road.

Gene Vincent, for whom Meek produced "Temptation Baby", lived in Welling just up the road from Plumstead for a while. According to the only source on the net I could find, it was supposedly at 112 Upper Wickham Lane. I did go to look for this, as I am sometimes in that area, but that address didn't seem to "exist" any more, I'm not sure if the house has been demolished or the source was mistaken about the house number.

If you go to Joe's flat there is a plaque at 304 Holloway Road. The council are planning to put a bench opposite in Joe's memory.

Gene Vincent did indeed live in Welling and I am sure you are correct that it was 112 Upper Wickham Lane. It was demolished to make way for a shell petrol station which has just closed down itself. I will ask Mum as My Great Aunt and Uncle lived on Upper Wickham Lane around that time.

 

[theageofthetra]

Going slightly off track, the Wetherspoons called the Coronet in the old cinema close to Joe Meeks flat on Holloway Road used to have some nice history notes and pictures in it when I was there a few years ago

 

[BritishRail83]

Going slightly off track, the Wetherspoons called the Coronet in the old cinema close to Joe Meeks flat on Holloway Road used to have some nice history notes and pictures in it when I was there a few years ago

Yes that's right. I've been in there and seen that aswell.

 

[Taunton]

It seems each generation wishes to have seen what was about just before they were around. I remember rail mags in the 1960s with articles by people who grew up in the 1920s-30s, and wrote that they had just missed the pre-grouping scene.

I first rode on Taunton to Barnstaple in 1964 just months after suburban dmus took over from 43xx steam and Hawksworth corridors, which I am sure was a bit of a comedown for any regulars (unfortunately no more than about one per carriage by that time).

 

[9K43]

I have many NUR/RMT Diaries from this era.
The diaries were used to detail the turn I was on and in some cases I made note of the motive power of the job I was on, how much I got paid and how many Sundays/ restdays I worked 35 Sundays, and 15 rest Days in 1992. This was at the start of the Aire Valley Electrification train.

 

[higthomas]

I share the same feeling of wishing I had been around only a few years previously. I am 18 and just about remember slam door stock around my way. Whilst the replacements, classes 444 and 450, are good train, they seem so boring and efficient.
Also, I feel like I just missed out on so much else, loco-hauled on the west coast and cross-country, even reading about operation princess and the height of virgin cross country makes me wish I was just that little bit older.

 

[Kenni]

I know this may be a long-shot, but does anybody on here remember the Bolton to Leigh line, either as a passenger or as an enthusiast (spotter )