Nostalgia from the 'Noughties'

[theblackwatch]

There are some youngsters on here!

I find it very difficult to be nostalgic about a recent time period when we travelled around on almost the same trains as today but, get this, they were painted slightly different!

At home I would be travelling on the self same pacer I did 10 years ago and did 10 years before that. If I took the train to London I would travel on the self same train that I did 10 years ago, 20 years ago and indeed 30 years ago.

In fact this mornings train from my current home to London was formed by the same stock that I would have got if I made that journey 20 years ago. Nostalgia? PAH!

Whilst things may not have changed where you are, they certainly have for some - just look at the amount of new stock around. 10 years ago in December, on my birthday, I travelled on 37s to and from home, and spent a day riding on 101s around Manchester and across the pennines to Yorkshire. Others will have ridden daily on DEMUs to Uckfield, 87s to Euston, Slam door EMUs around Kent or on the LTS, 80 Class and 450s out of Belfast, etc. Same trains as today?

 

[Pride Of Crewe]

Nostalgia, for me has to be walking onto Newport one morning when I was 7 or 8 and seeing a EWS 37 sat on Godfrey Road and taking a snap on a disposable camera. But as well as that Central Trains 170s, Wessex Trains 158s and 150s, fag packet power cars, Transpenine 158s working in South Wales, 09 trip workings from East Usk to ADJ, the only silver 60 I saw 60033, seeing the Rumney loco hauled sat in Cardiff one night, Valleylines 142s and 143s and 66124 and 60052 sat by each other in platform 3 and 4 of Newport.

 

[CC 72100]

Few things for me

- Virgin pre-voyagers, and West Midlands day trippers which involved plenty Cov - New Street - Wolves leaps on 86/87s

- Mark 2s on regular services, more widespread than now.

- More diversity in freight (not that I ever was a spotter)

- Central trains existing

- Silverlink 321s in the West Midlands (not that I ever used them!)

- Phil Sayer at Birmingham New Street.

- Not bashing HSTs because we were busy with the 'true' loco-hauled - perhaps the biggest personal change!

 

[Trainfan344]

Things for me include:

My first train to London, then getting delayed on the way back to Norwich meaning we weren't sure if we would make the last Lowestoft train back.

Unmodified Balloons and heritage trams on the Blackpool Tramway.

Going on a underground train for the first time

87's on the Norwich to London runs.

Seeing a steam train in Norwich station for the first time.

And 150s running around East Anglia.

 

[AndyLandy]

87's on the Norwich to London runs.

That's quite some achievement! (or did you mean 86s?)

 

[Birdbrain]

That only happened on Fridays in 2004, lunchtime ish I think from Temple Meads to Brighton it was. Only did it once in October 2004, can't remember any loco IDs or whatever as I didn't make proper notes back then.

In case it didn't work, I was replying about 31s to Brighton. Not used to using the forum for anything but reading yet on my phone!

I think you're right about it being a Fridays only move. It was lunchtimeish Bristol to Brighton and return in the evening if I remember correctly. I missed out on the 50's down the marshes but I have seen pictures of it since. Here is a video of the Wessex trains 31's (not my video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytSxLmpOd4U


PS, I also enjoy the announcement about the service from Camarthen at about 3.30 in that video.

 

[Techniquest]

There are some youngsters on here!

I find it very difficult to be nostalgic about a recent time period when we travelled around on almost the same trains as today but, get this, they were painted slightly different!

At home I would be travelling on the self same pacer I did 10 years ago and did 10 years before that. If I took the train to London I would travel on the self same train that I did 10 years ago, 20 years ago and indeed 30 years ago.

In fact this mornings train from my current home to London was formed by the same stock that I would have got if I made that journey 20 years ago. Nostalgia? PAH!

theblackwatch has beaten me to it, but as he said there have been significant changes around the UK network in recent changes. Indeed, there have been in Ireland too. Just in my local area, in the last 10 years we've had:

150s on Hereford to Birminghams replaced by 170s;
Services diverted via Bromsgrove and away from the Kidderminster route;
A very bizarrely worked timetable replaced by a far superior clockface one (well more or less clockface!) thanks to ATW;
158s replaced by 175s on the bulk of services up the Marches route (that's the North and West for you old ones!), which in general has been fantastic;
Regular loco-hauled services re-introduced, even if it is only one a day each way up the same route;
Services extended beyond Cardiff to West Wales, which has proved to be very handy for almost every member of my family, let alone the huge number of passengers using the route;
60s are not at all common these days either sadly;
Paddington services have been improved significantly too, never used to have such a late train to London on weekdays or even Saturday evenings!;
Finally in the last year we've got morning trains into/out of Hereford from/to Worcester and Birmingham, which have proved very popular.

So no changes, none at all...:roll:

Oh, and because I'm in a pig of a mood, let us youngsters have our nostalgia! And I'm not young either, I'm getting far too old for my liking!

 

[DiscoStu]

None - 'BR' started to suck in about 1992 (imo) and it went downhill fast from there.

No loco on the front, no point as far as I'm concerned.

 

[hst43053]

Nice idea for a thread.

I have several photos of intercity swallow liveried HSTs passing a level crossing near to where I lived at the time. I didn't take them though - I must have been about one or two at the time. Obviously I am unable to remember this far back.

I can remember a green/white type livery on the GW HSTs (I cannot remeber which, I would guess it was either the last days of the merlin livery or early days of fag packet), and seeing them pull into Worcester Shrub Hill looking very smart and shiny. I want to say this was around 2000?

I also remember leaving Shrub Hill on a HST bound for Paddington (Valenta of course - must have been 1999/2000 time), and pressing my ear against the window hearing the scream - I seem to remember being in the first carriage behind the power car.

I also have several memories of southern region slam doors, rather bizzare considering I have grown up in and around the Midlands. I remember the first time I boarded a slammer, I'm pretty sure it was at Eastleigh, presumably a CIG, on route to Portsmouth Harbour. I distinctly remember reading the SWT network map and pronouncing Cosham as 'Cose-ham'! I was also fascinated with the construction of Portsmouth Harbour being on stilts, and how you could hear and see the sea below the platforms. Additionally I can recall the first time I had seen a slam door train, this being at Winchester and thinking how odd the motors sounded (growing up in Worcester I was used to diesel engines)!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Few things for me

- Virgin pre-voyagers, and West Midlands day trippers which involved plenty Cov - New Street - Wolves leaps on 86/87s

- Mark 2s on regular services, more widespread than now.

- More diversity in freight (not that I ever was a spotter)

- Central trains existing

- Silverlink 321s in the West Midlands (not that I ever used them!)

- Phil Sayer at Birmingham New Street.

- Not bashing HSTs because we were busy with the 'true' loco-hauled - perhaps the biggest personal change!

I remembr this too

 

[theblackwatch]

- Silverlink 321s in the West Midlands (not that I ever used them!)

Or Silverlink 321s in West Yorkshire perhaps?
See http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrashmerchant/5385511176/

 

[Techniquest]

Silverlink 321s, yes that was great fun. Had them several times in the Midlands, only saw them (407 was one I believe) in West Yorkshire.

Slammers, definitely weird to someone brought up on diesels agreed!

 

[yorksrob]

I do feel some nostalgia for the noughties. Slammers obviously, catching express (or even semi fast) trains between Ashford and Charing Cross, Mk 2's on cross country.

That said, it's hard to get too affectionate for a decade that seemed to be smothered in dirty connex grey. For me, the 90's are the real era decade of nostalgia. Comfy compartment carriages, the pre-rebuild stations at Ashford and Hastings, EPB's and toothpaste livery.

Also my first journeys on the InterCity mainlines North. Smokey Mk 3's on the WCML. 125's under the Barlow trainshed in a grimey St Pancreas.

 

[Drsatan]

As I was born in the early 1990s, I can remember the last days of BR and the first TOCs. The only change I noticed as a child was that many of the NSE liveried multiple units used by SWT suddenly bore the slogan "a Stagecoach Company" in place of the NSE branding prior to repainting.

I remember Mk1 EMUs in regular use with SWT, the EMUs in question being class 411s (many of which were transferred from the South Eastern division in 1995/6 IIRC), 421s, and 423s. Although by the early 2000s the interiors of these units were fairly worn, I liked them because the seats were fairly comfortable. I also remember 442s in use on Waterloo to Weymouth services, and feeling disappointed when the fleet was transferred to Gatwick Express. Even now whenever I see a 442 on the Brighton lines at Clapham Junction, I think "You're on the wrong track!"

I also remember 47s hauling intermodal trains to and from Southampton Docks, HSTs on CrossCountry services, and riding on a 450 for the first time in August 2004. At the time I was amazed at how smooth the ride quality was compared to the Slammers. Finally, I also remember the 31 hauled service from Bristol TM to Brighton and return in 2004, Alphaline and Wessex Trains liveried 158s on Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour services, and Wessex Train's 153s painted in advertising livery.

 

[hst43053]

Silverlink 321s, yes that was great fun. Had them several times in the Midlands, only saw them (407 was one I believe) in West Yorkshire.

Slammers, definitely weird to someone brought up on diesels agreed!

My Dad drives for XC and back in the days when they had Portsmouth work I used to go down with him on occasion, hence the rather vivid memories of the southern electrics which, as you say, is odd for a midlands lad!

But on other occasions we would head down the Cotswold line to Oxford, then change to an XC HST and hop off at usually Winchester for a train to the harbour.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

As I was born in the early 1990s, I can remember the last days of BR and the first TOCs. The only change I noticed as a child was that many of the NSE liveried multiple units used by SWT suddenly bore the slogan "a Stagecoach Company" in place of the NSE branding prior to repainting.

I remember Mk1 EMUs in regular use with SWT, the EMUs in question being class 411s (many of which were transferred from the South Eastern division in 1995/6 IIRC), 421s, and 423s. Although by the early 2000s the interiors of these units were fairly worn, I liked them because the seats were fairly comfortable. I also remember 442s in use on Waterloo to Weymouth services, and feeling disappointed when the fleet was transferred to Gatwick Express. Even now whenever I see a 442 on the Brighton lines at Clapham Junction, I think "You're on the wrong track!"

I also remember 47s hauling intermodal trains to and from Southampton Docks, HSTs on CrossCountry services, and riding on a 450 for the first time in August 2004. At the time I was amazed at how smooth the ride quality was compared to the Slammers. Finally, I also remember the 31 hauled service from Bristol TM to Brighton and return in 2004, Alphaline and Wessex Trains liveried 158s on Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour services, and Wessex Train's 153s painted in advertising livery.

I remember riding a 450 for the first time as well, and I also couldn't get over the smoothness of them and how they just glided along. I seem to remember them having to travel at limited speed initially, something to do with the voltage needing to be increased in the conductor rail as the desiros required more power than the slammers or something?

 

[Techniquest]

T'was the case I believe down the Weymouth route, possibly all over the SWT network. I remember my first trip on a 444, April 2005 I believe. Compared to what came before, they were super smooth and great to travel in with AC and the like. Seems like a long time ago now!

 

[craig87034]

Silverlink 321s, yes that was great fun. Had them several times in the Midlands, only saw them (407 was one I believe) in West Yorkshire.

Yes was great fun having our local units all over the place 407 & 423 where the one's that worked. Percenly I prefered them out of Fenchurch street 321416 still has brighter eastern region lights to this day!

 

[DiscoStu]

There are some youngsters on here!

I find it very difficult to be nostalgic about a recent time period when we travelled around on almost the same trains as today but, get this, they were painted slightly different!

I know, what's so exciting about seeing a train in a place it shouldn't be, according to it's paint job? I don't get it, personally

 

[Techniquest]

There are some youngsters on here!

I find it very difficult to be nostalgic about a recent time period when we travelled around on almost the same trains as today but, get this, they were painted slightly different!

I know, what's so exciting about seeing a train in a place it shouldn't be, according to it's paint job? I don't get it, personally

We don't expect everyone to understand our nostalgia for the era in question. All of us have nostalgia for different times. The Noughties was the decade I really started the hobby in, so it'll always be a nostalgic time for me!

 

[theageofthetra]

Although I am in my 40's I totally understand the 'ahem' youngsters getting excited about the early Noughties. When else could you see an ride on 40+ year old stock and see its replacements at the same time?

 

[yorksrob]

Although I am in my 40's I totally understand the 'ahem' youngsters getting excited about the early Noughties. When else could you see an ride on 40+ year old stock and see its replacements at the same time?

The early 90‘s, with EPB‘s and Networkers.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Class 20's top and tailing on the Matlock branch in the early 1990's. Or MGR's complete with brakevans running off the Denby branch to Willington Power Station. Or Class 101's on the Hope Valley on summer weekends.

 

[Manchester77]

Few memories for me include:
- Seeing the first new privatised liveries roll out (seeing the old provincial grey go through to northerns purple and lilac)
- Seeing the final demise of the 101s out of Piccadilly. Depressing that 10 years ago the final 101s were working out of Platform 2 heading to Marple but now we'd have to do it on Newton Heaths finest 142! :cry:
- As others have mentioned the end of LHCS on intercity routes. I especially remember the demise on the EUS-MAN route however I do remember being rather dazzled when I got my first 390!
- The introduction of the 185s with their antimacassars in standard saying something like the Pennine Desiro.
- LHCS trains on XC especially the old mark IIs with their mostly broken air con in the summer
- Finally, a fairly recent one, my first M5000 on metrolink. I remember waiting to see if one would turn up, now I tend to wait and see a T68 turns up!

Being mostly in manchester we didn't really get complete fleet changes like in other parts of the country but we've had some changes, probably the most significant will be in the next few years with all the electrification and upgrades. It'll be interesting in 10 years for memories from the 10s what with IEP, CrossRail, electrification etc!

 

[455driver]

Am I the only one that classes the noughties as modern?

Nostalgia to me is from the 70s and 80s!

Sayoing that, there are some nice piccys on here though.

 

[Matt Taylor]

Am I the only one that classes the noughties as modern?

Nostalgia to me is from the 70s and 80s!

Sayoing that, there are some nice piccys on here though.

Hear hear!

Anything pre-privatisation is ok for me

 

[Tracked]

I wasn't as interested in the railways in the early 00's as I was in the 80's & 90's, partly after having to travel on them to work in the late 90's, it's only been in the last few years I've gotten back into it. Some of the times I did use them though:

87/90's on the west coast
101's on the Hope Valley line
Travelling to Wakefield from Leeds on that 373, just to get a ride on it on the way home
1st journey on a Voyager, when it was shiny & new and didn't smell of toilet as much
different 321's from BYK-LDS, or seeing as I only see those pink ones from Scotland now, the WYPTE 321/9's

 

[Techniquest]

Gosh yeah, 373s on Leeds to London! Only did one from Leeds to Wakefield once, wish I had some video of that!

 

[yorksrob]

Ah yes, I miss the Eurostars as well (except the one that conked out at Doncaster and made me miss the East Grinstead leg of the Sussex Slammer in 2005 ).

They were quite comfy and a bit different, although I never understood why they didn't open the doors in the last few carriages in Leeds and Kings Cross, even though the platforms there were long enough at those locations.

 

[47403]

Bit of nostalgia for me
Loco Hauled trains from Newcastle to Liverpool, Poole and Bristol.
The 1S15 17.18 loco hauled Newcastle-Edinburgh stopper, which was primarily booked solid for a 47 but would throw up anything, normally whatever was remotely of a scottish persuasion on Gateshead but this turn threw up various traction that included Class 31, 37, 40, 45, 47, 55 and i'm reliably told even a 56!!!.
The summer timetable when trains ran from all destinations to the likes of Skegness, Yarmouth Scarborough, Paignton,Blackpool and Eastbourne, normally the time of year when the frieght locos came out to play and bashers were spoilt for choice.
The Heaton DMU shortage, a fault on the 143s brought Thornabys and Gatesheads frieght loco's out to play from Carlisle-Middlesbrough.
Lastly the ole 101's, they were a damn sight more comfy than a 142 or 143.