Not as crazy as you might think - the root cause of roaring rails is resonance, which is, all things considered, a function of the construction of the trackbed and what it sits on.
And now, back to misty-eyed reminiscence!
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Personal Nostalgia
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And now, back to misty-eyed reminiscence!
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Dagmar Road, LOndon N.22 in the 1950s. This is the road next to the down Hertford Loop track as it rises to cross the ECML on the flyover. The fence was low enough to stand on the bike and get a good view of the passing trains - expresses coming from Kings cross pulled by Mallard and Cock 'O the North which disappeared into the Wood Green tunnels. Emerging from those tunnels were the expresses from the North and local trsins from the Hertfordshire suburbs. Occasionally, the view would be blocked by a Hertford train headed by an N2 puffing its way up the incline.
Talking of the Wood Green tunnels, a few year ago I met a man who lived as a boy in New Southgate. He and his chums worked out that at certain times.the Up slow tunnel would have no train running through it. It was possible to access the tunnel from one of the roads leading off Bounds Green Road and the 'dare' would be to run through the UP slow tunnel and emerge at the Bounds Green end before a train came through!
Talking of the Wood Green tunnels, a few year ago I met a man who lived as a boy in New Southgate. He and his chums worked out that at certain times.the Up slow tunnel would have no train running through it. It was possible to access the tunnel from one of the roads leading off Bounds Green Road and the 'dare' would be to run through the UP slow tunnel and emerge at the Bounds Green end before a train came through!
Matey
Member
Lying in bed at Salisbury at midnight listening to steam whistles celebrating the coming of BR. Disappointed a few days later not to see a locomotive with "British Railways" painted on it. Watching shunting in the malting's yard at Salisbury, now Tesco car park I believe.
When I went for interview at Oxford in 1970 I opted for the 1615 down, fast to Reading where it detached a stopping portion, expecting it to be an InterCity unit which I'd never been on. Both portions were suburban sets
Going between Mk1 coaches at speed as a kid. Bit scary.
The little plastic signs saying what the veneer was inside the coaches.
The arms between the seats that went up and down in corridor compartments.
'Do not use while standing at stations' signs in the loos. And the green sinks
Casey Jones burgers.
Lincoln station buffet having handpumped real beer and making it into the CAMRA good beer guide.
Green EMUS on the Southern Region.
Baskets of racing pigeons being carried as rail parcels
Trains going all the way to the buffers on bay platforms.
BR exhibition train. Sleeper carriage left during the day in a bay in Leeds Station.
Very biggish station had a corner with a few dirty parcels vans
The little plastic signs saying what the veneer was inside the coaches.
The arms between the seats that went up and down in corridor compartments.
'Do not use while standing at stations' signs in the loos. And the green sinks
Casey Jones burgers.
Lincoln station buffet having handpumped real beer and making it into the CAMRA good beer guide.
Green EMUS on the Southern Region.
Baskets of racing pigeons being carried as rail parcels
Trains going all the way to the buffers on bay platforms.
BR exhibition train. Sleeper carriage left during the day in a bay in Leeds Station.
Very biggish station had a corner with a few dirty parcels vans
When I went for interview at Oxford in 1970 I opted for the 1615 down, fast to Reading where it detached a stopping portion, expecting it to be an InterCity unit which I'd never been on. Both portions were suburban sets
I'd have expected a 'fast to Reading' to be a hauled working, but 1970 is well before my time as far as the WR goes. Did the InterCity units ever operate into London?
sleepy_hollow
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DMU's came quickly and comprehensively to the West Riding about 1960, so most recollections are of the bus seats, fiery heaters and fume filled atmosphere of first generation DMU's. At the time I assumed it was because the heating was done by feeding exhaust warmed air through the edges of the compartments and that the systems were poorly sealed. I know now that heating was from separate combustion heaters, so sitting in a station with a fuel oil burner running under the coach is an even better explanation. Hardly the sort of thing to get nostalgic about, or want any help reliving, although I assume that the experience can still be relived in coach A of any HST.
Nevertheless the daylight trip up the Aire Valley and then along the Calder Valley was full of interest, and during the day you could sit behind the drivers compartment and look through the front. When the return was in the dark it got a bit tedious for a ten year old. The little dot of light in Summit tunnel appearing and growing was also fascinating; I assume it would grow much faster today if you could see it. Much later the last time I sat in a DMU with a view through the front was in the eighties and seeing a hulking great class 37 hurtling towards us on the other line was distinctly worrying.
Steam travel was mainly limited to the Hull portion of London trains, ambling south at 40 mph across the marshlands behind a B1 4-6-0. Sooty seats are hardly something to get nostalgic about, but I suppose the general ambience was better than diesel fumes. And the slow travel experience, with steam rolling away across the flat landscape is a nostalgic memory, but even a Pacer gets you there much faster. The general ambling feeling could still be enjoyed on a sunny summer evening in the early seventies, chugging gently south on the east coast main line behind an English Electric Type 3 with the window lights open. A reminder that dieselisation was first of all about improving reliability and manning rather than speed, although I expect the speed had risen to about sixty.
B1's also featured on Bridlington excursions, with compartment coaches creating a special feeling, although having not just the compartment but most of train to ourselves does suggest that most people had already opted for the special feeling of driving there. Today we would probably worry about the risk of being alone in a compartment with a psychopath, and a 158 does get you there at ninety. The comfort of three across seating was something repeated briefly in the eighties, when our cramped four a side HST from the south had a good same platform connection at Doncaster with a train from Manchester using north-country mark ones; armchair luxury without the soot.
B1's were the classy end of local steam operations, handling some of the few remaining hauled trains. The rest were almost entirely WD 2-8-0's clanking endlessly towards Hull with fifty sixteen ton coal wagons. This now seems to have become woodchips going the other way, but I assume not from Hull, which puzzles me.
The journeys west produced a greater variety of steam, Mirfield shed usually displayed a variety of LMS and standard types, including Britannias. The change at Wakefield Kirkgate has left little in the way of specific memories, apart from draughts and the powerful bulk of A1 4-6-2 Sea Eagle at one end of the platform, waiting for what I know not, in a livery I recall as grime, a fairly common livery at the time. (The change of trains was used to purchase a different day return for the western part of the journey, an early split ticketing technique.)
The last few West Riding Jubilees were the elite end of steam, always, at least in my memory, clean and green.
Nevertheless the daylight trip up the Aire Valley and then along the Calder Valley was full of interest, and during the day you could sit behind the drivers compartment and look through the front. When the return was in the dark it got a bit tedious for a ten year old. The little dot of light in Summit tunnel appearing and growing was also fascinating; I assume it would grow much faster today if you could see it. Much later the last time I sat in a DMU with a view through the front was in the eighties and seeing a hulking great class 37 hurtling towards us on the other line was distinctly worrying.
Steam travel was mainly limited to the Hull portion of London trains, ambling south at 40 mph across the marshlands behind a B1 4-6-0. Sooty seats are hardly something to get nostalgic about, but I suppose the general ambience was better than diesel fumes. And the slow travel experience, with steam rolling away across the flat landscape is a nostalgic memory, but even a Pacer gets you there much faster. The general ambling feeling could still be enjoyed on a sunny summer evening in the early seventies, chugging gently south on the east coast main line behind an English Electric Type 3 with the window lights open. A reminder that dieselisation was first of all about improving reliability and manning rather than speed, although I expect the speed had risen to about sixty.
B1's also featured on Bridlington excursions, with compartment coaches creating a special feeling, although having not just the compartment but most of train to ourselves does suggest that most people had already opted for the special feeling of driving there. Today we would probably worry about the risk of being alone in a compartment with a psychopath, and a 158 does get you there at ninety. The comfort of three across seating was something repeated briefly in the eighties, when our cramped four a side HST from the south had a good same platform connection at Doncaster with a train from Manchester using north-country mark ones; armchair luxury without the soot.
B1's were the classy end of local steam operations, handling some of the few remaining hauled trains. The rest were almost entirely WD 2-8-0's clanking endlessly towards Hull with fifty sixteen ton coal wagons. This now seems to have become woodchips going the other way, but I assume not from Hull, which puzzles me.
The journeys west produced a greater variety of steam, Mirfield shed usually displayed a variety of LMS and standard types, including Britannias. The change at Wakefield Kirkgate has left little in the way of specific memories, apart from draughts and the powerful bulk of A1 4-6-2 Sea Eagle at one end of the platform, waiting for what I know not, in a livery I recall as grime, a fairly common livery at the time. (The change of trains was used to purchase a different day return for the western part of the journey, an early split ticketing technique.)
The last few West Riding Jubilees were the elite end of steam, always, at least in my memory, clean and green.
2A14, see timetable extract attached (PA working timetable 1981-82). Main line to Slough, pass Slough 16/52, then Relief line at Slough West Junction, (4) pathing time to Maidenhead arrive 17:02. Pathing time because it followed 2A06 16:17 Paddington-Reading from Slough West Junction, which stopped at Burnham & Taplow.
PS Main/Relief on the Great Western please! It's still ML/RL in the current PA working timetable ......
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The class 123 Inter City units were based at that time and were mainly used on outer-suburban commuter services into Paddington.
The attraction of a fast run to Reading in a suburban DMU at that time was you could sit behind the front cab and see ahead.
Yes, that was the good thing about first-generation DMUs, the ability to see the track in front of you.
Never used them into London but did on the 101s around Manchester area in their later years (mid-late 90s). Would have been fun on the Paddington lines with such things as 50s and HSTs hurtling towards you on the other lines though!
Tracked
Established Member
Loco-hauled services between Doncaster and Sheffield, early to mid-80's and usually cl37 or 31. Also from that era a lot of old stations and lines: can remember sometimes being held in the loop near Mexborough for a HST to pass (in those days they were boring, and usually avoided), the old road past Silverwood Colliery and the shunter in the sidings near there, Attercliffe Road and Brightside in regular use, Rotherham Masbrough station when it was in use, and the first time through Rotherham Central (on a 144).
Also, on a Sheffield related thing; waiting outside in the tunnels at the north end, always seemed to spend as much time waiting there as getting there from Doncaster!
A trip on a cl 101 from Peterborough to Doncaster - in the early 90's - with the blinds up, so we had a view of the track ahead all the way
The introduction of Pacers and Sprinters replacing the older DMU's, and the 307's working Don-Lds
Parcels trains at Doncaster, and the variety and amount of freight with various loco's at the front. Being allowed in the cabs of 91's stopped at Doncaster when they were fairly new.
Bentley and Adwick stations opening, I was at the open day of Adwick, iirc me and my friend(s) went up to Sheffield afterwards and then back to Swinton for a few hours spotting.
Also, on a Sheffield related thing; waiting outside in the tunnels at the north end, always seemed to spend as much time waiting there as getting there from Doncaster!
A trip on a cl 101 from Peterborough to Doncaster - in the early 90's - with the blinds up, so we had a view of the track ahead all the way
The introduction of Pacers and Sprinters replacing the older DMU's, and the 307's working Don-Lds
Parcels trains at Doncaster, and the variety and amount of freight with various loco's at the front. Being allowed in the cabs of 91's stopped at Doncaster when they were fairly new.
Bentley and Adwick stations opening, I was at the open day of Adwick, iirc me and my friend(s) went up to Sheffield afterwards and then back to Swinton for a few hours spotting.
That reminds me:
Going Manchester-York on service trains during the last days of the Deltics to catch a service York-King's Cross. HST in both directions, damn!
Trying again, not long after.
Day excursion from Stockport, class 40 to York via Miles Platting and Todmorden. Deltic York-King's Cross, followed by a different Deltic back to York, for the return trip behind the class 40 to Stockport. Much better! Late 1970s it must have been .....
Going Manchester-York on service trains during the last days of the Deltics to catch a service York-King's Cross. HST in both directions, damn!
Trying again, not long after.
Day excursion from Stockport, class 40 to York via Miles Platting and Todmorden. Deltic York-King's Cross, followed by a different Deltic back to York, for the return trip behind the class 40 to Stockport. Much better! Late 1970s it must have been .....
OuterDistant
Member
On a summer's day at my parents' house, with my bedroom window open, a combination of fresh air and the sound of a 156 revving up at the station about 1/4 mile away.
I've already posted here, but some more:
- The classic SR station recorded announcements (with that slightly posh lady) around 1983, including, in particular, the description of the xx23 fast train to Portsmouth from Guildford (the '81') as "the VERY fast train", which was maybe a bit of an exaggeration as it called at Haslemere, Havant and Portsmouth.I'd expect a VERY fast train to be fast to Havant at least! Also at Guildford, "this train also calls at Hilsea" added to the end of the announcement for the small number that did at the time, following the main sequence of stops being announced with Hilsea omitted.
- Spending the day at Woking regularly, with notable features including the 50s to Exeter, the non-stop Weymouth '91's (REP, TC) and the regular split and join sequence of the VEPs (including the sequence of recorded announcements - posh lady again - explaining to passengers what was going on) going to Bournemouth/Basingstoke and Alton.
- The classic SR station recorded announcements (with that slightly posh lady) around 1983, including, in particular, the description of the xx23 fast train to Portsmouth from Guildford (the '81') as "the VERY fast train", which was maybe a bit of an exaggeration as it called at Haslemere, Havant and Portsmouth.I'd expect a VERY fast train to be fast to Havant at least! Also at Guildford, "this train also calls at Hilsea" added to the end of the announcement for the small number that did at the time, following the main sequence of stops being announced with Hilsea omitted.
- Spending the day at Woking regularly, with notable features including the 50s to Exeter, the non-stop Weymouth '91's (REP, TC) and the regular split and join sequence of the VEPs (including the sequence of recorded announcements - posh lady again - explaining to passengers what was going on) going to Bournemouth/Basingstoke and Alton.
I’ve just remembered the Ovaltine dairy farm at Abbots Langley which was visible from the north side of the WCML. It had a big Ovaltine advertising hoarding and as a kid it was a highlight thing to look out for on the train journey.
It was a lovely thatched arts and crafts style building dating from the earlier half of the twentieth century. I think it kept going until the late 70s and I believe it has now been converted into flats.
It was a lovely thatched arts and crafts style building dating from the earlier half of the twentieth century. I think it kept going until the late 70s and I believe it has now been converted into flats.
Totally with you on the Southern announcements. Such a distinctive pair of voices (there was a man and a woman). London Bridge favourites included ‘This train does NOT call at St Johns’ (seemingly almost every train), ‘This side out please, this is London Bridge’ (on the old P6).
Also on holiday trains to the South Coast as a child in the 80s, family members panicking about being in the right portion. Especially if the ’middle 4 coaches’ were involved.
And finally the joy of getting the one second class compartment in a CIG or VEP. And of how grotty the closed compartments were in EPBs.
pitdiver
Member
I don't know if you had me but I was one of the lads who had done this very thing. The road was Cline Road which led to what was known locally "Tunnel Gardens".
Yes, I've always noticed St Johns seems to be rather overlooked service-wise, with only a minority (2tph?) calling. I first passed through it in 1986 on a Network Day (destination Canterbury West) and thinking it looked a bit neglected compared to all the other stops on the line.
Looking at some of the old CWNs of the 80s it did appear three-way splits were common on some of the Charing Cross services, e.g. splitting for the Dover and Canterbury lines at Ashford with the third unit left behind there, or 8 going forward to Dover with only the front 4 continuing to Deal etc.
Ah yes, those, I remember them. I remember them being described as 'luxury second' by others from school but I don't think they were officially designated as such.
Wonder if 'Cline' is common short-hand for 'incline'? If there's a tunnel there, one might assume there's a slope. There is a Cline Road in Guildford and I'm fairly sure it goes up the side of a hill: I think it's in the Pewley Down area.
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Crewe Exile
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There’s 2 particularly nostalgic memories- the first, which cemented my interest in railways was 40001 absolutely thrash out of Crewe on a rake of Mark 1s. I’d gone the station tagging along with a pal and his elder brother who were well into the railways - the noise was immense as it absolutely hammered out of Crewe - I was captivated.
Aside from that I miss the would be considered mundane - class 25 ambling along on a ballast or just going to somewhere like Man Vic and getting a peak on the Pennines.
Aside from that I miss the would be considered mundane - class 25 ambling along on a ballast or just going to somewhere like Man Vic and getting a peak on the Pennines.
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