Your first rail ride

[alexdodds]

What was your first rail ride.

Doesnt have to be just british rail/national rail. It can also be Metro, DLR, tube and tram. You can also say what colour the train was and what class number it was.

My first train ride was on the T & W Metro in 1996 when i was 4.

Me and my Dad got on the metro at Gateshead and went right round the coast to North Shields and then got the ferry across to South Shields. I even remember the colour of the train and it was red and yellow. When I saw the M logo i first thought it was Morrisons operating a transport system.

my first ride on national rail was back in August 2001 when i went on holiday to Scarborough.

Arriva trains northern class 142 in Northern Spirit livery from Chester-le-Street to Durham then GNER 225 from Durham to York and then i think a class 150 from York to Scarborough.

Comming back i cant remember what it was from Scarborough to York but i remember been on a Virgin HST from York to Durham and then an ATN 142 in regional railways livery from Durham to CLS.

 

[Mvann]

Vaguely remember going from Leicester to London when I was about three. Went to the tower of London on that trip. The Ira exploded a bomb there a week later.

 

[asylumxl]

My first rail ride was at about 2 weeks old, my parents were taking me up to Edinburgh from KGX so my grandparents could see me (p.s. that'd have been January 1989).

 

[Polarbear]

My first rail journey would have been From Heatherdale to Melbourne in Victoria, Australia. I lived out there when I was a young kid.

The first rail journey I remember is being taken on "Puffing Billy" in the late 1960's. For those who don't know, it's a preserved narrow gauge line situated to the south east of Melbourne.

http://www.puffingbilly.com.au/

It's probably the reason I became interested in trains.

Helpfully, the Ffestiniog railway have leaflets for this line at Porthmadoc station!

 

[mumrar]

My first train ride was probably on the Severn Valley, my grandparents used to go out with my parents and us kids (2 of us) for the day and take us there. The very early influence of the twin Maybach engines in D1062 were probably a big influence on me. They certainly were on my Dad - he's putting together a 5" gauge D1015 currently complete with soundchip!

 

[90019]

I think the first, that I can vaguely recall, was going on a 156 over the Forth Bridge.
Although, a journey to London and back on a 225 may have been before that.

 

[YorkshireBear]

chapeltown to huddersfield in about 1993 when i was 1 or 2 and mum on nights, dad used to take me. first one i can remember is, HST midland mainline to london from sheffield in about 1996

 

[Clip]

The first one i remember involved getting on or off at manors I think.. God I cant remember

 

[Anon Mouse]

It would of been a slam door DMU between North Shields and Wallsend in my pram before I could remember!

Other than the infant Metro I remember early trips a a kid from Newcastle to Dover Western Docks en route to Belgium for holidays, a trip from to York with my Grandparents and a railtour to Fort William with my Grandma which broke down in the middle of nowhere!

I think the first journey on my own was to Sunderland on the train, followed by trips to Durham and Darlington.

 

[scotsman]

I believe it was Bo'ness - Birkhill and back on the B&KR, I could be wrong - it could have been a 150 to Edinburgh

 

[Eric]

My earliest memory would be a trip to Keighley from Forster Square back in the early 60's (showing my age)

 

[LE Greys]

Before I was born, my mother used to commute to work when she was pregnant, so I've been travelling on the southernmost part of the ECML for twenty-seven years.

First one I remember was at what was called the Yorkshire Dales Railway at the time, when they were running shuttles from Embsay to the junction. Or possibly a return trip to Cambridge, changing to a DMU at Royston. It was just in the blue/grey era at the time, changing to NSE.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The first train ride that I made never left my memory( It was in 1950 and my father was still in the RAF in East Anglia). My mother took two classmates and I to see the illuminations at Blackpool from Manchester and the first sight of those vivid illuminations will stay with me always

 

[Welshman]

My first memories are of being taken from Halifax to Bradford Exchange about 1953. The loud ticking of the station clock heard in the waiting room on platform 3 as you huddled round an inadequate coal fire to keep warm. The all-pervading smell of chocolate from Mackintosh's adjacent the station.

The slow journey, in the dirty, red non-corridor coaches, the horse-hair seating which irritated young legs in short trousers and the door windows you lowered with a leather strap, which crashed down unexpectedly if you didn't secure the strap properly.

My Father carefully cutting the mauve 2nd Class Cheap Day Return tickets in two with his penknife during the journey through Lightcliffe and Low Moor Stations.

Then a glass of orange juice in the Refreshment Room at Bradford, and after inserting 1d in a red machine, swinging a large pointer and operating a handle at the side to emboss my name in a narrow, thin strip of tin.

Then the journey back. The slow climb out of Bradford and the even slower drag up Horton St in Halifax for the bus home!

Strange how I can remember events of nearly 60 years ago as if yesterday, but can't for the life of me remember what I had for tea last Saturday. :roll:

 

[43106]

Strewth, I know I travelled from Birkenhead to Bournemouth when I was 2, but I don't remember it.
When I was about 5 (late 1950's, early 1960's - I simply don't remember), I got on what I think was a push-pull train at Leamington Spa Avenue which went to Rugby (the lines long gone, but you can still see the trackbed on Google Maps). Apparently, they were through carriages to Workington (which I don't think is right), and we (Mum and I) got off at Seascale. I remember passing somewhere where there were lines of Class 57XX 0-6-0PT locos, but I've no idea where it was - Wolverhampton??????? When we were somewhere between Carnforth and Barrow, Mum and I went to the buffet car, but the connecting corridor between carriages had become detached, which scared the hell out of Mum. When we got to Barrow, she raised merry hell with the guard!

 

[RPM]

The first ever one would have been the Ffestiniog Railway - I was subjected to that from foetal form onwards. First BR train ride was Gloucester Eastgate to Swindon and back - 1975.

 

[flymo]

The first one I can really recollect was a trip from Newcastle to Whitley Bay on the old DMU's. This was the summer of 1971 so I would have been 5. Funny I can also remember it being 2 x 3 cars too. The memory is a strange thing .

 

[Adam_Harrison]

My first rail ride would of been in 1993/4 with BR along the West Coast Mainline from Oxenholme to Carlisle, Then to Newcastle and on to Hartlepool. I don't know what stock it would of been. My first rail ride I can recall was a Virgin XC HST around 1996 from Carlisle to Oxenholme and my first rail ride alone was on board a Grand Central HST from Hartlepool to Sunderland in the week they first operated ! First metro ride was about 2 and a half year ago from Sunderland to St James Park Via the Coast !

 

[connor7777]

Promise not to laugh a this ok, I can remember as far back as junior school age, we never went on the train much so I easily remembered going from Chester to Bache to go shopping with famil at the old Safeway store (now Morrisons).

Oh come on, its more exciting than getting the bus to the Bache.

 

[WestCoast]

I very vaguely remember riding on a Pacer on the South Fylde line! Although, I probably went on that train a few times when I was even younger, so my first rail experiences were definitely pacers in their early years

 

[HST Power]

For me, it would probably be either going into Wales via HST or going on the London Underground. I can always remember the annoucements saying 'this train terminates at Moorgate.' Why I was heading towards Moorgate I honestly do not know!

 

[Wyvern]

Derby to St.Ives, Cornwall, overnight in about 1941

The train packed tight with soldiers, sailors and airmen. I remember sitting on the floor of the toilet, the only spare space on the train, with Mum opposite me. My Dad who, with his artificial leg, couldn't stand for long periods, sat on the seat. I have the feeling someone took pity on us, for I can vaguely remember the three of us moving into a compartment, and of my looking in awe at all the people in their uniforms.

My aunt used to meet us at St. Ives station in her car. I remember because it had what was called a dickey seat which pulled out at the back for Mum and I to sit in. I can remember the artists' studios fronting Porthmeor beach, where my Aunt lived - I think it's now under the Tate St Ives.

 

[Clip]

It would of been a slam door DMU between North Shields and Wallsend in my pram before I could remember!

Other than the infant Metro I remember early trips a a kid from Newcastle to Dover Western Docks en route to Belgium for holidays, a trip from to York with my Grandparents and a railtour to Fort William with my Grandma which broke down in the middle of nowhere!

I think the first journey on my own was to Sunderland on the train, followed by trips to Durham and Darlington.

Ahh good shout on the holidays - never thought of them - was a massive trip from Newcastle to Dawlish.. Every 2 years since i was very young

 

[Oswyntail]

Family relocation from Manchester to Preston in 1958, when I was 4. It all feels very dark and steamy, with a leather strap to hold the window open. Quite scared and apprehensive.

 

[Anon Mouse]

Ahh good shout on the holidays - never thought of them - was a massive trip from Newcastle to Dawlish.. Every 2 years since i was very young

Thinking back to the last family holiday to Belgium when I was about 14 or 15 my parents allowed me to travel from Oostend to Gent on my own and also let me loose on my own on the Oostende tramway! I think that might have been the trip when we got the ship from Ramsgate and a few weeks later the very walkway we walked along collapsed :cry:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Derby to St.Ives, Cornwall, overnight in about 1941

The train packed tight with soldiers, sailors and airmen. I remember sitting on the floor of the toilet, the only spare space on the train, with Mum opposite me. My Dad who, with his artificial leg, couldn't stand for long periods, sat on the seat. I have the feeling someone took pity on us, for I can vaguely remember the three of us moving into a compartment, and of my looking in awe at all the people in their uniforms.

Sounds like the train my Wife and her freinds travelled on from Jinan to Shanghai at Spring Festival a couple of years ago!

 

[Yew]

I would guess either the narrow guage steam engine at my local wildlifey thing, mansfield to sheffield on an ATN pacer (and an emt/centeral trains unit along the robin hood line) Or a steam hauled carriage at some heriatage railway

 

[gnolife]

about 8 or so years ago
Heald Green to London Euston
FNW livery 323 Heald Green to Wilmslow (it even called at Styal!)
Wales & Borders Alphaline livery 158 to Crewe
Virgin Pendolino to Euston (back when expresses called in the Trent Valley! (the train stopped at Lichfield, Nuneaton, Rugby, Milton Keynes and Watford!))
Dont ask how i can remember all this... IDK

 

[466.networkers]

My first trip on the railway that I can remember was Sheerness to Sittingbourne on a Class 508 in 1998 - I was 9 or 10 at the time ...

 

[Anon Mouse]

My first trip on the railway that I can remember was Sheerness to Sittingbourne on a Class 508 in 1998 - I was 9 or 10 at the time ...

God! This thread is making me feel old! lol

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It's making you feel old?

Well...

I can just about remember when I was very small ( and I mean as in pushchair small! ) going on BR's green EPBs and SUBs and on the District Line proper red CO/CP stock trains... *sigh*