Unusual destinations included on blinds

[Pyewipecarshed]

I'm told SWT 158/159s had every SWT station set in their external PIS displays, a host of Western Region codes and then some interesting special codes. If I remember what I was told correctly this included Ludgershall, Marchwood, Fawley, Hythe, Dartmouth Steam Railway, Mid Hants Railway, Swanage Railway and Seaside Special - the latter would compliment Race Special that you sometimes saw on a 455!

158s originally had all likely destination points on the network programmed into their blinds, with the main ones displayed on a listing in the cab. So a Hull conductor I used to work with would put "Balloch Express" on the blind at every opportunity, whilst I would usually select something at random when not in service or when leaving the unit stabled; the aforementioned "Strensall" and also "Ystrad Mynach" were favourites of mine and were all on the listing despite my working in West Yorkshire!
The various TOCs gradually issued new lists that only had their destinations included, but you could still enter the numbers in between and get random places from all around the network.
It was only when the PIS systems were replaced that the units could display just the relevant points for the TOC who operated them.

Going back some now, I can recall a class 100 dmu employed on the Stockport - Stalybridge service displaying Afonwen on its destination panel for several days running. Possibly sometime around 1971-72, Afonwen station on the Cambrian Coast line I believe had closed around 1964.

It would have still been fitted with the 1950s blind from when it was new and Afonwen was still open. Quite a number of the first generation units never received new blinds.

 

[MadMac]

Going back some now, I can recall a class 100 dmu employed on the Stockport - Stalybridge service displaying Afonwen on its destination panel for several days running. Possibly sometime around 1971-72, Afonwen station on the Cambrian Coast line I believe had closed around 1964.

This 107 in Waverley was, for unknown reasons, showing Ardeer nearly 30 years after it closed!

 

[TheHovisKid]

The early Pacer problems, and the sudden influx of whatever was spare, brought all sorts of foreign places on blinds. Talking to drivers at the time, they varied from first-letter to sounds-like, to well-it's-still-the-seaside-isn't-it to improbable-so-they'll-know-it's-not-going-there-anyway. But rarely a white blank as where was the fun in that!

 

[Ash Bridge]

This 107 in Waverley was, for unknown reasons, showing Ardeer nearly 30 years after it closed!

Have to say that one sure beats my sighting by a country mile!

It would have still been fitted with the 1950s blind from when it was new and Afonwen was still open. Quite a number of the first generation units never received new blinds.

That would certainly make sense, I can also remember the Buxton allocated 3 car class 104 dmus that had the white cab roofs, several examples displaying Manchester London Rd throughout the 1970s and probably into the 80s, the 2 car variants based at Longsight or Newton Heath always showed Piccadilly so they clearly had updated blinds installed.

 

[Barnsley]

How about this on a 313 at Kings Cross in 2019

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

How about this on a 313 at Kings Cross in 2019View attachment 190534

It would need to build up a lot of speed by Werrington Junction to coast that far!

 

[ginge8991]

The mockup displayed in, I think, Glasgow Central had Bo’ness on the display!

Quite ironic considering where the last remaining one currently resides.

 

[northernrailer]

Search me on youtube @northernrailer , i collect Destination Blinds mainly from Pacers and Sprinters. I have filmed most of my collection that ive purchased over the years. Theres not many blinds ive not got, one that i dont have is the blinds fitted to the Class 155 units when new - if anyone know the list of Destinations. Search me on youtube and check out my Destination Blind videos thanks

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 17 Oct 2025 ==

Inspired by the thread on Merseyrail class 142 blinds, I thought I would start a thread on unusual/weird destinations included on multiple unit destination blinds in times past.

My starters are the following;

Class 144's had both "Glasgow Central" and "Edinburgh" on their blinds c.2008.
Glasgow Central was a throwback to when Arriva Trains Northern extended the 0947 Leeds-Carlisle service to Glasgow in the late-90s/early 2000's, although one of the first things Railtrack did was to ban 14x from working it! But Edinburgh??

Arriva Trains Northern 142's had "Stanhope" on the blinds from an early -90's summer Sunday service along the then freight-only Weardale line.

Class 158's could originally display "Strensall" because that station was proposed for reopening when they were built. It wasn't reopened and still doesn't exist to this day!

And finally (from the Merseyrail 142 thread) Northern Trains programmed the 142's with electronic blinds to be able to show "Barrow Haven"... even though nothing terminates there!

Any others??

Check out my video of the Arriva Trains Northern Destination Blind you speak of, it was printed in Feb 1999 and fitted to class 14x and 15x units belonging to Neville Hill and Heaton depots. It has some interesting Destinations on it. See the youtube link below and have a look at all my other Destination Blind videos. Thanks

 

[gg1]

On a semi-related note, the “Solari” flap departure board at Waverley, which was installed around 1977, had “Suburban Circle“ as one of the available destinations.

If we're allowing solari boards, the one at New Street had Sandwell and Dudley as a destination in the 80. As far as I'm aware, there have never been any services scheduled to terminate there.

 

[Steddenm]

I remember when the 158s were new, one passed Nuneaton with "Hong Kong" on the screen which I thought was nice. I know some of the 158-style units went to Thailand in Regional Railways Express livery, but don't think they went all the way to HK!

 

[BBF3]

A surprising one from the Class 142s' second spell in Devon given that no services were normally booked to terminate there:

Topsham

Rare blinds!

www.flickr.com

 

[Barnsley]

It would need to build up a lot of speed by Werrington Junction to coast that far!

He was winding it when I took the photo, couldn’t believe my luck I got that!

 

[Ash Bridge]

He was winding it when I took the photo, couldn’t believe my luck I got that!

Great catch!

 

[norbitonflyer]

Have seen (but cannot link to) a picture of a Central Line train displaying "Waterloo"

As I understand it, all 1992 tube stock had the same desination displays when built, although why they bothered with a changeable display on the Drain at all beats me.

 

[Bradford PA]

I can recall seeing a Thameslink unit at Moorgate in the early 2000's with "Dunstable North" on its blind.

 

[Beebman]

Although I sold off most of my blind collection a few years ago I remembered today that I kept a Reading DMU blind from the early 80s which I've just managed to find. Along with the expected Thames Valley, Cotswold Line (as far as Hereford) and North Downs (as far as Tonbridge) destinations it also includes 'Birmingham', 'Leamington Spa', 'Salisbury' and 'Westbury'. I've taken some photos of the blind which include each of those four destinations and attached them to this post for interest.

 

[Dave W]

'Dudley' could often be seen on Sprinters running in passenger service around Birmingham too.

Never knew this!

Inspired by @northernrailer i went through his channel and found this video, which interestingly shows Smethwick Galton Bridge and Dudley on the same blind - which are two stations at opposite ends of 30 years of railway. Fascinating.

 

[Alfie1014]

Taken at Wolverton works in 1981 and 44 years later the wires still haven’t got to Felixstowe!

 

[EYFanatic]

I have a picture somewhere of a 319 at - I think - Wilmslow with "HULL" as the destination on the board... If I find it, I will post it here

 

[MichaelAMW]

The Marylebone 115 blinds had both Haddenham, closed in 1963, and Little Kimble, used for Aylesbury via High Wycombe trains to avoid confusion. I don't know if they had any destinations beyond Aylesbury.

 

[Strathclyder]

314s had East Kilbride - not wired until this past year! - in their rollers. Only time I ever recall it being used - or seeing it at all - was on one leg of the farewell tour in December 2019; 314202 on the rear had it set to EK upon arrival at Carstairs from Motherwell (attached image is my own).