Old locos are so loud

[richieb1971]

I'm a big fan of the loudness and distinctness of the old locos we have on our network. So i'm in the bedroom 2 miles away from the railway at least and my windows are closed. I hear what sounds like a class 37 in my bedroom. I check realtimetrains and low and behold one of the ROG's 37's is doing a Ramsgate EMU move to Derby at 21:09 through Bedford tonight. I could hear it for about a whole minute, perhaps more. God knows what it sounded like going through the station lol.

Same thing where I work. I have a walk about on night shift and in the distance in Northampton I can hear the distinctive sound of a 37. Usually its a Derby RTC working. Although I am outside when I hear them in Northampton and its only 1/4 mile away (perhaps a bit more).

Do you guys ever have a quiet moment and suddenly you hear the melody of a class 37 in the distance, you check it out and there it is on realtimetrains? It was not your imagination.

 

[GatwickDepress]

On a very still and quiet night I can just about hear the PA from Milton Keynes Central. Definitely not quite as romantic as your experience, mind!

 

[Agent_Squash]

I’ve heard a 37 from a loud classroom before passing on the Furness Line.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Our house is situated only around 20mtrs from the one remaining running line of the Stockport to Guide Bridge line. Last week in the height of the storm that ripped through here with sleep destroying roaring winds that later went on to cause so much damage in The Netherlands and Germany etc, were briefly completely drowned out by the somewhat louder roar of a class 37s EE 12CSVT engine powering an early hours NR test train. Having said that I can remember when Class 40s & 50s were regular past here, and they definitely put the 37s in the shade, especially double headed 50s on Anglo Scottish weekend diversions during the early seventies, now they did make a serious racket!

 

[route101]

On a very still and quiet night I can just about hear the PA from Milton Keynes Central. Definitely not quite as romantic as your experience, mind!

How far are away from the station?

 

[Bevan Price]

I live about 2 miles from the nearest railway, but (at home) have not heard any trains since steam finished. In favourable weather conditions, I used to be able to hear ex-LNWR 0-8-0s on freights, climbing the bank from St. Helens to Thatto Heath. The line is now electrified, and unfortuntely, Thatto Heath now sees virtually no freight - and steam rail tours are very rare.

 

[Cowley]

I’m about 200 metres from Cowley Bridge Junction and last night I was in the loft at about 9pm when I heard the unmistakable sound of a 37 accelerating northwards (I didn’t check RTT to see what it was doing), it was a still night, I opened the loft window and got most of my body out so that I could give it the old ‘salute’, hopefully no-one was watching.
It sounded absolutely magnificent on full bore with the turbos screaming.
I could still hear it five minutes later as the sound bounced back down the valley.
I then texted my non enthusiast neighbour Mark, and bearing in mind that he had his windows shut too, this was the conversation (that’s repeatable).

Me - Did you hear that?
Mark - What the diesel? Yup!
Me - That sir is what you call a locomotive...
Mark - A real train, not like these millennial trains you get these days.
Me - Yeah. Bloody Snowflake Generation trains whining past here complaining that they can’t get on the property ladder.

So yes Richieb. Very much appreciate the symphony of an loco...

 

[D365]

Staying over with a friend who lived near the Hope Valley line, I could certainly hear the 37 test trains at night...

 

[goblinuser]

I’m about 200 metres from Cowley Bridge Junction and last night I was in the loft at about 9pm when I heard the unmistakable sound of a 37 accelerating northwards (I didn’t check RTT to see what it was doing), it was a still night, I opened the loft window and got most of my body out so that I could give it the old ‘salute’, hopefully no-one was watching.
It sounded absolutely magnificent on full bore with the turbos screaming.
I could still hear it five minutes later as the sound bounced back down the valley.
I then texted my non enthusiast neighbour Mark, and bearing in mind that he had his windows shut too, this was the conversation (that’s repeatable). My comments are the green ones...View attachment 42046
So yes Richieb. Very much appreciate the symphony of an loco...

I dislike your joke but I'm still laughing

Where can you find out the locations of 37s beforehand without having to pay?

 

[Cowley]

I dislike your joke but I'm still laughing

Where can you find out the locations of 37s beforehand without having to pay?

Must apologise for that joke. But it was a joke (albeit a bad one).

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

When the wind is blowing the right way I hear trains on the WCML rather clearly especially evenings/overnight when there is less background noise. And yes the sound of a 37 does evoke a certain pleasurable feeling. But equally there is sufficient variety of traction on the route that it's possible to appreciate the different aural outputs of the different types. 185s and 221s use the same engines but the exhaust sounds are just different enough to tell them apart. A pair of 86s makes a surprisingly loud noise under power. And when Colas 56s worked the logs the overnight workings could be heard for a few minutes if clear signals allowed. Most surprising is just how "loud" the 319s are when Sprinters and Pacers seem to produce no sound or at least none that carries any distance. Even Pendolinos can be heard from some distance away: a reflection perhaps on the high power traction installed. And an honourable mention to the 68s, very satisfying for modern traction.

 

[Cowley]

When the wind is blowing the right way I hear trains on the WCML rather clearly especially evenings/overnight when there is less background noise. And yes the sound of a 37 does evoke a certain pleasurable feeling. But equally there is sufficient variety of traction on the route that it's possible to appreciate the different aural outputs of the different types. 185s and 221s use the same engines but the exhaust sounds are just different enough to tell them apart. A pair of 86s makes a surprisingly loud noise under power. And when Colas 56s worked the logs the overnight workings could be heard for a few minutes if clear signals allowed. Most surprising is just how "loud" the 319s are when Sprinters and Pacers seem to produce no sound or at least none that carries any distance. Even Pendolinos can be heard from some distance away: a reflection perhaps on the high power traction installed. And an honourable mention to the 68s, very satisfying for modern traction.

It is interesting how different everything sounds. I can pretty much tell what anything is where we are from the sound.
I’ve noticed for instance that Voyagers are louder than HSTs when they clatter across the points.
A 57 heading past on the Sleepers sounds quite noisy but nothing like it would’ve been when Western or 50 hauled.

 

[DarloRich]

I'm a big fan of the loudness and distinctness of the old locos we have on our network. So i'm in the bedroom 2 miles away from the railway at least and my windows are closed. I hear what sounds like a class 37 in my bedroom. I check realtimetrains and low and behold one of the ROG's 37's is doing a Ramsgate EMU move to Derby at 21:09 through Bedford tonight. I could hear it for about a whole minute, perhaps more. God knows what it sounded like going through the station lol.

Same thing where I work. I have a walk about on night shift and in the distance in Northampton I can hear the distinctive sound of a 37. Usually its a Derby RTC working. Although I am outside when I hear them in Northampton and its only 1/4 mile away (perhaps a bit more).

Do you guys ever have a quiet moment and suddenly you hear the melody of a class 37 in the distance, you check it out and there it is on realtimetrains? It was not your imagination.

My wake up call every Saturday morning - the outbound working of the Ramsgate EMU movement. 0815 ish like clockwork through Fenny. Then again at about 0830 as it powers away from Bletchley

 

[citycat]

I used to live half a mile from the West London line, and at night would hear the unique whine of the class 373 Eurostars as they went ecs from Waterloo to North Pole depot and back.

Now, I live in Holland, 300 metres from the main line between Utecht and Rotterdam, and just hear trains in the distance.

 

[Cowley]

When I was at school we used to camp in a friends garden on a hill near Clyst st George at weekends in the summer and at night you could hear 50s on the Waterloo trains in one direction and you could also hear them booming away in the other direction as they headed along the Exe near Starcross. The trains must have been at least ten miles apart.

 

[GusB]

I’m about 200 metres from Cowley Bridge Junction and last night I was in the loft at about 9pm when I heard the unmistakable sound of a 37 accelerating northwards (I didn’t check RTT to see what it was doing), it was a still night, I opened the loft window and got most of my body out so that I could give it the old ‘salute’, hopefully no-one was watching.

I wouldn't have posted that publicly - the fun police will be along soon to put bars on the loft window.

My dad's house is adjacent to the Inverness - Aberdeen line. Most of the stuff that goes past is 158/170, and while I paid little attention to DMUs, you knew when something was passing by the clickety-clack (especially when it was the last westbound train of the night). Unfortunately the powers that be went and relaid the track and these days most trains go by without much sound at all. The 66s go by with barely a murmur, but on the odd occasion that a 37 goes past, I'm quite glad that they announce it from several miles away.

 

[twpsaesneg]

When I lived in South Wales in the 1980s I was about a mile from the Rhymney branch of the valleys. I could still hear double headed 37's on the empties back up the valley to Cwmbargoed. Loved it!

Noise pollution wasn't a "thing" then....

 

[swt_passenger]

When I lived in South Wales in the 1980s I was about a mile from the Rhymney branch of the valleys. I could still hear double headed 37's on the empties back up the valley to Cwmbargoed. Loved it!

Noise pollution wasn't a "thing" then....

Good thing it is now. They should ban these old wrecks.

 

[furnessvale]

I live about 2 miles from the nearest railway, but (at home) have not heard any trains since steam finished. In favourable weather conditions, I used to be able to hear ex-LNWR 0-8-0s on freights, climbing the bank from St. Helens to Thatto Heath. The line is now electrified, and unfortuntely, Thatto Heath now sees virtually no freight - and steam rail tours are very rare.

My old school overlooked the Preston dock branch. The teacher had no chance when a Super D was bringing bananas off the dock!

 

[Ianno87]

On a very still and quiet night I can just about hear the PA from Milton Keynes Central. Definitely not quite as romantic as your experience, mind!

On a quiet night, I've heard the Cambridge station PA whilst walking past Asda on the Beehive retail park, best part of a mile away.

 

[433N]

I'm not sure about the 'old' thing.

I tend to go to quiet country spots away from urban centres frequently.
My general impression is that I can hear 68s further away than I can 37s ... and I have to say that the sound of a 70 tends to build long before it comes into view. Generally 88s still freak me out because they look like 68s but pass almost silently ... like ghosts.

It always surprises me how far away you can hear a pair of 86s at speed on an intermodal.

 

[fowler9]

At the bottom of our garden is the Liverpool spur of the WCML between Parkway and Lime Street. There is also a signal right behind the house on the fast and slow lines. Over the years I have been able to see 08's, 20's, 25's, 31's, 37's, 40's, 43's, 45's, 47's, 56's, 58's, 60's, 81's, 85's, 86's, 87's, 90's, all accelerate away from the signals. On the odd rare occasion even 33's, 50's and the odd steam locomotive. It is pretty dull these days.

 

[Taunton]

Back in diesel hydraulic days Westerns and (especially) Warships were notably quieter than the smaller Hymeks. The latter were audible at our house in Taunton, the former hardly ever.

When I lived near Canary Wharf around 1990 there was what was pretty obviously a Sulzer engine audible in the quiet of very early Sunday morning. I thought it must be a Class 47 around Stratford, but it turned out to be a Class 33 on a newspaper train which only ran on Sundays passing through Greenwich.

The greatest racket I ever heard was at Tunbridge Wells station, somewhat down in a cutting, in the days of the Thumper diesels, when two 12-car trains started simultaneously in opposite directions, each with four motor coaches.

Actually, not quite the greatest. That was visiting Canada in the 1970s, specifically Lake Louise in the Rockies on the CP main line from Calgary to Vancouver. It's in a wide, otherwise quiet valley between high mountains. The huge westbound, climbing freights would in those days have 6 or more diesels on the front, and the echoing roar started to be heard maybe 8 miles away, punctuated at intervals by the classic long-long-short-long whistle for level crossings. It was specially impressive at night, as the powerful headlight came round the bend a mile away and lit up everything. By the time the level crossing activated the clanging bell was completely overwhelmed by the approaching cacophony.

 

[ac6000cw]

I thought it must be a Class 47 around Stratford, but it turned out to be a Class 33 on a newspaper train which only ran on Sundays passing through Greenwich.

Yes, the 'straight 8' Sulzer in the 33's is something else - beats a 47 hands down for noise in my book. Mind you, a pair of 25's could out-racket almost anything....(from memories of them around the Birmingham area in the 1970's).

Actually, not quite the greatest. That was visiting Canada in the 1970s, specifically Lake Louise in the Rockies on the CP main line from Calgary to Vancouver. It's in a wide, otherwise quiet valley between high mountains. The huge westbound, climbing freights would in those days have 6 or more diesels on the front, and the echoing roar started to be heard maybe 8 miles away, punctuated at intervals by the classic long-long-short-long whistle for level crossings. It was specially impressive at night, as the powerful headlight came round the bend a mile away and lit up everything. By the time the level crossing activated the clanging bell was completely overwhelmed by the approaching cacophony.

I can well imagine it . The present day Lake Louise railway scene isn't bad either - see my post here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/where-was-i-its-western-canada.158736/#post-3308429 (but the level crossing you mention probably disappeared in the early 1980's double-tracking upgrade).

But part of a Saturday evening I spent a few years ago on old 'Route 66' just north of San Bernardino, enjoying the noise as train after train with four 4400 hp GE's on the front blasted their way slowly up the 2.2% gradient at the foot of Cajon Pass (in the dark) will stick in my mind for a long time...

 

[AC47461]

Don't get much my way in Rayleigh, but although I live a mile or so away, south east of the station (so that's up the hill and a little down the other side), you definitely know when the 37s are on the RHTT instead of 66s. If it's still weather or the wind is blowing in the right direction you can hear the horns when trains pass the 3 foot crossings between Rayleigh and Hockley.

I like above, I have to give an honourable mention to the 68s. On a recent trip to Leamington I could hear the loco under power from the 3rd coach back......

 

[Photohunter71]

When I was a wee boy living in Kilwinning, I lived pretty close to the station along the Claremont Crescent. I could hear 25's/26's/20's/37's and 47's at night, but the Rats and Tractors during the day as well! Plenty of work for them back then, even the aec engined dmu's were heard at times!
Moved to Edinburgh, and if the wind was blowing in from the coast, I could hear the Deltics sprinting down to London with a rake of coaches. When Edinburgh got 56's for coal trains, I could hear them and the 37's and the 91's from Craigentinny! I've moved away from both of those areas and hear zed all! I miss those days!

 

[BestWestern]

Good thing it is now. They should ban these old wrecks.

Why is that?

Incidentally, something that has been maintained to increasingly strict mainline standards for 50 years or so is unlikely to be a 'wreck', far from it.

 

[GatwickDepress]

How far are away from the station?

I'd say roughly a mile a bit. Considering how many houses and trees are in the way, I'm surprised I can hear it.

My wake up call every Saturday morning - the outbound working of the Ramsgate EMU movement. 0815 ish like clockwork through Fenny. Then again at about 0830 as it powers away from Bletchley

Ha, used that as a breakfast alarm a few times when I was in the office. See it roar right past the window and off to the canteen.

 

[DarloRich]

I'd say roughly a mile a bit. Considering how many houses and trees are in the way, I'm surprised I can hear it.


Ha, used that as a breakfast alarm a few times when I was in the office. See it roar right past the window and off to the canteen.

It always seems to get checked at Fenny as you can always hear the loco powering away

 

[billh]

Chronological order:
A crab mogul lifting a heavy freight to Denton Junction at about 5mph
A WD 2-8-0 clanking its way twixt Denton and Droylsden
Half a dozen EE type 4s left idling in Guide Bridge holding sidings over Christmas day/night
A pair of 37s taking the RMC " Big Train" empties up to Hyde Junction and beyond.
An A4 whistle some where near Denton a year or two back.