Railway scents

[talltim]

The Mk1 smell has been commented on, to my mind it must be something to do with a combination of the materials used for the the interior paneling and flooring, the moquette and whatever was inside the seats. Doesn't matter whether is is hauled stock or EMU.
Mix it with the thud of a compressor on a 3rd rail EMU and I'm on my way to my Grandparents in Hampton Court.

 

[Springs Branch]

Remember the Mk2 coaches from the 1970s with the coffin-shaped tables and winged headrests? I always thought the headrests smelled of greasy hair.
Any journey of any length on Inter-City was accompanied by a slight hint of other people's greasy hair.

I haven't noticed this for many years though. Maybe there were some Late-20th-Century advances in shampoo technology, maybe people wash their hair more these days, or cut their hair shorter.

Perhaps with the demise of those winged headrests, there's now a greater separation between the headrest of the seat and my nose.

 

[BestWestern]

Further to the general 'MK1 smell', my own memories of SWT Slammers was always of a mild waft of cleaning fluid or similar; I personally remember it rather fondly though you wouldn't want to wear it as aftershave!

The deep level Tube and it's slightly choking dusty ambiance is another classic train scent, again I rather like experiencing it but I wouldn't want it in my front room.

Aside from that, the smell of diesel fumes in the air is always welcome, as is the sweet scent of a steam loco.

 

[Oswyntail]

Ah, memories are made of smells! The scent of a working 8f, thundering under the bridge at Darkes Lane (good), followed by the pong of the Fleetwood fish behind it (bad)

 

[Springs Branch]

The Mk1 smell has been commented on, to my mind it must be something to do with a combination of the materials used for the the interior paneling and flooring, the moquette and whatever was inside the seats. Doesn't matter whether hauled stock or EMU.....

In the 1970s, I always thought the BRCW Class 104 DMUs had a different, and much more agreeable smell and ambience than the other staples on my local lines - Derby Class 108 & Cravens Class 105.

The Class 104s (the Newton Heath "white stripe" variety) felt much more like Mk1 main-line coaches, with plusher, well-sprung seats instead of upright bus seats, and proper wood laminate paneling (with a discrete nameplate telling you the type of timber used) instead of the plastic bus interior panels of the other units. I'm sure the higher standard of materials contributed to the indefinably different smell.

 

[CyrusWuff]

I don't know if this was peculiar to NSE (or even specific to the West Anglia side), but there was a distinct "station" odour around the stairs at certain stations (and no, it wasn't stale urine), possibly a result of the combination of wooden stairs and whatever cleaning fluid they used.

 

[Ash Bridge]

In the 1970s, I always thought the BRCW Class 104 DMUs had a different, and much more agreeable smell and ambience than the other staples on my local lines - Derby Class 108 & Cravens Class 105.

The Class 104s (the Newton Heath "white stripe" variety) felt much more like Mk1 main-line coaches, with plusher, well-sprung seats instead of upright bus seats, and proper wood laminate paneling (with a discrete nameplate telling you the type of timber used) instead of the plastic bus interior panels of the other units. I'm sure the higher standard of materials contributed to the indefinably different smell.

That takes me back too! Boarding a BRC&W 104 at Reddish South, always felt different to to the other regular types (100, 105, 108, 110s etc.) on that line in the early 70s. I too recall the little nameplates mounted above the wood panelled partition entrance, facing the seats. The later 110s from the same manufacturer of course, had Formica panelling in place of the wood veneer, I suppose at the time it was intended to give a more modern feel, wood trim was probably more associated with steam era interiors.

 

[Tetchytyke]

I also love the smell of the brakes on a MkIV set, though I don't really know why.

Talking of tunnels, I also really like the smell in the middle of Blea Moor tunnel, there's just something really cold and earthy about it. I don't get to smell it so much now with the 158s.

As for bad smells, I really don't like the smell of the S-stock air conditioning, and always want to know why it smells like cannabis.

 

[Aictos]

For me I like the fumes from Sprinters for simple reason it reminds me of my childhood waiting on Leeds, Accrington, Blackburn, Blackpool platforms for a Regional Railways Sprinter to turn up.

 

[yorksrob]

I don't know if this was peculiar to NSE (or even specific to the West Anglia side), but there was a distinct "station" odour around the stairs at certain stations (and no, it wasn't stale urine), possibly a result of the combination of wooden stairs and whatever cleaning fluid they used.

A sort of rubbery, gluey floor tile sort of smell ? I think the old Ashford (Kent) Station used to have something similar.

 

[GatwickDepress]

For me I like the fumes from Sprinters for simple reason it reminds me of my childhood waiting on Leeds, Accrington, Blackburn, Blackpool platforms for a Regional Railways Sprinter to turn up.

Speaking of Sprinters, I've always liked the curiously peppery tang that the interiors of 156s seem to have.

 

[Bald Rick]

A 4 VEP c1982.

Alternatively any signalbox relay room (curiously, they all smell the same, even those without relays!)

 

[cjmillsnun]

Good: The slight smell of Ozone in a tube tune after some arcing.

Bad: BO

Ugly: Fast food.

 

[lewisf]

Speaking of MK1 smell, I think the inter car corridors on a 455 or 313 smell very similar

 

[swj99]

The unmistakable smell of burning motor windings on deep level underground trains.

 

[VauxhallandI]

The still fusty dirt smell of a 304 combined with the strange noises of metal expansion and electricity.

Bouncy seats and trips to Crewe in the sunshine.

 

[chris_in_salop]

The musty smell of a 153, which I associate with trips on the Heart of Wales line.

 

[samuelmorris]

Good: The slight smell of Ozone in a tube tune after some arcing.

Bad: BO

Ugly: Fast food.

Oh yeah, those Wasabi pot noodle things stink out a carriage for miles!

 

[Springs Branch]

Interesting thread. Until now, I never realised how many of my railway memories are wrapped up in smells!

I don't know if this was peculiar to NSE (or even specific to the West Anglia side), but there was a distinct "station" odour around the stairs at certain stations (and no, it wasn't stale urine), possibly a result of the combination of wooden stairs and whatever cleaning fluid they used.

Not peculiar to NSE. In the north-west, Hindley station has a moderately long, enclosed passageway from the street to access the ticket office & platforms. This always had a characteristic smell of wooden floorboards, plus some other unidentifiable "station" odour. Not nasty, just somehow unique.

A sort of rubbery, gluey floor tile sort of smell ? I think the old Ashford (Kent) Station used to have something similar.

When Wigan North Western was totally rebuilt in the early 70s, the new entrance & ticket office had black rubber floor tiles installed. This always had a distinct industrial rubber smell, which I thought was very progressive, clean and modern at the time (at least compared to the run-down, decrepit nature of much of the BR infrastructure in that era).


Regarding other smells:
Surprising no-one recalling the old-school railways has mentioned tobacco smoke, from the days of smoking and non-smoking carriages.

Having said that, I don't remember ever getting in a train and being overwhelmed by the stink of cigarettes in the carriage. Whereas I definitely do remember this regularly on the top deck of buses.

 

[nlogax]

The distinct rubber smell of Class 455 corridor connections when passing through a unit, especially on a warm day.

 

[lyndhurst25]

The big Works (Doncaster, Derby, etc) that I've visited always had a unique, nice smell. I always wondered what it was. I assume it was a combination of fresh paint and industrial degreasing fluid.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Interesting thread. Until now, I never realised how many of my railway memories are wrapped up in smells!

Not peculiar to NSE. In the north-west, Hindley station has a moderately long, enclosed passageway from the street to access the ticket office & platforms. This always had a characteristic smell of wooden floorboards, plus some other unidentifiable "station" odour. Not nasty, just somehow unique.


When Wigan North Western was totally rebuilt in the early 70s, the new entrance & ticket office had black rubber floor tiles installed. This always had a distinct industrial rubber smell, which I thought was very progressive, clean and modern at the time (at least compared to the run-down, decrepit nature of much of the BR infrastructure in that era).


Regarding other smells:
Surprising no-one recalling the old-school railways has mentioned tobacco smoke, from the days of smoking and non-smoking carriages.

Having said that, I don't remember ever getting in a train and being overwhelmed by the stink of cigarettes in the carriage. Whereas I definitely do remember this regularly on the top deck of buses.

I'm very happy the days of smoking on public transport are over. The top deck of buses were bad at the front where a grated heater was. Trains never had smoking when I first used them in the late 90s.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Some did. The WCML had a smoking coach until about 2002.

Neil

 

[scotraildriver]

Does anyone the remember the odd smoking arrangement on the West coast after the "executive" refurbishment. 4 coaches were half smoking, half non but with no divide in the middle so effectively the whole coach stank. I always wondered why they didn't have 2 smoking 2 non.

 

[Domeyhead]

Good - I loved the smell of tar and bitumen that oozed from old wooden sleepers on a hot afternoon - a wonderful industrial smell combining all the hot oils dripped from a thousand steam locos long since scrapped.
Good - the musty smell from the plush upholstery of a Hampshire DEMU, and the myriad of dust particles suspended and eddying in a sunbeam after you sat down.
Good - the smell of hot gas oil (diesel) and the ticking in the recent silence from an engine as it cooled off after working hard then being rested.
I even liked the smells of the old disinfectant blocks dropped in the urinals at BR stations - it intimidated the germs before it got rid of them. No norovirus in those days, no MRSA, oh no.
Bad - the smell from the toilets on a Class 220 Voyager that finds its way into the passenger compartment and just stays - no windows or doors to disperse - it was like sitting in the toilet for the entire journey.
Bad - the stale air pushed from a deep tube tunnel that billows onto the platform with grime and old newspapers just ahead of the train

 

[yorksrob]

Some did. The WCML had a smoking coach until about 2002.

Neil

And very handy for finding a seat it was too.

 

[wimbledonpete]

That little green bar of soap you used to get in the toilets on mk1 emus.

Yes! Definitely this.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
A freshly overhauled SUB or EPB - shiny varnish on the outside, smart newly trimmed Trojan covered seats, gorgeous.

 

[t o m]

Good:
General greasy/oily smell
A warm mechanical signal box

Bad:
Dead animal in the 4ft!

 

[Why]

Remember from my youth 4 BIG units on South Coast and the smell of toast from the Buffet Car...... lovely

 

[Penmorfa]

Going into a booking office and smelling that curious cardboard smell from racks of Edmondson tickets