Your favourite railway memories

[Photohunter71]

I thought I'd start this thread as I have some great memories of when I regularly took a great interest in the railways. I still have an interest ,although my main hobby/interest has always been military aviation.

One of my favourite memories was as an 8 year old back in Kilwinning in 1979, taking a short walk halfway round the street in which I lived,heading up the wee path between the hotel car park and the other houses onto the wasteground by Hay and Andersons' fencing workshops,wandering down the driveway (now called McGavin way) past the workshops and the gate that reminded me of holidays in Edinburgh as on one of the gates was the name "Meadowbank". Anyway,going past all that and trudging across the terse tufts of grass (sadly now built on) I made my way to the wall at the "big hoose", climbing the wall with the adjoining wall at the railway, I got an excellent view of the station with the lines from Ayr and Largs and straight ahead of my viewpoint was the coal yard,then an excellent view of the signal box to the right of where I was situated.
Watching 37's on coal and Iron ore duties, 47's on ICI tanks and wondering what was in the small vans as a 47 hauled them down the Largs line. 26's on some duties and 20's double headed on coal. A consignment of what appeared to be metal sheeting came via the Largs line hauled by a class 20,and the recalcitrant crashing noise which would come from this sheeting as they rattled on their sides,not to mention the squealing of the wheels!! Of course, there were plenty DMU's to see too! Happy days!

 

[HowardGWR]

In wrong thread? It was an interesting posting though. I think the infrastructure element you describe does indeed form our early memories. Mine were at Lawrence Hill. Much of the scene there will be shortly resurrected, thank goodness.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

In wrong thread? I think the infrastructure element you describe does indeed form our early memories.

Mods may move anyway but I will confine to infrastructure. I remember late 1960s the line Preston- Barton and then north to Garstang being dequadrified and the semaphores etc and signal box at Barton being removed. Then the old telegraph and telephone wires and poles being taken down and concrete signaling trough being installed. Then that was followed by all the bridges (except Lightfoot Lane which was not needed) being lifted. Then the bases being dug and polystyrene inserts and concrete poured. Then they burned out the polystyrene inserts then masts installed. I vividly remember the wiring train installing the cantilevers and wires and then the first electric trains followed by the first Class 87s. Vivid memories.

Long story short WCML electrification from Weaver Jct - Cambuslang

 

[pitdiver]

An early memory of mine was taking our luggage to our local station, New Southgate for onward carriage and delivery to our holiday accommodation often on the Isle of Wight. The smell of the station and the old gas lighting. Even thinking about it now brings back so many pleasant memories of summer holidays. However one year there was some sort of strike so we had to collect the luggage from Grading station. Imagine that now left luggage on an Island Line station.

 

[Photohunter71]

Interesting posts! I didn't know if this was the correct section that this thread should be posted. I can also give examples of happy memories of heading to Goldbergs department store in Glasgow with my Gran,Mum and wee brother. Boarding the dmu from Kilwinning and what seemed like an age away,ending up in Glasgow central! Looking at the coaching stock near Polmadie and the BR parcel depot. Other fond memories are journeys to Edinburgh,and when I finally moved to Edinburgh, skiving school and heading to Craigentinny to spend a good day getting 47's etc!

 

[PeterC]

Mine involves a journey in Mk1 compartment stock from Manchester to Newport and the rest would breach forum rules.

 

[rebmcr]

Growing up next to Newton Heath TMD and watching the 47s haul coal on the Thorpes Bridge - Moston section from my bedroom window.

 

[AJM580]

Mine would be Norwich station on a summer Saturday in the eighties - a constant shuffling of locos and the sight and sound of many a rare beast - everything from pairs of 20s & 25s to the more common 37s and 47s. Even better was to window-hang out of Norwich and listen to the thrash!!

 

[W230]

Taking a very early Sprinter on a long journey oop north as a young child in the mid to late 80's. What with their fancy "electric" toilet doors...

 

[GRALISTAIR]

--- oop north --

as opposed to dan sarth

 

[L&Y Robert]

My commute from Burnley to Manchester in '60 and '61. I tried several routes but favourite was Burnley Barracks to Manchester Victoria via Accrington, Bury and Clifton Junction. At that time the morning train comprised a new set of open saloons, hauled almost always by a standard 2-6-4 tank engine, originating from Colne. I used to dash down to Barracks, climb on board and then quite often have a shave in the toilet of the nice new coach – plenty of hot water there, nice and clean. Then all finished well before Accrington. Sometimes the train would be banked up the hill through Baxenden by the grimy old station shunter which would ‘drop off’ at the top. Then clatter down to Bury where the train filled up with people who preferred “The Steamer” to the electrics – bearing in mind that the electrics at that time were still the old steel bodied L&Y stock. In my memory it was always a sunny morning, always a fast run, and interesting as well – especially the run down to Clifton Junction and on into Salford.

I also tried bus to Rawtenstall, DMU (new, they were then) to Bury, electric to Victoria. Sometimes, coming home, I managed to catch a DMU out of Victoria which went via Miles Platting etc., called at Bury Knowsley Street before grinding round the curve to Bolton Street and then on to Rawtenstall. On one occasion I went all the way to Bacup and got the bus over to Burnley, but this was a long haul and I only did it the once.

 

[LowLevel]

Much more recent but just before Lincoln was resignalled being there on Christmas market day watching charter after charter, steam and diesel, loco hauled and strengthened service trains rolling through the station, with the semaphores banging up and down and people bustling about, it was like another age.

Either that or the first train I worked on my own as a guard - 158862 on the 1826 Nottingham to Mansfield Woodhouse on a Sunday evening. Nothing glamorous but I'll never forget standing there waiting for the tip from the platform staff on my own, absolutely terrified

She's a bit of a slug at times but she sticks in mind for another reason - catching her home from high school in a different decade and different county to go and visit my old grandad.

 

[RichmondCommu]

A visit to Barrow Hill depot in the summer of 1978 one Saturday morning. Replace the class 47s, class 20s, and shunters 'on shed' that morning and you would have been right back in the 1960's. My friends and I thought the shed was magnificent and the railwaymen showed us lads great kindness.

Two things really stick out from that morning. The resident class 03 which was used as the depot pilot, especially as it was the first time that I'd encountered a class 03. The other one being a class 20 entering the round house 'nose first' which again was a first for me. The noise as the class 20 moved slowly forward was ridiculous but fantastic all the same.

Thanks for jogging my memory. I have loads of other similar memories but they will have to wait for another time!

 

[40129]

Remember being invited into the signal box at Harlescott (with my mom and sister) one afternoon when I was at primary school - the signalman's daughter was in the same class as me.

Also remember spotting at Ashford one Saturday during a summer vacation and being allowed to press the buttons for the pre-recorded announcements for London bound trains

 

[jamesbwxm]

A journey from Paddington to Cheltenham in 1998. I don't remember it being HST stock. But I do remember a cramped toilet and a rather forthcoming lady I met on that train. Like @PeterC, details would break forum rules.

 

[Harbornite]

My favourite rail-related memories? Trains that weren't late...


On a serious note, I'd say travelling on an XC HST to and from Exeter, going on photography trips and narrowly miss getting bowled out by trains and clouds.

 

[3141]

Trainspotting at Hadley Wood with friends when I was about 9 years old - not the station, but Hadley Wood itself, south of the tunnel which is south of the station. This would be in 1948-49, when the four tracks reduced two, and freight trains were often held for quite a while until there was a suitable path through the tunnels and past Potters Bar. As I've recounted elsewhere, a favourite trick was to place a halfpenny on the track and hope the next train would convert it into a penny. Double your money, but it never worked.

 

[Passenger John]

Trainspotting at Hadley Wood with friends when I was about 9 years old - not the station, but Hadley Wood itself, south of the tunnel which is south of the station. This would be in 1948-49, when the four tracks reduced two, and freight trains were often held for quite a while until there was a suitable path through the tunnels and past Potters Bar. As I've recounted elsewhere, a favourite trick was to place a halfpenny on the track and hope the next train would convert it into a penny. Double your money, but it never worked.

I was there to, on the bridge or down the side of it on the pathway known as the Lineside Path, but about ten years later in the late 50s. The most vivd memory was someone shouting "its a streak" from the bridge, but can't remember whether the new tunnel had been built. We also played the penny on the line game, till a policeman came and told us off. The other place we used to go was a foot bridge and a tunnel by the Gas Works in Victoria Park off Victoria Road which is still there.

 

[R4_GRN]

Early 60's at thirteen or fourteen riding on the Footplate of the goods train on the Dundee to auchterhouse line, climbing up the up distant signal to change the lamp, at that age no fear of heights, could not do it now!
Changing the tablet, ok on up line as trains were very slow, but different on down line running empty and downhill.

All the employees who let me do this are now well past retiral age so no interview without tea as you railway employees say

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Riding as "extra guard" on class 9 workings "somewhere in West Wales" - being trusted to use the Annets key on a branch line to operate the ground frame at a certain location and being caught red handed by the District Inspector.

Said individual asked me to see him in his local office next day - handed a 1972 Rulebook Signalling Book , Sectional Appendix and a WR Totem cab badge with the comment - "you can ride the trains , but do not touch the signalling - read these and come back for a discussion at any time" ......Top Man.....

 

[Drogba11CFC]

Being invited up inside Severn Bridge box at Shrewsbury last June.

 

[ac6000cw]

A ride on a BR 'MerryMaker' excursion from Birmingham to Edinburgh in the mid-1970s - an 86 electric with the usual slightly tatty 'excursion' set of Mk1s. Last passenger pick-up at Wolverhampton, crew changes at Crewe and Carlisle. In between it went like the proverbial 'Bat out of Hell' and eventually arrived in Edinburgh about 45 minutes ahead of schedule. Rolling, rocking and banging around the curves on the northern WCML at 100mph (with the windows open) in a Mk1 is something you remember for a long time...

Watching a 'Western' hauling a set of old wooden-bodied white china clay wagons northwards under a set of lower-quadrant semaphores at Stourbridge Junction (highlight of early 1970s trainspotting days there for me, a little bit of Cornwall transported to the Black Country).

Standing alone on the end of the platform at Los Angeles Union Station on a warm, dark evening in 1997, Amtrak western railpass in hand. The lights and sounds of the city in the distance and a pair of GE P42 diesels throbbing away behind me at the head the 'Southwest Chief', complemented by the hum and whistle of an EMD SD40-2 a few tracks over. The start of a multi-day train trip covering a large part of the western US (and two train services that stopped running, possibly forever, a few weeks later).

 

[colchesterken]

GOBLIN in the last days of steam, I used stations Leyton Midland rd to Woodgrange Park
Gas lights, Wooden ticket offices in part of the arches under the station, I was friends with the station person ( don't know what they were called then ) we used to sit in the ticket office drink tea and chat, When a train was due we would go up to the platform
he would collect the 2 or 3 tickets and wave the train off
Not the same they demolished all the platform buildings in the 60s

 

[yorksrob]

Thumpers on the Marshlink and CIG's on the Coastway during the late 80's and 90's. Simply Brill.

 

[matchmaker]

Holidays "Doon the watter" in the 1960's. Leaving from St Enoch and hanging out of the window of the (non-corridor) coach to watch the engine and picking up many smuts on my face!

 

[AlterEgo]

Riding the now defunct section of the Stratford to Woolwich route in the last month of service and witnessing the absolute desolation of that line.

 

[Photohunter71]

The old coal yard that used to be adjacent to Kilwinning station. Watching the small coal trucks getting loose shunted down to the yard and as they clunk buffers with another coal truck that "Cuff" or "Clock" sound from the buffers! The Poclain TY45 traxcavator with its clamshell grab loading the hopper for bagging the coal,and if it was very busy, or the Poclain was getting a mechanic to it, they'd fire up the Taylor "Jumbo Junior" grab, and what a racket this thing made! Talking of Kilwinning coal yard, when did it eventually close?
Thanks!