Markmiller2008 Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Hi All I can only but agree with everyones comments, as a member of Chiltern Platform staff at Leamington i was very shocked when i heard the news , thinking it was a joke but no. The Friendlist company that i have ever worked alongside and its such a shame to see this happen as i did love a chat with the staff whilst waiting departure time and now its back to the bland days without the added extra of enjoying a good chat with staff and shutting the doors. All the Staff were so friendly and used to enjoy a wave from the drivers particially Tony Stickells who always used to give me a happy and jolly wave. As a good will gesture for the last service i turned our PA off at work and manually announced the last train and put farewell messages on our CIS Screens, i also got special permission from the train crew to "Green Flag" the train away a memory which will stay with me for a long time. Some videos by my friends who where at Leamington showing my Announcement, Message and me Flagging the train away. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTQTbPXuhgI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir3Qu06O4ZI Best wishes to all of the WSMR staff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNCF stephen Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Thanks for your memories of the day Mark. I have a few extra to add, although certainly not of the same callibre, they may be of interest to some of you. I started the day by catching the 09:02 service from Tame Bridge Parkway. It was full but not "rammed". On the platform there was a reporter from the local Newspaper (The Express and Star) and a number of people there to see it off. At Banbury the driver sounded the horn continuously and I noticed that this was because the Network Rail Staff had come out of their offices to wave the train off. When we arrived into Marylebone a Midlands Today TV crew were on the platform filming various shots and a lot of people were speaking to the driver and other crew. I was handed a mug and a packet of coloured pencils with the company logo on. On the return journey I managed to get on the platform before the last train from Wrexham arrived. There were about 150 photographers there and the interest was intense. A small press area was set up by some of the staff and I managed to get a few good shots of various members of the crew. Then there was the group shot (that I uploaded in an earlier post) following which someone yelled "three cheers for Wrexham and Shropshire" which was done very enthusiastically by everyone there. It was quite moving and a lot of the crew members were holding back the tears. The journey back was interesting. The train manager made the point that the service was very full and then jokingly added that if it had been half as full as this for the past few months then they might not be in this situation now! The staff were enjoying themselves throughout the journey and at Leamington someone dressed as a pirate got on (although I am not sure if he was part of the celebrations). When I got off at Tame Bridge it felt very sad seeing it pull off into the distance. ALthough the moment was short lived as the automatic PA system announced that the service was delayed and to "listen for further announcements regarding this service". I have to say that did make me chuckle. Once again I would like to wish the staff all the best for the future. Wrexham and Shropshire may be gone but I am pretty certain they will never be forgotten! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckdancer Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Was Tame Bridge Parkway the smallest station in recent years to have a mainline service to London? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bomag Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Was Tame Bridge Parkway the smallest station in recent years to have a mainline service to London? I would have thought that most West Highland stations south of FW would be smaller/less infrastruture. Also didn't WS stop at Cosford - isn't that just a small shed? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNCF stephen Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 It is worthy of note that on the way back (with the extra carriage) only the first 4 carriages were in the platform. The DVT, extra carriage and locomotive were all not next to a platform. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southall Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 This is not a subject I know too much about and apologies if it has already been posted, but was used to seeing the Wrexham & Shropshire with a Class 67 at both ends. Travelled up to London today on the Chiltern Line and noticed there were 2 trains in the silver W&S livery sitting in the Chilterns Wembley depot with a 67 at one end and HST? car at the other. There was also another with an EWS class 47/56 one end and a blue HST. Passing the Ruislip Underground depot there was a pair of class 20’s. I understand the background to the W&S, but does anybody have any further information as to why they are where they are? Many thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redkiterail Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 This is not a subject I know too much about and apologies if it has already been posted, but was used to seeing the Wrexham & Shropshire with a Class 67 at both ends. Travelled up to London today on the Chiltern Line and noticed there were 2 trains in the silver W&S livery sitting in the Chilterns Wembley depot with a 67 at one end and HST? car at the other. There was also another with an EWS class 47/56 one end and a blue HST. Passing the Ruislip Underground depot there was a pair of class 20’s. I understand the background to the W&S, but does anybody have any further information as to why they are where they are? Many thanks. Wrexham and shropshire trains are part of the DB uk group and are now at Wembley in storage the trains were originally top and tail until the dvts were ready. The Hst is a mark 3 DVT. The EWS 47/56 are not stored at Wembley and wont be there. The pair of class 20 could be in relation to gbrf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southall Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Many thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted February 11, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2011 the silver wmsr sets are now used on the moor st to london turns for chiltern, as well as banbury to london trains. the ews loco you saw would have been 67001 or 67008, as pointed out the "hst" would have been the chiltern livery dvt the 20s are at ruislip for delivery of the new underground S-Stock, they run top and tail as 2 pairs on the stock with a couple of 100 ton tanks as brake force runners as the stock is unbraked on the mainline (they have to go 45mph too, all the way from derby!!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dampflok Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 Good to see all the tributes to WSMR from members, the railway and its staff will indeed be much missed by many people, it was by far the best railway around for many a long year. As I live on the Chiltern route, I have followed the railway from the start, it was a terrible shock when it all came to an end so suddenly and so soon. Like many others, I made many friends and acquaintances at WSMR and was afforded privileges rarely granted, for which I shall be eternally grateful. In a typical gesture, even when their world was falling down around their ears, they still found the time and generosity to invite me to travel on the final workings to and from Marylebone on Friday 28th January and then to accompany the ECS working back from Wrexham to Wembley LMD the next day. I took so many photos it has taken me an age to get them on my site, there are now two separate collections covering the two days, the final runs are in this collection: http://geoff-plumb.fotopic.net/c1937967_1.html Far too many shots to upload here, but a few examples: Paul Belton with the wreath to place on the bufferstops at Marylebone Mr & Mrs Stickells at Marylebone after the last up run WSMR staff applaud as the final train departs from Wrexham for overnight stabling in the bays The shots from the ECS working the following day are in this collection: http://geoff-plumb.fotopic.net/c1938969.html and again a few examples: Driver Steve Roast climbs aboard 67013 at Wrexham 67013 stands at signal WJ762 south of Watford Tunnel waiting for a points failure to be rectified... View from 67013 as a Virgin Pendolino overtakes on the slow line near Hatch End after the points were sorted out! Many thanks to all at WSMR, a brilliant team, I hope you will all get new jobs commensurate with your skills. All the best, Geoff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted February 12, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 12, 2011 shame i didnt see you on the last train geoff, well i probably did but didnt know! One of the things that saddens me from a personal point of view is seeing all the pictures from the final day with all the staff and customers wishing each other well and generally celebrating the achievements that wsmr achieved in such a short time whereas with fastline it happened so quickly it was literally just me on my own in a dark yard switching the loco off for the last time and locking the door behind me with no fanfare, no thanks, no handshakes! It genuinly does make me feel sad inside, i like to think my trip on the final train with former work mates made up for what i missed out on even though i wasnt a part of wsmr (but i did do a bit of work for them of course!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.