Did we really look like this when out trainspotting?

[ozzyo]

Some of us started work at 9;00pm and finished work at 07;30 am so our weekend was a bit longer. Start Mon. 9;00PM  and finish work Friday. 07;30AM then out on the train at about 10;30 AM to god knows where. Money in the pocket and beer sandwiches in the the bag and off we went.  

 

I think it was more like beer in the bags along with all of the camera gear as well.

 

OzzyO.

[phil_sutters]

Some photos of me and other spotters from Dad's albums

 

LNER cl B1 460 61050 arr Bristol TM 8 8 1964.jpg

A summer Saturdays only W-S-M to Sheffield arriving at BTM. Wouldn't there now be a major H&S  alert, with that many apparently unsupervised schoolboys that close to the platform end. Draconian PA announcements, a lot of hi-viz, PCSO/BTPs etc. 

 

 

I am not sure of the date of this rather fuzzy image from one of Dad's negatives. I found quite a few that he hadn't considered worth spending money on printing. So I don't know whether the sign was there before or after the 1964 B1 shot above. I came across this shot when looking for something else - as often happens to me!

It doesn't seem to have been very effective.

Edited November 12, 2016 by phil_sutters

[rockershovel]

Our school didn't allow us to wear long trousers until we were 5 feet tall. Bonkers!

Then there was the minimum circumference rule for the trouser bottoms - 16" - to prevent us wearing drainpipes; useless rule when flares and (shock!) Oxford bags came in...

Mal

I never wore shorts after primary school, I wouldn't have been seen dead in them... unlike the "Prep School boys" who wore their old Prep uniforms until completely worn out, giving a sort of "St Trinians" effect.

[Pobrien]

I am not sure of the date of this rather fuzzy image from one of Dad's negatives. I found quite a few that he hadn't considered worth spending money on printing. So I don't know whether the sign was there before or after the 1964 B1 shot above. I came across this shot when looking for something else - as often happens to me!

BTM spotters' notice LMSR 4-6-0 45658 Bristol c 1960.jpg

It doesn't seem to have been very effective.

Hi Phil

 

The photo of 45658 Keyes at Bristol Temple Meads was almost certainly the same date, August 8, 1964, as the shot of 61051.  The Brush Type 4's were not around at Bristol in Summer 1963 or before.

 

Here is a list of the steam workings at Bristol on that date.

 

http://bristolsteam64.webplus.net/aug-dec64/page130.html

[phil_sutters]

Hi Phil

 

The photo of 45658 Keyes at Bristol Temple Meads was almost certainly the same date, August 8, 1964, as the shot of 61051.  The Brush Type 4's were not around at Bristol in Summer 1963 or before.

 

Here is a list of the steam workings at Bristol on that date.

 

http://bristolsteam64.webplus.net/aug-dec64/page130.html

You are correct - Dad's log book confirms it - although he shows it as Bradford to Paignton. Thanks for the table. It's easier to search on that rather than visually ploughing through Dad's very neat log books! E.g.

[Pobrien]

You are correct - Dad's log book confirms it - although he shows it as Bradford to Paignton. Thanks for the table. It's easier to search on that rather than visually ploughing through Dad's very neat log books! E.g.

BTM 8 8 1964 pages 5&6.jpg

Yes it was a through train to Paignton (the Hymek in the background will take it out). I tended to detail just the steam-hauled section of the journey. It is interesting that your Dad's notes show Prarie Tank 4103 working off Taunton. Together with 4131 it was never officially re-allocated from Barrow Road, but both did move on to Taunton and were withdrawn from there later in the year.

[Talltim]

I am not sure of the date of this rather fuzzy image from one of Dad's negatives. I found quite a few that he hadn't considered worth spending money on printing. So I don't know whether the sign was there before or after the 1964 B1 shot above. I came across this shot when looking for something else - as often happens to me!

BTM spotters' notice LMSR 4-6-0 45658 Bristol c 1960.jpg

It doesn't seem to have been very effective.

Perhaps the spotters were already there when the sign was put up, and being law abiding citizens, were stuck on the end of the platform until it was removed again

[phil_sutters]

I never wore shorts after primary school, I wouldn't have been seen dead in them... unlike the "Prep School boys" who wore their old Prep uniforms until completely worn out, giving a sort of "St Trinians" effect.

Don't forget prep school boys didn't change schools until 13. I think it was only in the final year that long trousers were allowed.

 

I am not sure whether this lad was one of Dad's pupils from Ripon, or an innocent bystander in the corner of his shot. I would hope he was under supervision in that environment. I think that the location is probably Leeds Holbeck, 

Edited November 16, 2016 by phil_sutters

[Mallard60022]

I had to save up for ages to get to Bristol from Plymouth and I think I went there spotting just twice. Once, in 1963, it was a walking tour of the Sheds (not Bath Road of course as we had been told it was impossible so we didn't even try....doh!). Got round the yards at Barrow Road but got thrown out before we managed to get to the Roundhouse. St Phillips Marsh was a bit 'abandoned' but we roamed around there at leisure; plenty of loco's. I still have the Bristol City area Road map that I used for planning the route(s). I also went there on a Rail Rover later that year but just stayed on the Station. Double headed Jubs going north on something is what I remember best from that visit and Barrow Road Shed remains a vivid picture in my memory to this day. (The P4 layout under construction on RMW is a joy for me to look at).

Thing I enjoyed most was seeing London Midland loco's never experienced by me in Plymouth, other than the occasional 8F at Laira. 

I had passed through Bristol a few times by train en route to various places, but never spotted there as on these two occasions.

That Jub pic makes me have goose bumps. Lovely engines.

Phil

[Gilwell Park]

On 06/11/2016 at 13:30, Crowlane said:

Just discovered your post : I was also a member of Mr Potter's club in 1963/64 and I too cannot now recall its full name, he did indeed live at Hilltop Avenue, West Hampstead NW6. My most memorable trip with the club was in June 1963 to Midland sheds culminating at Wellingborough.

I have also discovered this post by accident. It was  the "London Ralifans Club" and I was a member from 1960-1963. At that time Mr Potter lived in Haverstock Hill. The last advert for the club that I can find was in the August 1964 Modern Railways. What happened after that I am not sure.

 

The most exciting trip was a double overnight to Glasgow.  We finished the regular coach tour by early afternoon so were left at Central station to our own devices till the overnight train home. My little group of friends found a tram to take us to Dawsholm where we found the 4 Scottish preserved locos plus Ben Alder. We then found another tram/bus to get us to Yoker where we found a selection of Caledonian steam shunting locos. We then wandered around the main Glasgow stations till it was time for our train.

 

Another overnight was to Manchester where again the regular coach trip finished ages before our late afternoon train home was due. Mr Potter took a few of the younger boys home with him over Woodhead to Sheffield on the electrics & presumably got them back to London. A few of us took a train to Stockport where we bunked Edgeley shed then found a bus to Trafford park. We got back to Piccadilly in time for our train but just before we were due to depart spotted some of our party on the opposite platform. How we all got back to Euston I have no idea as we were spread throughout the train  & I had no idea where the party ticket was.

 

Luckily my parents never found out what we got up to. There were no risk assessments in those days & certainly no DBS/CRB checks on the leaders.

 

Roger

[Will Crompton]

Wonderful thread! My spotting days were the first half of the 70s. Typically I and my spotting mates sported (non-fish tail) parkas and jean's, any type as long as they were not Tesco 'bombers' which were the social kiss of death. I also favoured suede desert boots. A typical Saturday was Paddington, Willesden, Old Oak Common (including packed lunch on carriage siding buffer stops by the main line), Euston, St Pancras and Kings X. For longer excursions, if shop keepers or buffet car staff ignored our yoof, cans of lukewarm McEwans lager were purchased for the return journey. Once a mate unwisely tucked into the tinny's on a long trip 'oop north' and disgraced himself at Carlisle Citadel by 'barfing' down the side of a MKII.  Happy daze!

Edited January 5, 2021 by Will Crompton
Typos

[Gilwell Park]

I lived in Walthamstow & our favourite Sunday trip was by bike straight through London to Feltham. Back via Southall, Old oak, Willesden, Neasden, Cricklewood & back round the North Circular. The closer sheds, Hornsey, Kentish Town & Camden were a shorter afternoon ride. We always managed to find something to padlock our bike to while we went round the shed. I do know that my legs could never repeat those trips now.

 

Roger

[lmsforever]

When I lived in Walthamstow in the early fifties and started spotting at Wood St and then went to Liverpool St spending my time beside the turntable .I watched lots of lovely steam locos and then traveled home behind an N7. On  moving to Nth Chingford I continued spotting and riding on N7,s at the station and watched locos on test from Stratford works .Our group also went by bus to Ally Pally were a footbridge crossed the ecml were I watched A4,s A1,s and 2  heading north.I wonder if anyone else spotted on this bridge in the fifties as it was very popular as was the cross but we never ventured to Paddington .Enjoyed myself doing all this and it obviously got into my sychie as at 76 am still watching trains!

[Gilwell Park]

1 hour ago, lmsforever said:

When I lived in Walthamstow in the early fifties and started spotting at Wood St and then went to Liverpool St spending my time beside the turntable .I watched lots of lovely steam locos and then traveled home behind an N7. On  moving to Nth Chingford I continued spotting and riding on N7,s at the station and watched locos on test from Stratford works .Our group also went by bus to Ally Pally were a footbridge crossed the ecml were I watched A4,s A1,s and 2  heading north.I wonder if anyone else spotted on this bridge in the fifties as it was very popular as was the cross but we never ventured to Paddington .Enjoyed myself doing all this and it obviously got into my sychie as at 76 am still watching trains!

Hi. I too visited Ally Pally taking the 623 trolley bus from Wood St library. My secondary school, William Morris Technical, gave us an afternoon off for attending speech day at the Walthamstow Assembly Hall one evening & I took the opportunity  to go to Ally Pally & saw my first A4s etc. Dare I ask what school you attended?, I am only 2 years behind you>

 

Roger

 

[lmsforever]

When I was in Walthamstow I went to Maynard Rd   infants and junior very handy as I lived in Maynard Rd, afterwards I went to Wellington Ave Sec Mod  in Chingford.I used to use the 102 to get to Ally Pally sometimes I got on a bus and the conductor was my cousin so a free ride! Main line was Liverpool St and sometimes Kings X  but I could not afford to many long trips also I started reading the Railway Magazine then and still do also Railway Modeller.Didnt we have fun traveling round on our own and doing our hobby.

[Pobrien]

The day Bristol St Philips Marsh closed.  13 June 1964

 

 

[fezza]

What I find fascinating about this is how suddenly the age old and essentially  Edwardian schoolboy fashions of blazers and shorts suddenly changed to trainers, jeans and anoraks. It seems it happened almost overnight sometime in 1968...

[Bucoops]

Messy hair, ill fitting clothes and a rabbit in the headlights look. With everything closed for so long, that's me now, let alone in the 80s when growing up!

 

 

[jonny777]

15 hours ago, fezza said:

What I find fascinating about this is how suddenly the age old and essentially  Edwardian schoolboy fashions of blazers and shorts suddenly changed to trainers, jeans and anoraks. It seems it happened almost overnight sometime in 1968...

 

Although no one wore trainers in the 1960s. I don't think the term 'trainers' even existed in the 1970s. Kids may have worn pumps, but they were sneered at as being cheap and nasty. I don't remember ever wearing an anorak in the 1960s either. A duffle coat was worn mainly because my mother had bought it, and I had no choice. 

 

Shoe fashion in the 1960s was very fickle, and depended on what photos of what the Beatles or Stones were wearing. The fashion changed each year, and wearers of footwear deemed 'out of date' were mocked relentlessly. I remember cuban heels, and pointed toes similar to 1950s winkle pickers although not as sharp, but then the trend changed to square end toes. I only remember this because I was sent to the shoe shop with my Dad once, and he didn't object to buying me a new pair with the latest toe end design - something which I couldn't believe at the time. For a few weeks I was the height of shoe fashion. 

 

I did have a couple of pairs of jeans in the 1960s, but they were black denim and had narrow legs. So narrow in fact, that it took about 5 minutes each night (before getting into bed) to get the bottom of the jean legs over my ankles. 

 

Oh, and by the way. I never had a bottle of tizer either; as it was far, far too expensive. Even more expensive than Coke, and I never had that either. I may have had a bottle of highly diluted orange juice, but that was it. 

 

 

 

[eastwestdivide]

19 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

 

Although no one wore trainers in the 1960s. I don't think the term 'trainers' even existed in the 1970s. Kids may have worn pumps…

or plimsolls round our way. 

[woodenhead]

35 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

 

Although no one wore trainers in the 1960s. I don't think the term 'trainers' even existed in the 1970s. Kids may have worn pumps, but they were sneered at as being cheap and nasty. I don't remember ever wearing an anorak in the 1960s either. A duffle coat was worn mainly because my mother had bought it, and I had no choice. 

 

We did have trainers in the 1970s - because I remember the phrase 'Adidas Four Stripe' as a stock insult to anyone wearing a pair of Samba, Mamba or Bamba copies which came with the extra stripe.  To my shame at the time my first trainers were from Clarks with only TWO stripes, how poor was I, couldn't even afford four stripes.

 

Snorkel jackets were standard wear by the late 70s and for a short period there was also the fad of lumberjack coats.

[swampy]

25 minutes ago, eastwestdivide said:

or plimsolls round our way. 

or "basers" (= baseball boots, obv.) round our way in South Shields in the 60s. I think they had a round piece of rubber where the ankle bone sticks out.

[Fat Controller]

41 minutes ago, eastwestdivide said:

or plimsolls round our way. 

Or 'daps'. I  tended towards steel-toecapped shoes, as my father got these at a discount.

Edited May 24, 2021 by Fat Controller

[lmsforever]

When I went to Chingford station of an evening some of the drivers gave me a ride when they changed platforms or went to the carriage sidings The N7,s had lots of room in the cab so I did not get in the crews way .Wood St shed was a difficult place to get into so didnt bother but enjoyed my time .I wonder how many of my fellow spotters are still watching trains?

[fezza]

44 minutes ago, Fat Controller said:

Or 'daps'. I  tended towards steel-toecapped shoes, as my father got these at a discount.

 

Yes thinking about it, traditional hard wearing shoes (including Clarks) were still the norm for a lot of kids in the 70s, then Doc Martens with the Mod revival /punk era began to take over. Pumps were a summer thing. 

 

It's also interesting to see the number of adult enthusiasts still going on railtours in jackets and ties until around 1968/9 - then adult fashions changed to jeans, driving jackets, anoraks and the like. (Although jackets and ties still seem to be sported by the older generation well into the 70s.) The world changed very quickly in those years.