Arpster Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 When I first started to have an interest in railways, about 1985, I used to go down to the bridge near my great aunt's house in South Yorkshire to watch the trains. I don't recall clearly what they were (being 5 at the time!) but I remember watching them coming down the line as my dad lifted me up for a better view. I seem to remember HSTs passing by, but I'm not sure if they used that line: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&hl=en&ll=53.568236,-1.303983 Once my interest was piqued, me dad and I would head out on Friday evenings after tea to watch the trains (and even write down numbers!) at "Gateshead Sheds" as we called them. We'd park the car by the then-derelict St Cuthberts flats (I was always warned not to wander about in them!) and make our way down the track through the fence to the wall overlooking the shed. It was a veritable amphitheatre of railway action! I was always fascinated by the 03s going through the washer, by trying to work out what was on the fuelling point, by the 45s trundling to and from the central station after they'd finished their duties. As I grew older, I learned to spot things out of the ordinary; the time I saw ETHEL 1 there, or the time an HST set worked onto the fuelling point with passengers on board, or time I saw my last of Gateshead's 56s. http://www.flickr.com/photos/johngreyturner/3987897947/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/classic-traction/6629837831/ There's a brilliant video of the kind of action you could see here: And then it closed. The shunters were left to rust away, the place became overgrown, and eventually was flattened, now replaced with modern flats. So we switched to the bridge at Tyne Yard for a few years, watching the shunting, the Eastgate cement workings coming in around the back, the passing Class 45-hauled mail trains. When the ECML was electrified and some of the sidings were wired, we hoped for interesting times ahead, but within a few years it was moribund; the end of Speedlink and the closure of the collieries meant the interest had gone. Happy times though. I can still smell the fibreglass panels on the bridge to this day! Arp Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberdeenBill Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 New Milton (on the Southampton to Bournemouth line) in the early 1970s on a summer Saturday: tons of EMUs (of course), but also some exotic combinations such as 4TC + 4VEP + 73. Lots of 47s on excursions and inter-regionals, including some from ultra-rare sheds like Toton and Gateshead. Then cycling back home for sausage and mash for lunch. Fourty years ago, dear oh dear... Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 As a south London youngster in the mid 60s, it was mostly the main termini, especially Waterloo, Kings X and Paddington. But in their absence I could always spot from my bedroom window! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AberdeenBill Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hi 10800 -- BSYP 25 on cattle NIce... Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hi Bill These were all cross-London inter-regional transfer freights, so I doubt it was actually a train of cattle wagons! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Richard E Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2012 For me a mix of locations - Dawlish Warren (and the sight of a gleaming copper, brass and Brunswick green loco on chocolate and cream stock), Upminster station and the line out to Southend, then the Portishead branch near Ashton Gate whilst still worked by steam (dirty scruffy 8F's and the like I think) ... That was followed up by Flax Bourton to Nailsea and Backwell section of the B&E. Later on a little time on the Midland Mainline near Nottingham and now the ECML. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 4630 Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 25, 2012 New Milton (on the Southampton to Bournemouth line) in the early 1970s on a summer Saturday: tons of EMUs (of course), but also some exotic combinations such as 4TC + 4VEP + 73. Lots of 47s on excursions and inter-regionals, including some from ultra-rare sheds like Toton and Gateshead. Then cycling back home for sausage and mash for lunch. Fourty years ago, dear oh dear... Bill We must have been at adjacent locations at the same time Bill. I used a railway bridge at Walkford on summer Saturdays in the early 1970s. Small world. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Horlicks Bridge, Slough, on the WR Main Line in the mid 1960s was my prime spot with occasional forays away when money and time allowed. steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlw Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 For me it was Saturday's in the mid eighties spent on the south end of P1 at Carlisle. Always enjoyed seeing plenty of loco hauled services. The best part of living in Carlisle at the time was the opportunity to travel north to Scotland, east to newcastle and south east to Leeds. Br during that period also ran plenty of merry makers all over the country. I specifically remember 2. Oban hauled by 37401, and ashford with a pair of cromptons. What I would give to be able to go back in time taking a digi cam and hd video recorder to the mid eighties. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium gc4946 Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2012 My favourite spots were in and around Fratton: 1. The station footbridge/Goldsmiths Avenue/Selbourne Terrace 2. The footbridge spanning the throat of (the former) Fratton yard, near the junction of Clive Road/Byerley Road/Clarkes Road, which continued on as a footpath towards the back of Fratton Park. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 25, 2012 Wood Green ,on the bridge over tracks from Ali Pally best spot to watch the east coast lots of A4,s WD,s B1,s A1,s etc non stop trains all day. Same here. Used to travel part of the way by trolleybus. Also spotted at all the London terminii. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRDEEDIESEL Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Platform 4 Tay Bridge station (at the ramp) to try and glimpse through the small gap between the signalbox and the Goods sheds if a Deltic was heading over the bridge towards us. Also Broughty Ferry Level crossing & surrounding area to see a precession of BR Blue DMU'S,Class 25's,26's,27's,37's,40's,47's and the odd Peak and Deltic thunder through!! GREAT DAYS!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 "Old Oak Pill Box" - we all sat on a pill box in the triangle of lines between the GW main line and the Park Royal line, a tube line ran underneath and the North london line was just behind us , very busy spot! NR www.leightonlogs.org There's a cracking photo of your favourite pill box in Chris Leigh's book 'The Heyday Of Old Oak Common & It's Locomotives'... witt a Castle on a milk train and a Central Line Underground train going past... Martyn's mention of the 'goth gloom' of St.Pancras didn't half rang a few bells, I always prefered it's shadowy old self to the new incarnation, as nice as it is, for me it's lost some of it's soul. Way back in 1980 I went to a transport rally / swapmeet that was held in the adjacent goods depot one Sunday morning, getting a bit bored I wondered over to the terminus and found it to be ghostly quiet, there was hardly a soul about and the place just oozed atmosphere. I bought a copy of Model Railway Constructor and sat on a parcels barrow by the stop blocks to read it, I remember how erie it seemed just sitting there on my own, in the middle of London! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Newport Station South Wales early 90s. knackered old 108 DMU from Cwmbran or if we was lucky 37430 CWMBRAN her self on cardiff Crewes., 37s on Godfrey Road, 47s on TPO, 56s on didcot coals, 50s on cardiff portsmouths and screaming HST valentas magic. Then a few trips to Euston or Birmingham New street to see the Sparkies Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 25, 2012 Another one Port Sunlight Siding signal box - thanks to a certain signalman and a forum members sister Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 For us it was anywhere along the 2 miles or so of the WCML south of Wigan North Western. Just south of the station, by the Leeds Liverpool canal bridge you had a grand stand view of the WCML, L&Y (Liverpool-Southport to Bolton Manchester) - Westwood power station fireless shunter & gas works steam locos. Bit further south the L&Y Pemberton Loop line crossed the WCML, endless coal trains on this line from Yorkshire to Liverpool (picking up a 4F banker at Westwood Park box). This bridge is in the background of this shot Another 1/2 mile brought us to Springs Branch, an easy shed to "do" (though stay away from the new diesel shed !!). A shiny wall opposite was the result of thousands of hours of spotters bums resting on it. "The wall" (as we called it) is still there, shine gone,all sidings overgrown. This photo was taken from the wall area. Springs Branch shed is opposite. Another 3/4 mile was Taylors lane, over the shed outlet, LNWR branch to Tyldesley & Manchester, and the line over the WCML the old Lancashire Union Railway towards either Manchester or the Whelley Loop - Fantastic place untill closed just after steam finished. The 2 photos below are from this bridge Looking from he other side of the bridge. Pushing brake vans over the WCML, signalled for the Tyldesley line. Fantastic days Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold unravelled Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 25, 2012 This is my spot. I always refer to this location as Walton Well Road, (where I lived), though I think strictly it should be Oxford North Junction. This must have been one of my earlier visits. I'm on the right, my mother on the left. We went back there a couple of weeks ago. It's very overgrown, this is the view in the opposite direction, just showing the replacement for the gate structure on the right. There's a building going up near where the photo was taken. It was a popular spot in 1964 and this a recent view. Thanks Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Commoner Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2012 Spent my youth (mid-late 1970s) in the west country with Plymouth being the nearest station. Often found the platforms exposed to the elements so used to wander along to western end of Mutley Tunnel and loiter there. In hindsight I don't really think that the location was any more hospitable. It just felt that way at the time. I also used to like the rumble in the tunnel as the trains approached. When I ventured further afield I would occupy many of the popular locations on platforms at the WR's busier locations, such as Paddington, Bristol Temple Meads, Cardiff, etc. Not very original. Going back to Plymouth in the 1990s I lived in a flat that had a lounge with a bay window, that directly overlooked the west end of the station. Sadly by this time my interest in the contemporary railway scene had waned, but I enjoyed the view. Evenings and school lunch breaks spent at Uphill Junction, west of Weston-super-Mare 1975-77, we kept a note of passing times, type of train and headcodes displayed. I have recently found some of my old notebooks. cheers Rivercider I have sent you a PM Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Crewe - normally the South end by the depot, sitting on brutes, jumpers for goalposts and all that. On the Brutes, I used to sit on the GPO flat trucks with the big handles, much more comfortable and easier to maneuver down the platform. Pretty tolerant those BR chaps as we would haul all the stuff to the end of the platform to sit on and they would have to come and claim some back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 My bedroom window in Shenfield was on the same level (approx.) of the fireboxes as their engines went past on the old GER mainline. Spectacular at night! The Southend loop line was closest so B17's ruled.. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 My usual haunts were Manchester Victoria (the real one not the current poor excuse), Ardwick and Guide Bridge with trips out to Crewe & York. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 25, 2012 Alexander Street bridge between Nelson & Colne was the first place I was exposed to steam trains by my Uncle Bob Proctor. I don't remember that. A few years later ended up at school adjacent to the bridge and started watching trains pass by. Then add a few more years, and my favourite place was on the wall on Pitt Street in front of the council offices in Preston. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert Cheese Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Eastleigh to start with, within walking distance and always plenty to see (around 1980 anyway...) Venturing further afield as a youth I discovered Class 50's at Salisbury which led me to such places as Reading, Swindon, Paddington, Paignton and Dawlish on a quite regular basis. I still notice things now on the temporary daily commute between Eastleigh and Fareham, buts its not quite the same as the old days... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted July 25, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2012 At age 3 I was taken to Horton Bridge, West Drayton (also known to locals in those days as the "Power Plant bridge" as Horton Bridge Road led to the long-gone West Drayton Power Plant works) to watch the procession of all things fast and slow before scoring my one and only ride to Staines West. Horton Bridge, within walking distance of my late grandparents' home, thus remained a favoured spot through my younger years. At age 5 I was considered old enough to be supervised on the platform and spent an hour at Fratton which included watching a couple of West Country locos coming off shed and something smaller and grimy (possibly an N) on a freight. Do I have to admit to spotting more recently? Kings Cross platform 10 (now platform 8 ), Willesden Junction footbridge, Stratford platform 8, Ealing Broadway, Dawlish sea wall and in more recent years Bunbury Street in Melbourne, Dulwich Hill in Sydney, Dry Creek in Adelaide and the southern end of Brisbane Roma Street platform 10. Edited type which shows an emoticon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckdancer Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Primary school early 1960s - On the ramp to Darlaston Station on the Grand Junction line just north of Bescot. Pretty quiet with the highlight being the Pines Express and weekend WCML diversions. Early High school - Wednesbury - waste land with cricket and football where the South Staffs line went under the ex GWR B'ham to Wolverhampton line. No contest which was the most glamorous! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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