AberdeenBill Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Hi all, A couple of nice Reading views from over 40 years ago(!)... http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/857395 http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/859411 Thanks, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Deep joy - I used to love it when we got a fast unchecked run through the middle road, and it was always spectacular to watch from platform 4 if the driver was piling on the power at 80 mph. I've watched Blue Pullmans, hydraulics and HSTs roar through over the years, but the most impressive of all were the 50s - to see one bounce and sway over the west end junctions at 80 and swing onto the reverse curve with its slight dip through the station, while opening up to full power with the horn blaring and the headlight blazing was enough to turn all the heads on the station. My last non stop run was behind Castle 5043 on the Up Bristolian a few years ago, when we were running 25 mins early and were allowed by Control to overtake an HST that was pulling out of platform 5 onto the Up Relief to keep the Up Main clear for us. Sadly the speed restriction was down to 50 mph by then, but it was still a great experience to hurry through non stop in 2010 behind a locomotive that regularly dashed through the station at 80+mph at the head of the Bristolian in the glory days of the late 1950s. Despite the rebuilding of the station, the current rarity of non-stops and the increased line speed of 95mph means that fast runs through the platform lines are still impressive - the early evening Down Cheltenham (first stop Didcot) often gets a clear run through platform 9 - but it lacks the theatrical flamboyance of the old middle road non-stops. Thanks for sharing the links! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 The caption on that first one is good. Thankfully it's a warm day because the loco has no ETH. Shame the carriages are aircons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flood Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 The caption on that first one is good. Thankfully it's a warm day because the loco has no ETH. Shame the carriages are aircons. Apart from the fact that it's the 11.15 Bristol T.M - Paddington, hence the beautiful aircons. I'll see if I can contact the photographer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Pilotman Posted October 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 15, 2016 I once went out specifically to travel on the 1000 Oxford-Paddington which was loco-hauled and booked non-stop on the up main through Reading. My colleagues in Reading Panel stuck it up the relief at Didcot East where we stayed until Ruscombe. Still, it was quite good clattering through platform 9 at Reading at the line speed of 75. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 15, 2016 Cracking stuff! Is my memory failing me or was that line reversible?Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Cracking stuff! Is my memory failing me or was that line reversible? Phil Looks like it. I am in the right place aren't I? 59003 in 1986 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Cracking stuff! Is my memory failing me or was that line reversible? Phil I thought those three lines were reversible, in case of unforeseen operational problems. A down SW England service in the main up London platform 9th June 1986. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 And a proper train in the foreground Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Down main was not reversible. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Down main was not reversible. Now, that is one photography challenge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 I only got to travel westbound through the the middle road once, on the down Cathedrals Express overtaking a late-running service in platform 4. From memory, we were restricted to 40mph due to the speed-restricted crossovers from and to the Down Main. I was window-hanging and remember the 47 sitting down heavily on its suspension as it lurched across the points. I might be wrong, but I don't think we used the crossover in Eastwestdivide's photo to cross back, which I think was 25mph - I think we ran further along the Up Main and crossed over beyond the old shed. And while I bow to Brian's greater knowledge as a man who used to drive 50s through Reading (maximum respect!), I definitely remember an Up Berks & Hants HST being run into Platform 4 at a time of disruption a few years before the rebuilding, and then departing east while a down service was held. I remember being surprised to see the RA indicator light up at the East end, as I'd never noticed it before. There was also a very bizarre occasion when the line from Basingstoke to Waterloo was blocked, and I was sitting on an Eastbound Turbo in platform 8 when 3x class 159s ran into Platform 4 from the west. According to the magazines, they then went on in service to Paddington with a pilotman. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 If there's no actual signal for a desired mid, flag signaling is a possibility. I've seen that happen a couple of times on both heritage lines and the real railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 15, 2016 Cracking stuff! Is my memory failing me or was that line reversible? Phil The Up Main (Through Line) became bi-directional (not reversible) with the opening of Reading panel in April 1965. I'm not sure when signal R49 was provided at the east end of Platform 4 (Down Main) but it might have been as early as 1979, it was definitely given a full bi-directional route from the Up Main in November 2001 although I'm fairly sure that it was being used for Up trains off the Berks Hants well before that (possibly the 1979 alteration of which I can find no details) and could of course be used to reverse trains prior to the introduction of the new route off the Up Main from R47 in 2001. Here is a picture of it - taken some years after 2001 of course Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 15, 2016 Now, that is one photography challenge. Simples - please refer to Post No 14 immediately above Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Pilotman Posted October 16, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 16, 2016 I only got to travel westbound through the the middle road once, on the down Cathedrals Express overtaking a late-running service in platform 4. From memory, we were restricted to 40mph due to the speed-restricted crossovers from and to the Down Main. I was window-hanging and remember the 47 sitting down heavily on its suspension as it lurched across the points. I might be wrong, but I don't think we used the crossover in Eastwestdivide's photo to cross back, which I think was 25mph - I think we ran further along the Up Main and crossed over beyond the old shed. And while I bow to Brian's greater knowledge as a man who used to drive 50s through Reading (maximum respect!), I definitely remember an Up Berks & Hants HST being run into Platform 4 at a time of disruption a few years before the rebuilding, and then departing east while a down service was held. I remember being surprised to see the RA indicator light up at the East end, as I'd never noticed it before. There was also a very bizarre occasion when the line from Basingstoke to Waterloo was blocked, and I was sitting on an Eastbound Turbo in platform 8 when 3x class 159s ran into Platform 4 from the west. According to the magazines, they then went on in service to Paddington with a pilotman. David Quite right; it was 40mph down main to up main at Reading East and back to the down main at West Main (or 25mph using the short crossover just in front of the 59 in post #7. The routing you did was used quite often in the evening if, for example, the 1748 Padd-Westbury was running a bit late (and still occupying platform 4) to get the 1800 Padd-Swansea (which was a runner) past it. The facility to run up platform 4 from the B&H must have been a post Brian Daniels era addition. I can't remember exactly when it went in and, as Mike says, early in the new millennium, you could run up main to platform 4 using a new crossover that was put in at West Main. In my last years there it was a very flexible layout and by judicious use of swinging overlaps, you could keep things moving quite well (including The Stationmaster's train home). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 16, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 16, 2016 I was going to mention the Cathedrals....first stop Oxford IIRC, rode it a few times behind a warship but cant remember the road we took through Reading ...was probably enjoying the haulage too much! Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caradoc Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Talk of passing non-stop through Reading reminds me that at one time some Oxford-Paddington commuter trains missed Reading; In the May 1971-April 1972 timetable, for example, the 0725 from Oxford stopped at Didcot, Cholsey and Maidenhead only. The next service from Oxford, at 0735, missed Didcot and was first stop Cholsey, then Goring/Pangbourne/Tilehurst/Reading and Paddington. I recall, during a week-long Thames Valley Runabout ticket (anyone remember them), joining the 0725 at Oxford. As it departed Oxford, another passenger asked me if the train stopped at Reading; When I told him it did not, and before I could tell him to stay on board and change at Didcot (or Cholsey !) he opened the door and jumped from the moving train onto the platform, fortunately (as far as I could tell) without injury. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D854_Tiger Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 When the post electrification IEP timetable is introduced, there will be four trains per hour to both Bristol and Cardiff, not to mention two more every hour to the Cotswolds. Maybe a fast run through Reading will become a common occurrence once again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 16, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 16, 2016 When the post electrification IEP timetable is introduced, there will be four trains per hour to both Bristol and Cardiff, not to mention two more every hour to the Cotswolds. Maybe a fast run through Reading will become a common occurrence once again. Which could be rather hairy with crowded platforms during the peaks! However I don't expect to see many peak hour trains ceasing to call at Reading for some years due to what will inevitably continue to be a high, and probably growing, demand for commuting to London. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1059 Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 A couple from 1983 Non Stop At Reading 1 by Stephen Dance, on Flickr Non Stop At Reading 2 by Stephen Dance, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Same kid in same place (toes over the edge?) in front of same EMU on the left and same DMU on the right. Must be photoshopped! The bogie cement tanks could well be a Theale-Northfleet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Pilotman Posted October 17, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 17, 2016 The bogie cement tanks could well be a Theale-Northfleet.Almost certainly the Theale-Northfleet empties (6O60) although a pair of 33s were more usual. The loaded train came down early in the morning as, I think, 6V72, ran round at Theale and backed the wagons into the cement terminal. The locos would then hot-foot it back to the SR asap. I seem to recall they were booked to return via Wokingham but the driver would often ask to go back via the Western main line as, presumably, it was much quicker than getting stuck behind a Reading to Waterloo EMU. I remember many a grateful toot from drivers as they came over west main and gave the Cromptons some stick through Reading. The return locos came down light late afternoon and usually went through Reading with the empties about 1800ish. Lovely shots! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Pilotman Posted October 17, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 17, 2016 Some more shots of trains on the up main through Reading. See if you can spot the connection.... https://www.flickr.com/photos/66162475@N06/7774280504 https://www.flickr.com/photos/geoffsimages/14676060334 https://www.flickr.com/photos/86020500@N06/7982154935 https://www.flickr.com/photos/39670739@N05/16659744752 https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/8151905504 https://www.flickr.com/photos/39670739@N05/11886972415 https://www.flickr.com/photos/39670739@N05/12248320545 https://www.flickr.com/photos/oldbuzzard/14865279907 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Great selection of photos and memories, all good stuff.... I'll be learning the road from Acton to Theale shortly so I'm looking forward to having a little blast / pootle through Reading Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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