1) Maidstone East snow Sat 17 Jan 87

Heavy snow arrived in Britain overnight on Thursday 15th January 1987 and continued to fall for the next 24 hours fanned by high winds. By Saturday several lines were blocked in the South East and many others were only operating because British Rail was able to draft diesels in to haul the struggling EMU fleet. The previous day a class 56 had been used to work EPB stock on the North Kent line and so we headed East in a wholly inappropriate Mk2 VW Scirocco 'Storm' in search of something interesting. We left the M20 motorway and arrived at Maidstone East where London trains were terminating due to the line further East being blocked by snow. 73106 arrives with 4-Cep 1556 + 4-Vep, shunts and departs for London again. 33050 then arrives with an 8-Cep, shunts and departs again.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

I remember the days when railways were run for passengers, not just to profit companies who hand back the keys when things get tough. The renaissance of the railways started before privatisation with Sprinters, HST's, class 92's (the answer to the electric spine from Scotland to Southampton - now to be found running in Bulgaria) and the innovative Network South East. This video is very apt today as no trains have left my local station because the snow is almost 2mm deep. As a proud engineer I would love to see all British trains manufactured in Britain. When I see British locomotives around the world I feel a sense of pride tempered with anger that we no longer build locomotives.

[@Ingramdumpkiss]

What profits? None of the TOCs makes any money!! Most years they hand back more to the Government than they receive in subsidies

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@Ingramdumpkiss Businesses don't bid for franchises in the hope of making a loss, some do get their figures wrong, most do OK.

[@TheDaf95xf]

Great sounding 33 👍 Happy memories thanks Stevie

[@brianwilder5878]

Nice to see the Jaffa Cake livery on the rebuilt cep, the 73 must of struggled with such a small diesel engine

[@nobby3265]

Back in the days when we ran our railways properly and not beg other countries to build souless heap of nothing but junk! If we could renationalise the railways, we could replace the pre-2000 rolling stocks that were foreign built with new trains that are built in Britain. Bring Back British Rail and BREL I say!

[@Ingramdumpkiss]

Have you actually travelled on a train since 1987? It doesn't sound like it. Noisy, rough, draughty, steamy windows soaked with condensation - either too much heating or none at all, poor lighting. You must have a bad case of amnesia.

[@class8866]

There is no BREL anymore. And the trains today are made by CAF, Hitachi and SIEMENS or BOMBARDIER. And by the way, the British Empire is long gone ! Greetings from Germany !

[@musoseven8218]

Project "Erosion UK". All vestiges of self sufficiency or self reliance gone!

[@musoseven8218]

@@Ingramdumpkiss You can't beat a MKIII coach - I've ridden on some of the newer carriages and some are awful!

[@musoseven8218]

@@class8866 Yes, well, the UK has allowed itself to be eroded by the EU, EEC and their predecessors. The predecessors were based on Nazi economic policy (war through commerce and the art of war), in fact some Operation Paperclip Nazis ran those early versions. The British Empire, far from perfect, wasn't all bad. As I say though the UK has allowed/enabled itself to be eroded (war through commerce and the art of war). We've had successive incompetent, treasonous governments since the late 1940s - as power blocks such as the EU have chipped away at our sovereignty, with MEPs riding their own trains - gravy trains 🙄🙄😉😆☹️

[@Mitch-Hendren]

the great advantage of having a national rail network.

[@OlafProt]

Everything is too light. You need some good heavy traction in weather like this.

[@Martindyna]

Thanks for making this video; it shows how BR didn't just give up when the antiquated 3rd rail power supply system gave problems in the Winter months like the private companies do. BTW I remember, a few years back, that term being used - antiquated - to describe the 3rd rail system on the TV news one evening. I note that this criticism has not been repeated recently when electric trains become stranded making me wonder whether the `powers that be' have banned any such negativity towards the privatised railway.

[@markjohnson9301]

When it was a real railway.... warts and all.

[@jasonl4411]

i can not believe someone disliked this brilliant video

[@fatwalletboy2]

Was that just to do a bit of snow clearance with the in and reverse runs?

[@dave1001]

Waste of time running the trains if passengers cant get to the stations

[@denishoulan1491]

People are discouraged from traveling, if they cannot be sure that their return train will run.