60s Steam and Diesel @ Birmingham Snow Hill pt 1

A look at Birmingham Snow Hill in the 1960s. the clips in this video were taken from a video tape I bought in the early 90s called The Changing Face Of British Railways, produced by A to Z recalling all the action seen at Snow Hill Station, this used to be a magical place to visit. Enjoy

[@stephensmith799]

About 1965 I was disappointed and yet amazed to see an immaculate Small Prarie in GW livery. Disappointed because it wasnt a Manor... amazed because of the livery. It hauled us from Shrewsbury towards Aberystwyth though I can't remember if it took us all the way. Looking back it was a wonderful opportunity to travel with steam on what must have been a late afternoon stopping train well into the DMU period.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Thanks for your kind comment and for looking Clive. I also remember the machines you could print whatever you liked, it cost a penny (in real money) and you printed onto an aluminium strip. Happy days, great memories, cheers...Bill

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

5:33 we don’t normally see tube trains to ever come here

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

0:51 today clun castle is now part of the vintage trains group

[@class45peak]

Thank you for this lovely video , i would have loved to be their when filming but as always born in the wrong era . Thanks for sharing this lovely bit of history , many thanks .

[@84asrd84boxy]

Snow Hill Station was a brilliant place many years ago. It's good that it has re-opened but not a patch on the old place...Bill

[@HeavensGremlin]

Good old Snow Hill, back when it was a real station. Happy days.....!

[@84asrd84boxy]

+HeavensGremlin Snow Hill in it's day was a fabulous station. There is no comparison today with the so-called new Snow Hill and the Snow Hill from many years ago, although it was a great idea to re-open Snow Hill and has proved to be a very popular move in my mind it is still under utilised, many more services could and should run from Snow Hill today.Thanks for looking/commenting, glad this bought back some fond memories for you, cheers...Bill

[@johnbristow8099]

I just wonder whether D1006 was heading the Birmingham Pullman ‘stand in’ train set. I saw this coming through High Wycombe.

[@TheFordxr3i]

Great upload Bill, makes you want to go back in a time machine, cheers ,Kev.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Thanks for looking/commenting, so glad you enjoyed watching. Snow Hill in it's day was a special place, I have so many fond memories of working through there during the 60s as a former Stafford Road and Oxley fireman, oh happy days, never to be forgotten, cheers...Bill

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

3:26 but we are getting a brand new grange loco back to service and it’s 6880 betton grange

[@antman09ful1]

Very good Bill thanks for finding it and putting on YT

[@spotter260]

Great stuff Bill. I have super memories of Snow Hill when I was a kid. I remember the machine on the platform where you could print out the name of your favourite engine for a penny or twopence. Thanks for posting. Clive.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Many thanks for your kind comment Dave, there are 2 more parts to come, cheers...Bill

[@84asrd84boxy]

Thank you so much Dave for looking and commenting, much appreciated, cheers...Bill

[@84asrd84boxy]

Cheers Kev, thanks for looking/commenting, if only we could turn the clock back to those great days, cheers...Bill

[@84asrd84boxy]

Thanks for looking, glad you enjoyed watching, cheers...Bill

[@Paul09]

Taylor & Challen, Stephens Belting Company, Athelhampton hall as station pilot, squashing pennies on the rail at the platfom end, D1000 in baby poo livery arriving to a chorus of booing, and a pickled onion for tuppence! These are just some of my memories of Snow Hill.

[@84asrd84boxy]

Thanks for looking/commenting, nice to know this bought back some great memories for you, glad you enjoyed watching, cheers...Bill

[@84asrd84boxy]

Glad you enjoyed watching Mike, the other 2 parts will follow shortly, cheers...Bill

[@84asrd84boxy]

Many thanks for looking/commenting, Snow Hill in it's former days was a Cathedral of a station, an awe inspiring place to visit, with all the best the former GWR had to offer, happy days long since gone unfortunately, cheers...Bill

[@84asrd84boxy]

No problem Dave, parts 2 & 3 of Snow Hill are up now if you care to take a look, take care, cheers...Bill

[@Splop10]

This video hurts me. To think of what we used to have then compared to now.

[@timothysmith8300]

Good video steam pure steam with a puke of deisels yuk love the scenes of steam loverly yum yum the steam king is still alive oh yes I can smell um.

[@RichardW23613]

Interesting to see the first TTA tanks. Any idea when in the 60s that was?

[@84asrd84boxy]

Unfortunately I can't be precise with the date, but I would imagine it must have been around 1963/64 because there seems to be quite a few Class 47 diesels on show at that time. sorry I can't be of much more help. Regards...Bill

[@Domdeone1]

Another world, just missed born 67. Snow Hill today is the most uninspiring place in the world architectually let alone not enough steam... well once a week in the summer months...

[@russellgxy2905]

Was that Small Parie at 4:37 in 1920s GWR livery? THis in 1960. Shame on BR for not repainting it! DAMN YOU BEECHING!

[@84asrd84boxy]

Russell, I believe the Prairie Tank seen at 4:37 was 4555 which was purchased for preservation, thanks for taking the time to view and comment, glad you enjoyed watching, cheers...Bill

[@owenevans83]

Russell Streak Good question. It seems the ex GWR was the worst for losing old liveries.

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

@2:32 the diesel loco pulling it but there is steam from the heater on the carriage, do the carriages have a separate boiler?

[@Tom-Lahaye]

I can't really make out steam emerging from the carriage, there is a white object between the tracks however. But to answer your question, most of the early diesel classes were fitted with steam heating boilers which generated the steam to be delivered into a line going trough all carriages, connections between the carriages and the loco were made with flexible pipes. So were many of the early class 47s because in 1963 when they emerged on the tracks most carriages were still steam heat only, later MK1 and early MK2 were dual heat (steam and electric) later MK2s and onward ETH only. I believe the first 10 class 47s were ETH fitted (of which one survives at the East Lancs Railway, no 1501) and later more were built or rebuilt with ETH, and had their boilers removed, as did other diesel loco classes when delegated to freight only service or rebuilds where they had ETH fitted (like classes 40, 45 and 46) I know from experience as volunteer on the ELR that these steam heat boilers are very temperamental pieces of equipment, needing al lot of maintenance and a boiler ticket like steam engines, it's always a challenge to have at least one steam heat diesel on the roster during the winter, easier is to have an ETH fitted loco for the one dual heat set we run and leave the steam heated sets where they belong, behind a steam engine.

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

@@Tom-Lahaye sorry my bad should have been 2:32. Would you mind having another look please.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

@@bonkeydollocks1879 O yes, there is a plume of steam between the loco and the first coach, so it's clear that this was a 47 fitted with a steam heat boiler, as most 47s had in the earlier years of the class.

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

@@Tom-Lahaye thankyou

[@aschliov]

wonderful video thank you for shareing this can i ask has anyone got any of nuneaton my home town in the 50-60's? esp the engine shed/turntable

[@84asrd84boxy]

Many thanks for looking/commenting, glad you enjoyed watching. regarding clips of Nuneaton in the 60s, I believe there are a couple of DVDs you can get from Wolverton Rail, but what the exact content will be I have no idea, cheers...Bill

[@aschliov]

thank you for the info mate :) and again wonderful footage of a bygone age saddly:(

[@84asrd84boxy]

No problem, hope you manage to find what you are looking for regarding footage of Nuneaton, cheers...Bill

[@MrJeffcoombs]

Another video for Tony

[@84asrd84boxy]

Jeff, thanks once again, cheers...Bill

[@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp]

Western class pulling Pullmans WOW~

[@84asrd84boxy]

Cheers William, A Western Class Diesel and Pullman Coaching stock were used as a substitute set for when the Blue Pullman was out of service for whatever reason. The Pullman Coaching stock was given the nickname of Wells Fargo stock by the drivers that worked the service. Thanks for looking/commenting, much appreciated. Regards...Bill

[@Natterlee]

@@84asrd84boxy What is most interesting to a coach nerd like myself is that this set at the time contained 2 Mk1 FO coaches that were painted in Pullman umber and cream livery to match the older Pulmans. Photos of these are exceptionally rare so getting colour film of them is fantastic. Any chance of being able to produce the film at a higher resolution please?

[@juliansinclair2122]

Yes, I spent many hours there, with my pen and paper, collecting numbers, during the mid 60's what a place, now gone as far as I am concerned. First taken there by my dad... the first visit was over Christmass 1960.... evening visit . A King class loco lifted off and terrified me, I was 6 years old then. I fire locos now so can read a pressure gauge!! . I always stood down at the tunnel end watching the lights in the tunnel going out one by one as a train approached, wondering what would emerge and blow its smoke up into the roof.... ah well, back to reading the next Donald Trump, presedential outrage...

[@84asrd84boxy]

Julian, thanks for taking the time to view and comment much appreciated. In my opinion Snow Hill was a superb station in it's hey day. Practically every loco of GWR descent could be seen there on a daily basis a pleasure to behold. I worked through there many many times as a loco fireman during the early 60s. Long and distant memories never to be forgotten. Sorry for the late reply. Regards...Bill

[@juliansinclair2122]

For me the greatest station I ever stood on, from the tin plate machine that used to stamp out your name to the goods trains that used to rattle through between the passenger trains. This place was a 'temple'... Standing there on platform 5 wondering what the day would bring. Never went to New Street, never wanted to when Snow Hill was there... Happy Days!

[@84asrd84boxy]

Happy Days indeed Julian. Even now in my minds eye I can still remember the sight and sound of the likes of a King or Castle blasting it's way out of platform 7 into the tunnel towards Moor St, the distinctive sound of a double chimeyed loco was music to anyones ears. All those memories from 50 odd years or so ago now just a great blast from the past. Regards...Bill

[@davidthomas3926]

C

[@timothysmith8300]

Give me steam anytime electrics what a load of shit deisels except shunters.steam is the best and don't forget it or else.

[@user-lh6sb1mu5z]

Hate the new one

[@84asrd84boxy]

The new Snow Hill could never compare to the old Snow Hill station but at least by the re-opening of Snow Hill it now provides services that could have been lost forever. Thanks for looking/commenting. Regards...Bill