A London Train's Seaside Retirement - Swanage Summer Special | Hidden London Hangouts (S03E29)

[@sarahjoyholden7856]

I love the skill of the token exchange

[@markcf83]

Class 117 units ran from Paddington as far as Oxford and Newbury. There were also a few running in and around Bristol. Class 121 bubblecar units ran on the branch lines including to Greenford, the Windsor, Marlow and Henley branches and occasionally would substitute for Class 117 coaches as appropriate.

[@alexgrundon2346]

Good extra info. Thanks!

[@hairypaulmm7wab195]

Great to see Your visit to Swanage. Good to see the infrastructure I worked on years ago still in good use. I lived in Poole and was part of the S&T crew on the Swanage railway. Spent a great many hours working on the electromechanical interlocking during construction and testing of the new Swanage box. Working at Swanage is the thing I miss the most after moving back home to Scotland in 2011. Keep up the good work folks.

[@pb4rton]

I had many a ride on a class 117, only mine was on the cross city line in Birmingham!

[@alexgrundon2346]

What lovely old trains with huge windows

[@stigroo9058]

hope all are well-rare that I'm early!

[@litz13]

Heritage Railways are just a very cool thing. I spent several years working on one here in Georgia (the state, not the country) Our train had several 40s/50s vintage passenger cars from several vintage US railroads, and a couple EMD GP diesels on either end for locomotive power. All of that equipment built like tanks and essentially indestructible. It will be running 50+ more years easily. Track protection on this railroad works on a similar absolute block system, except in this case granted verbally via phone from the dispatcher.

[@crompton48]

love this episode on the 117s ... some of which operated in Birmingham and Edingburgh before retiring , but as you say all started on the Western Region 👍

[@unittaskforce]

A good fun episode, thanks very much.😀👍

[@borgdylan]

Moquette-o-pedia on the railway!

[@Andrewjg_89]

Maybe South Western Railway should operate a one a day service from London Waterloo to Swanage. That would be really great.

[@djcwey2402]

You NEED to go back! You missed a London connection at Corfe Castle! The footbridge was originally located at Merton Park and was donated to Swanage Railway when upgrading work took place at Merton Park for the Croydon Tramlink. ...Also the old turntable from Old Oak Common Traction Maintenance Depot was donated to Swanage Railway when the depot closed in connection with the building of the Elizabeth Line. You did mention going back to do a feature on signalling - this could be interesting to witness the old and the new as Corfe Castle signal box is equipped to interface with Network Rail at Wareham in addition to the traditional mechanical signalling on the Swanage Railway itself.

[@alexgrundon2346]

Season 4 episode 1 is signals and we are at Swanage!

[@tarquin12]

What a great episode, guys, with a "holiday" feel in more ways than one - seeing where previous London-based rolling stock ends up in retirement. The views from the driver's cab were superb, as was the information, to which all HLH aficionados have happily become accustomed. Great stuff, and an aspect of LT history which hadn't previously been on my radar.

[@alexgrundon2346]

😘

[@heathercrocker9915]

Can't wait me and my son of 9 is a big fan of TFL & LT and loves watching all of videos, we been to London transport museum 3 times in last year x

[@johntyjp]

Oooh Heather, sounds like railway mania to me!!😄 Bless!

[@richardcoughlan9981]

What an amazing episode would you guys be able to do the proper Overground and visit some of the disused stations

[@alexgrundon2346]

Hi Richard. Thanks so much for your kind words! Yes is the answer - I thought it was about time we touched on it so a full episode is definitely possible! Thank you for watching!

[@richardcoughlan9981]

@@alexgrundon2346 thanks for the Reply Alex! I will look forward to that episode

[@daveharris7224]

Beat me to it!

[@dazzlingdaz187]

Loved the episode guys, I love heritage railways and will definitely do that this Summer as it looks fab. That moquette..swoon.

[@alexgrundon2346]

Dazzzzzzlllllleeee. We love you

[@sarahjoyholden7856]

Look at you two in the drivers seat. you're like the cats that have got the cream.

[@edbridges1164]

The Class 117 were built in 1959 and lasted in Passenger Service until 2000 the Class 121 were built in 1961 and Lasted in Passenger Service until............. 2017! Chiltern Railways Restored 2 121020 & 121034 to run the Princes Risborough - Aylesbury Shuttle! 121032 was restored and used by arriva trains Wales for the Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Bay Shuttle! I love these old DMMUs (Diesel Mechanical Multiple Units) The 117s and 121s were used out Paddington until the early 90s some then went to "North London Lines" for Service on the GOBlin and some ended up on the Bedford - Bletchley line some even ended up with ScotRail for service around Edinburgh! The 121s pretty much mirrored the 117s but didn't go to ScotRail

[@markellis6413]

Les Dawson lives!

[@cwheeler1159]

@alexgrundon - am I correct in remembering that the Bournemouth blue moquette was ubiquitous on BR on the mid to late 80s, particularly in the south east / Brighton lines? It certainly reminds me of riding BR…

[@alexgrundon2346]

Yup Bournemouth Blue got all over the place. And you can buy things made of it too. Google it or check eBay!

[@alexmckenna1171]

Footballers legs, as they say in Abigail's Party.

[@alexgrundon2346]

Now you’re talking!

[@paulgiffen6836]

DORSETGUT1) Hi Alex and Chris, so love the Swanage railway its getting better and better all the time, i have been on it quite a few times now seeing its only a couple of miles down the road from me, really great show that DMU looks fantastic. Can not wait for series 4, cheers team 💖

[@ianhudson2193]

Oi! Stop telling folk about our wonderful secret hideaway the Idle of Purbeck...😉

[@alexgrundon2346]

WE LOVE IT!!!!!

[@ashleyjiscool]

Wow first

[@peebee143]

Last time I was at Swanage I was part of the support crew on the Purbeck & Bomo Explorer rail tour with a pair of Cl.50's (007 & 050) from Washwood Heath 11th June 2016. We were off the depot at 07:25 and onto the front of the train which had arrived from Derby into the up & down goods line at Washwood Heath. Got back around 21:30 IIRC. Excellent day!