BR Diesel Hydraulics 1970s South West Class Western 22 Warships

[@samstainer6322]

What I would give for a time machine ,just for a day, didn't start spotting seriously till early '75', so a lot of these classes were gone by then, did get a few of the last Hymeks, but was lucky to have the summer of '76', including two weeks down in Devon when you could get weekly railrover tickets. Met two great lads, 'Brummie Tony' and his pal from London and spent a week chasing Wessies, Dad bought me a present of another week pass..........what a gift,. Brilliant weather everyday, Westerns between Exeter, Plymouth, and the Paington branch, lived on Tango orangeade, Egg and Cress sandwiches, and pasties.

[@daveabbott]

When you've invented it, give me a shout, I'll come with you!

[@pauldavis9567]

I started in 1981 when all good things were slowly fading

[@Keithbarber]

@Andy's hate cress? Don't know what you are missing pal

[@boyfromblackstuff7859]

Didn't start really getting out and about till 1980 onwards but great days bashing steam heat Peaks on the North East South West services,met some very interesting people,we didn't know how easy we'd got it!If only we had known what the reptiles had in store for us!

[@stokes8626]

Started myself in '77 at 12 years old with Ian Allen's Locoshed book and no Warships were listed in it and only a dozen or so Westerns. Even though I lived a bike ride from Toton Depot and a shortish train journey to the East coast mainline line to see Deltics I cursed my luck and always loved the Diesel Hydraulics the most and had to make do with books like 'The Power of the Westerns' and such like.

[@NealR2000]

Western Region was the most interesting. Yes, the Eastern Region had its Deltics and the Southern had all those weird electro diesels, but my best days as a kid were spent at Bristol Temple Meads, Swindon, and Paddington.

[@jagdpanther1944]

Baby Warships, my favourite ever BR diesel!

[@philnewstead5388]

What a great sequence, guessing it must have been about 1969, I remember my father and his enthusiast friends were lamenting the end of steam but looking back there was almost as much variety in those first generation diesels which whilst I remember steam that's what I grew up with. I know a lot of public money was wasted with the premature scrapping of nearly new steam locomotives and the plethora of unsuccessful diesel designs but what a wonderful time to be a railway enthusiast.

[@michaelcampin1464]

I must admit Westerns like Deltics are something special

[@lyndongingell1445]

What a video. My favourite locos all them years ago and still are. Thanks 😊

[@tanyajackson3833]

Fantastic scenes. I love the 22s and the milk tanks!

[@Simonize41]

Wonderful, just wonderful. If only there was sound. Not a criticism, not at all, I fully understand the equipment of the period. Thank you for this, takes me back to being a 4-8 year old boy and the family holidays and spotting I enjoyed back then. Happy, happy days. Time Machine please.

[@stokes8762]

Thank God no music. Could do with someone adding sound though, it wouldn't ruin it for me. Superb footage nonetheless.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Maroon Westerns, Warships in maroon and blue, even NBL Type 2s! Heavens! If only there'd been sound as well, but you can't have everything

[@daverobertswales]

Fantastic footage, love the hydraulics, great to see the old liveries on film.

[@kitchenhamfarm]

really nice to see a class 22 they had all gone before i started train spotting like the hymeks and warships i only caught the last 20 or so westerns but was lucky enough to be on the western tribute fusilier and ranger they didn't hold back the horses on our way back to paddington way over a ton at some points great times

[@MikesMovies]

What a wonderful film

[@daveabbott]

Got a photo somewhere of D6333 in absolutely spotless condition, shunting the old goods yard at Liskeard, 1970/1. It was immaculate, ahhh heady days!

[@andybyrne50]

What a gem,remember these as a wee boy in Dawlish. I can still hear the six leggers banging through on a summer’s evening !

[@paulnolan1352]

I have invented said time machine, have set it for June 1970, anyone for Laira, Bath road, Swindon works, Reading Signal works, old oak and Willesden and Crewe works and sheds. Departing 5,3,2023.

[@andrewdock7288]

Class 21 and 29 were withdrawn by 1971 so video must be around 1970 and is fascinating to see Exeter Station and the City in the background.

[@blueberrypirate3601]

Priceless footage of the now extinct 22s, the last one scrapped at Woodhams in 1980 alongside its 29 sister.

[@joshuaW5621]

There is a group trying to build a new one, it’s called Project22.

[@oldgoat5589]

My school and college days were spent near Tiverton. I remember the Hemyock branch very well, from Tiverton Junction, with the old 14xx tank, single coach, and milk wagons. I see that the diesel is passing Fox's mill, near Uffculme in the video - I wonder if it's still there? I know Tiverton Junction has long gone, as have the Hemyock branch, and the branch to Tiverton - I remember travelling on that, too, in the auto-coach - known locally as the "Tivvy Bumper". Watched trains many times at Exeter St. Davids, and where I was at school, I could see the trains go by, between Cullompton and Sampford Peverel halt - that has now disappeared, and been replaced with the modern monstrosity known as "Tiverton Parkway". Now, if I lived there, my view would be obstructed by the M5 - not that there would be anything to see, now, anyway. For me, it is very sad to realise that all the fun, interest, and magnetism of rail travel in those days, has vanished. Thank goodness for photos, and videos such as this one. Thank you.

[@markbaker3748]

Pure gold. Haven't seen any moving footage of victorious since 1969/70 at bescot on a Wolverhampton express.

[@ianstransporthistorystuff8175]

Brillant video and I faintly rember the class 42 and 52s at Paddington and visits to the west country in my very early youth.

[@stephenpowell5912]

Iconic Footage from the Good old days ❣️

[@harryshouse007]

Brilliant stuff. Thanks for putting these up. Living up north in those days I could only dream of seeing Westerns and Warships.

[@fredphipps9452]

Wonderful footage; those times I missed

[@SydFlix]

Simply magical. Many thanks for posting this.

[@mrmrst9020]

Brilliant bit of railway history 👍

[@amazoniaamazonia7225]

Such a contrast to today’s sterile scene.

[@colfuller3625]

Fantastic footage shame it wasn't longer 😁

[@SFSproductions1]

The class 22 sparked my love for trains when I was little Can't forget Thomas the tank aswell 😂

[@TheDaf95xf]

Excellent footage 👍🏻

[@owenevans83]

Good stuff

[@SpoonyMcSpoonface]

If only Exeter were as interesting today. Only the wrong type of 800 is available today 😢.

[@robertcrewdson8611]

Very good film (Standard 8?), British Railways let some of their diesels get into poor condition, like the last days of steam.

[@joeking5310]

Wow, brilliant.

[@grumbeast]

Just marvelous! Thanks so much for uploading

[@TIMMEH19991]

What amazing bits of footage! Thanks so much for uploading!

[@Isochest]

Lovely footage!

[@12crepello]

Where the "63er" (as we used to call them) is shown coming into Tiverton Junction is now the M5!

[@fatwalletboy2]

Like some others i wish i had started spotting a bit sooner and done more trips down to the south west to get behind the hydraulic classes....ok you can ride them on heritage lines but i bet they made some great sounds on the main line full thrash.

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

Fantastic video thanks 👍

[@colfuller3625]

Excellent

[@mikethecabbie8476]

This takes me back some years...! Grew up by Paddington main line; saw many Westerns and Warships, but the only class 22s I ever got to see were the couple based at Old Oak Common for empty stock duties. Shame there wasn't any footage of those gorgeous Hymeks...

[@captainboing]

very nice

[@josephhurdman5588]

Sound would have made this a gem!

[@sansovino4124]

Awesome!

[@DieyoungDiefast]

As a kid I used to think Warships belonged in Thomas the Tank Engine, virtually already has a face.

[@skoot2u]

Just , WOW !!

[@waleedarif6740]

Life may have been boring in some sort of ways but I'm sure it was more reasonable and happier by a million miles in comparison to nowadays 😢.

[@AndreiTupolev]

Note the oil stains down the side of D860; not, by all accounts, uncommon with an NBL Warship

[@1258-Eckhart]

Terrible how they let the DH classes go to rack and ruin in the last five years of their lives. I view this with tears in my eyes.

[@Mr223P]

One particular Warship there (part of those two maroons coupled together) was in a right old naff cosmetic state!

[@12crepello]

Magnificent not looking so magnificent there eh!

[@timgillard-stapleton8966]

Wish there was sound as well

[@stephenpowell5912]

Classic iconic footage from back in the day,What kind of Camera was used to film these as this is obviously 50 odd years ago? Thanks B to God that this rare footage has been downloaded somehow from old Camera Discs to being uploaded onto KZbin for Future Generations to view in the 21st century like me at 49 ,Love rare footage of BR traction from the past times ❤️🇬🇧 Proper trains after Steam was being replaced by Diesel power ,Love the classic Warships designs to the Class 52 Western design .Unlike the rubbish running on the rails today ❤️Feeling Nostalgic watching this ❤️Looks like 1968/69 time before I were born in the Early 1970s(1973 )Wish I could go back to these times ❤️Wish there was sound for this as obviously video Cameras filming this didn't have tapes but Film to record on like Projector style Discs with Magnetic tape .❤️Can hear the throaty Clag of these iconic Locomotives that no longer sadly exist ,Hope some were preserved if not how sad 😢

[@andrewclimo5709]

What a shocking state BR allowed their diesels to get into! Terrible.

[@BobBishopDiagonal]

Hello Robin, This is footage taken by John Simons. Did you know him? Please do get in touch, Best Wishes, Bob Bishop

[@bingbong7316]

Going on holiday, last leg Exeter to Barnstaple, quite a load hauled initially by a 43, replaced by a 22 at Yeoford for reasons unknown and was horribly underpowered for the task, left a bad taste for the class with me I'm afraid.

[@paulrice860]

If ony we had sound as well

[@darrenrees3284]

The milk train probably on it way to Great Torrington

[@jimmyviaductophilelawley5587]

Why not try dubbing a commentary? Easy done these days.....best wishes and take care