BR in the 1980s Basingstoke to Reading Cab View in 1989

[@YsanneOshea]

I grew up in Basingstoke and spent many many childhood hours in and around the railway, the station and on the trains there before being based there as train crew from 1997 until retirement a few years ago. I remember these units so clearly, ticking over in the bay platform for hours between tips to Reading and back. These days I live in Bramley so it was good to see the station and compare the film footage with the current layout. Most of the MOD infrastructure has vanished to become another housing estate but there is some still there if you know where to look and most of the old exchange sidings have become a birchwood that is much treasured by the local population! Thank you for posting this, a thoroughly enjoyable watch! Great respect to you friend Nick and my condolences for your loss. I've lost a lot of people in my life so I know how you might feel. 🕊

[@spompey]

You're most welcome...and .Many thanks for the update on the MOD site and of course for watching...best wishes...Mark

[@LingLiu2014]

Ahh the old Network Southeast train! I used to live in Reading and went to carboot sales near Basingstoke. Now under GWR and these lines are electrified. RIP Nick 😢

[@spompey]

Many thanks and best wishes....Mark

[@anthonychallis2472]

Thanks for that great video. I used to travel from Andover to Reading on one of those (known as a Thumper I think), I loved the sound. I’m guessing this was filmed from the other end as I couldn’t hear the engine. I travelled in 1971, I seem to remember they where green in those days and started from Salisbury.

[@spompey]

Also from Portsmouth too ....You are most welcome Many thanks for your comment and for watching...best wishes...Mark

[@carlteacherman194]

Yes, Anthony. The DEMUs were known as thumpers. On The Reading - Basingstoke line they were usually 3 car sets called 3H or class 205. They had a large turbo charged English Electric 4 cylinder diesel with a generator at one end. The low rpm gave them a thumping sound....music to a trainspotter!

[@spompey]

@@carlteacherman194 Thank you for that...best wishes...mark

[@carlteacherman194]

Another interesting southern video from my old stomping ground. I did a few exercises at Bramley MOD during my green time, an amazing place, a full size train set to play with! There is a good book out early this year called 'The Secret Railway in the Woods' by Christopher Hegg and Laurance Bindly. There was also a railtour with a film on KZbin called the 'Bramley Bunker'. They used 2 3H DEMUs that just about negotiated the sidings complex. During its later use the complex was operated by the Americans and used underground coaches as staff transport. The whole place was shrouded in secrecy.

[@spompey]

Yes it seemed a guarded secret at the time and quite hidden from public view...I will look out for the book and many thanks for the info Carl...very much appreciated....Mark

[@dgattenb]

used to love the offset platform at reading , sit on the edge ......... and see the thumpers coming in

[@jasongoulden2938]

Departing Basingstoke rather, nice run precious times wish I’d travelled that route now could of gone around in a big circle back to London from Reading or Basingstoke.

[@trainmaniacstudios8216]

Cracking video mate. Look forward to seeing more in the future. Have subscribed :)

[@spompey]

Many thanks......and .Many thanks for your kind comment.....best regards...Mark

[@mrmrst9020]

Just brilliant mark thank you for sharing 👍🏻👍🏻

[@spompey]

Many thanks for watching and for the comment....best regards...Mark

[@duncancurtis5108]

Salisbury stalwart 1133 often buzzed this way in the 80s.

[@12crepello]

You mean "thumped"!? 😉

[@peningtondg]

Great video but you got the departing station wrong you said "Departing Reading" then you mention "L & SW Mainline and Basingstoke Signal Box" as the class 205 DEMU departs for Reading. Cheers David

[@stevehull787]

Great thanks 👍

[@dieselbeema4255]

Very well produced. Small query - at 28 seconds the subtitle 'Departing Reading' appears. Should that read 'Departing Basingstoke'?

[@thepofmeister]

‘Good old days’

[@spompey]

They certainly were and many thanks....Mark

[@MrGriser]

I thought the Thumpers stayed on the Reading - Basingstoke until 1993 I read a few years back it was the 17th November 1993 when the Turbos finally took over.

[@spompey]

No not quite..DMU's took over from the "Thumpers" then the dreaded "Turbo's" came along around 1993?....best wishes to you....Mark

[@MrGriser]

@@spompey When did the Thumpers last run on that line then?

[@spompey]

@@MrGriser I seem to recall around 1990...could be wrong, but 1st gen DMU's until "Turbo's" took over for certain.

[@trainrover]

oof! I don't remember any Basingstoke skyline during the Seventies

[@spompey]

Many thanks for watching and for the comment....best regards...Mark

[@NQY-flyer]

Good to see the “new” speed signage for the new “boil in the bag” drivers of the day 😮

[@railwaymechanicalengineer4587]

HAMPSHIRES, BERKSHIRES, MID SUSSEX'S & TADPOLES - THEY WERE ALL DIFFERENT !!! So who knows the difference between a Hampshire & a Berkshire unit. And the difference between a Berkshire Phase 1 unit & a Berkshire Phase 2 unit ? Or for that matter what was unusual about the Mid Sussex units, or the five oddball Tadpoles. For example who realised that these Southern Diesel Electric sets didn't have a single centre buffer & chain link between the intermediate trailers, like the similar 4EPB EMU's. But had Buckeye couplings, with Pullman Rubbing bars throughout !!! Indeed what is a Pullman Rubbing bar for, as clearly seen between the normally RETRACTED buffers on the cab fronts !!! Or really esoteric, how many Foxhounds did unit 1118 mow down of the Eridge Hunt near Ashurst station in the summer of 1978 ? Or why did unit 1309 nearly fall off Riddlesdown Viaduct one Saturday lunchtime in 1977. Or even earlier how many Hampshire units can a BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T push up the hill from Sanderstead to Oxted through the snow drifts during the terrible winter of 1962-63 !! There are lots of strange stories behind this small group of very heavily used units, during their fairly long careers from 1957 to 2004.

[@spompey]

Many thanks for that in depth info....probably beyond my observations....much appreciated....Mark

[@TrainDriver1953]

Bloody drivers do love to nag a lot, mostly talk alot of rubbish

[@spompey]

It sounded like a branch meeting, but not sure what the topic was....mark

[@stefanbradley1617]

The conversation at 20:10 is a classic - the driver’s next door neighbour has got a new video camera with a 12x zoom but our driver thinks it’s a mistake because he’s got a gammy arm and ends up waving the camera all over the place

[@spompey]

@@stefanbradley1617 Amateurs eh ?....best wishes....Mark