BR in the 1980s Westbury in the Eighties

Back in the Eighties i made several visits to the Wiltshire hot spot of Westbury and on 10th September 1986 captured the following sequences with my faithful old Philips VHS Camera. 50013 arrives with an up train from Penzance bound for London Paddington with MK I buffet car in the rake as 56001 runs around LE a class 33 arrives with a Cardiff to Portsmouth Harbour service. Soon after the departure the service from Portsmouth arrives with the distinctive 33008 in charge. Coming off the Salisbury route 47369 arrives for a crew change and the train is then shunted back into the up yard while an HST set with power car 43145 leading calls on a London to West Country service. Another service for Portsmouth arrives and departs with 33025 "Sultan" providing the power. A little after the new class 59 number 59003 "Yeoman Highlander" comes off the "Berks and Hants" line with an empty stone train for Merehead Quarry. 56048 makes a rapid departure and we end our brief visit with 56031 drifting through the station. I hope this evokes fond memories for the maybe older generation and for the younger ones too.

[@amazoniaamazonia7225]

A good record of how productive Westbury was, so much more interesting than today’s sterile railway, thanks for sharing.

[@VermilionStudios]

The Cardiff-Portsmouth trains in this video have 5 coaches, yet today, my train to and from Salisbury was just 2 coaches, so much for progress lol.

[@spompey]

Oh Yes...That's progress for you......best wishes....Mark

[@ianjones4116]

Bring back Loco hauled trains and help with social distancing !! Simple . Lol

[@danielsellers8707]

This route would suit the 5 car Hitachis when they are eventually displaced from main line service...

[@swearingkevo]

Great vid , thx for posting. This brings back many memories at this station in the 1980s. This was one of my fave places.

[@spompey]

Many thanks for watching...much appreciated....Mark

[@adamc1272]

I never wanted that to end! Fantastic.

[@spompey]

Many thanks and much appreciated....mark

[@stephenmorris1802]

This film put a smile on my face. Thank you so much for putting it on here so people like me can enjoy it.

[@spompey]

You are most welcome.....Mark

[@gavin37688]

Wow more excellent footage proper classic traction, love 56048 screaming away & the blue grid stunning stuff, also quite a fan of Hercules aircraft too ;-) another big like from me

[@spompey]

Many thanks and glad you liked the clip. More to come i promise sometime near. Mark

[@gavin37688]

Excellent matey looking forward to them

[@spompey]

You're very welcome....Mark

[@Uftonwood2]

Note the precision that stops the drivers door of 47369 dead on the crossing while being pushed by a mongrel rake of wagons, each with their own brake capabilities (or not).Drivers skills are little understood and seldom manifest.

[@spompey]

+Uftonwood2 I suppose it boils down to which brake the driver was using either the straight air brake (Loco only) or the train brake, The train brake does require more skill where as the straight air brake can come back and bite you, particularly on a loose fitted train especially. Drivers are taught on the braking and stopping capabilities of both air and vacuum (virtually obsolete now) and it does take time and practice to master...... thanks for your comment and for watching........Mark

[@Uftonwood2]

+spompey Irrespective of the combination of brakes used by the driver, he has used that variable (every freight train will be different) brake force to stop several hundred tons of train on a target by precise judgement of distance and braking which your video so well captured. Hats off to both of you.

[@spompey]

+Uftonwood2 No Problem there, many thanks for your kind appreciation......Mark

[@robertstorey7476]

I used to change trains here on my way back from home from Plymouth poly in the 80's. Had a nice platform buffet I recall.

[@spompey]

Yes it was a small buffet as I can recall, not sure what happened to it, Many thanks Robert.....Mark

[@OlafProt]

7:59 captured that valenta beautifully!! No sound distortion even!

[@spark001uk]

Excellent mate thanks for that. I wish I'd had a recorder back then. Still, the memories are there. That's when there was a proper loco fleet, always something different. Now it's just swarms of crimson sheds and that's your lot!!

[@spompey]

Many thanks , glad it prevoked fond memories I will get round to posting more of the archive material i have now i am beginning to understand how to convert VHS - AVCHD etc all these formats to contend with. I wish we had this technology back then as well. Mark

[@9C85-g4b]

I used to get the '89' from Cardiff to Portsmouth more or less every weekend in term time from 1986-1988. In my 2nd year the 33s and slam-doors had been replaced by the 155s ...dreadful trains

[@spompey]

I agree entirely 155s were no replacement to Engine and Coaches for comfort. Glad it brought back memories, you may have even seen me there sometime. who knows. Thanks .Mark

[@lola210308]

That takes me back!! Some good memories came flooding back, thankyou!!

[@spompey]

Your very welcome and thanks for watching, they were good times

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

Thanks for this , that class 47 and mixed freight was great to see😃

[@spompey]

Cheers Bleak Hall micro...You are most welcome......stay safe.....Mark

[@EXSKIN]

My 4 loves in life, Basic traction, class 47 , class 50 all my train handling done on them with an odd class 33, move to the North East conversion course to the class 56.

[@spompey]

Yes Very similar to my early time, as I was in Scotland I worked with many of the now historic classes such as class 25,26,27,40, and then on the GWR 31,37,47 Basic,50 and when on the Southern most of the EMU stock from the old Subs (1936) and VEPS, 508,455, etc, etc, Oh Happy days All of these are precious to me......Many thanks for watching...Mark

[@OlafProt]

0:41 always loved the mixed rolling stock

[@craigymac5386]

Excellent footage, so much more variety back then with all the British built locos and rolling stock. Nowadays it's just block trains of polish built wagons and Spanish and American locos. It's a bit boring now.

[@spompey]

I don't mind Spanish or American Locos but do agree I would rather see UK locos with UK stock in UK liveries in the UK. So much modernisation I believe is not always for the better, even my PC thinks it is American....best regards to you craigyMac.....Mark

[@philstanley77]

Superb footage, thanks for posting. Great quality for it's age, and fair play to you for filming it so well. Enjoyed very much.

[@spompey]

+Phil Stanley Yes I had to convert from my collection of old VHS recordings which takes a while to do, many thanks Phil.....Mark

[@danielsellers8707]

A bit ironic that 56031 Merehead was one of the 56s displaced from the Yeoman (and later ARC) stone traffic by the first UK EMD main line locos and now it has an EMD engine itself!!!

[@spompey]

Many thanks for the comment...Much appreciated....Mark

[@Peasmouldia]

Spent many happy hours at Westbury in the 80s, look forward to more of your excellent recordings. Thank you.

[@spompey]

Many thanks Ian......appreciate your viewing....Mark

[@darrenhillman8396]

Very enjoyable! Brought back lots of memories! Thank you for sharing your precious footage with us.

[@spompey]

You're very welcome Darren and many thanks....Mark

[@spompey]

They certainly were, still , there is a bit of heritage running around in the area. Thanks for watching. Mark

[@spongatejunction]

The Good old days not a shed or Cattle wagon ie Class66s and Voyagers in sight only proper trains

[@spompey]

Yes those were the days, I couldn't agree more....many thanks Stuart.....Mark

[@danielsellers8707]

I thought 59s were EMDs... they didn't call them sheds until the 66s came though!

[@12crepello]

And the Cardiff - Portsmouth's are now an overcrowded 3car 165/6! Progress??

[@spompey]

That's modernisation.....many thanks for watching and for the comment...best wishes....Mark

[@paulmcmahon3511]

Do you have anything else from Westbury around that time?

[@spompey]

I do have some more video of Westbury going into the 90's will get to post some soon for you, busy spell at the moment Derek. Much appreciated your interest..........Mark

[@OlafProt]

2:29 that livery! Fabulous

[@tappy72]

why did the hst's have a longer number beneath the windscreen?

[@spompey]

They were designated class 253 for the Western and 254 for the LNER... The numbers corresponded to the set...EG 43001 + 43002 at the other end was set 253001 etc, etc, as the loco's were jumbled up over the next few years some had the front end number removed and some did not , as it was not long before the set number was dropped ,hence that is why a long number appeared under the windscreen. (The original corresponding set number to the power cars) You could sometimes at a location see 2 different HST sets with the same long number at one end....Hope this helps and you are most welcome....Mark

[@RFSA180]

Those were the days.

[@TrevorLedgeway]

Great old footage from the 80s Mark.Enjoyed your old stuff and if your interested i have similar footage on my channel at York & Devon......Trevor.''

[@spompey]

Definately of interest, sorry for late reply.......Mark

[@TheGodsrighthandman]

I'm currently playing through a 1980's Timetable on the Westbury scenario of Simsig . . . . It's nice to see the reality of what I'm doing on a computer screen. Thanks for the upload x

[@spompey]

You're welcome......best regards....Mark

[@m8filmswhitecollar454]

I love this sort of thing. Enjoyed watching.

[@spompey]

Sorry for late reply there, you're very welcome.....Mark

[@AndreiTupolev]

Just noticed a kamikaze cyclist 1:42. He seemed to be heading straight for the platform ramp

[@spompey]

Hi Andrei.....Yes.... He appears again at 1:56 crossing into the yard, He is a crafty railway employee ,probably a shunter with a slight disregard for some railway rules (No HVV and Cycling on the Platform.....quicker than walking....At least he did use the Authorised Cycling....whoops I mean Walking Route to the Yard, We'll give him that much....But Hey.! as railwaymen we all used to do similar IN THOSE TIMES....today you would be Crucified and Incarcerated for eternity if you were seen.....In the words of the great Monty Python..."He's a very very naughty man".....Obviously I have to respect all the Rules and Regs for us to continue with our interests in safety, for all.....so my best regards to you Andrei......PS HOT NEWS...I now have new conversion hardware so shortly will have more archive material to upload and share... Once I have fully tested it.....all the best....Mark

[@JohnPW22]

Superb - fascinating to see the range of traffic back then, with all those 56s!

[@spompey]

Many thanks for your comment and interest John....More archive will follow.....best regards....Mark

[@AndreiTupolev]

Well how about that! Both power cars with the same set number on that HST! That's something very rarely seen

[@spompey]

Best regards Andrei......yes even then it was a rarity.......Mark

[@paulmcmahon3511]

Brings back memories, as a young kiwi, doing my OE, I spent some time in Westbury later that month, round the 29th September. Great nostalgia.

[@spompey]

Glad to have evoked memories for you from so long ago!..Cheers Derek, I do have some video of NZ around Christchurch and Auckland but more modern (2010)......get round to posting it soon........Mark

[@jamiesmithgoingloco]

Great video .brings back Lots of nice memories from my days out on Westbury

[@spompey]

You are most welcome Jamie.....Mark

[@grahamsmith7054]

Great Video Happy days.

[@spompey]

You are most welcome Graham.......many thanks and best regards.....MARK

[@benconway9010]

When did ARC get ther 59s i know it was after yeoman got theirs but dont know if it was just after or some time after like the early 90s I think I think yeoman got the 59s in 84 I think?

[@spompey]

Dear Ben Many thanks for your interest, yes I believe Foster Yeoman got the 59s around 1985 and ARC acquired the 59s as I first witnessed around 1990. I could be slightly out but I also witnessed 59s up in the Peak Forest around 1991. Best regards....Mark

[@stuartgetheridge866]

At 14:22 any ideas what that building behind the 56 is? It must have been pulled down not long after this video

[@spompey]

Hi Stuart I believe it was a staff messroom either for loco crew or shunting personnel which rightly as you say was pulled down soon after. There was another messroom for shunters further down the yard and loco crews had one around the depot too. We need a staff member from Westbury to tell us more.....best regards ...Mark

[@grahammasson3938]

Nice footage. I remember visiting Westbury back then, I work there now as a shunter!!

[@spompey]

graham masson Many thanks Graham for your kind comment, I used to visit there as a Reading driver back in the 80s so bumped into several of the shunters then. Keep up the excellent work my friend......Mark

[@osprey60]

Another excellent video of yet more stuff that I missed...thanks for uploading...brilliant!

[@spompey]

Many thanks .Glad at least you were able to see it here.. Mark

[@alexjoy1986]

Hi there. Just a quick question: does the VHS Philips camera display the clock/date on screen? Thanks a lot.

[@spompey]

Alex Joy No the VHS camera never displayed the date or time or anything for that matter as it basically was one of the earliest models available to the amatuer photographer then......how things have progressed is remarkable.....many thanks....Mark

[@alexjoy1986]

spompey Thanks Mark. This responds to some questions I had in the past about the Philips VHS cameras. However, at the time there were VHS cameras to display both date/clock on screen, an the main example was Panasonic. Million thanks for your clarification on this issue. Alex

[@spompey]

Alex Joy No problem Alex, for your further info the camera was the Philips Movie VKR6800 model which took Full size tapes and funnily enough was a clone of the Panasonic as I believe! or JVC perhaps ,it was so long ago......showing our ages perhaps.....all the best.....Mark

[@alexjoy1986]

spompey Thanks for sharing more info Mark. I did run a quick search on google and saw the camera's pictures. Was quite large and I assume a little hard to handle. Have a nice day and thanks again for your help in my study about VHS cameras. Alex

[@richardheade7778]

Very nicely filmed, I enjoy watching your old BR Blue era videos they are extremely good, thanks for sharing them on here.

[@spompey]

You're very welcome Richard, many thanks for watching and more will follow in the new year......best wishes for Christmas....Mark

[@richardheade7778]

Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to you as well, thanks.

[@swearingkevo]

Fantastic

[@spompey]

Many many thanks Kevo, much appreciated.....Mark

[@Discoretrox]

hst at 7:50 ... brilliant.

[@spompey]

43145 Yes with the old type engine fitted.....a sound in it's own......many thanks....Mark

[@lms5003]

10.25 The shape of things to come!

[@spompey]

Very true indeed, although the class 70s have broken the mould a bit, best regards....Mark

[@055deltic]

How times change . . . would we keep the camera trained on a 'shed' nowadays, with a Class 33 on a passenger rake passing through!!? Excellent archive films you have here, brought back many memories - thanks for sharing.

[@spompey]

You are very welcome, would we have bothered filming old DMU's in those days let alone 2nd generation DMU's? I know exactly what you mean.....best regards....Mark

[@spompey]

yes indeed....Mark