British Rail-Network SouthEast Ian Allan Network Day 24.10.87

A film from 1987 showing various special trains running on the Ian Allan Network Day in October 1987. A special rover ticket allowed travel all over NSE for about a fiver if i remember correctly. My day started with the Crompton+TC set on the St Albans Abbey branch and took in a look at Waterloo before heading east for the green Cravens DMU on the Sudbury branch and the green 302 EMU on the LTS. Sadly the Shenfield unit had failed on the Romford-Upminster by the time i got there so missed out on that one. Also seen are various EMUs & locos at Colchester including a 313 on the Clacton locals! All in all it was a good day out and the idea was picked up by NSE management as they held several Network Days of their own over the years. If you liked the video please subscribe to my channel, there are lots more transport & quirky vids to upload!

[@nickbartlett5928]

Thank you for posting this. I did 33102 from Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey, but forgot to write down the 4TC's number!

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Then this vid is a right result for you!......

[@roychivers5398]

Bring back the good old days of train travel.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

I'd love to! The nearest we can get is the old videos of happier times. I have lots more to go, so keep watching-& enjoying!

[@dvidclapperton]

Re-nationalisation will not bring back mark 1 trains to the UK rail network. The slam doors were not safe because it was possible to open them well before the train stopped at the station and people fell out of the door onto the platform. It was still travelling fast even though you could see the platform beside you. Trains with electronic doors are nothing to do with privatisation. They were coming anyway. They were already on Scotrail long before privatisation. Class 150's and class 156's

[@Keithbarber]

@@dvidclapperton the class 306 was sliding door and dated from 1949, and london underground had has sliding door trains from before then

[@southerntransport466]

@@dvidclapperton and Regional Railways

[@Cliffjumper24]

Some nice bits of footage there! Much of it is sadly missed, even the old slam-door units!

[@TheZacDJ]

Cliffjumper24 Especially the ol'slam-door units! Sooo much more comfortable, and the suburban units with upto 10 slam-doors on each side of the coach loaded far, far quicker than the modern sliding door stock with only 2 sets of doors on each side. The VEPs and EPBs just swallowed people in an instant. Lovely film here, many memories. Many thanks for sharing.

[@dvidclapperton]

All 10 doors of the slam doors (the side the platform was) were opened by passengers whlle the train was still travelilng inside the ststion at 15 to 20mph inside the station. It was far too dangerous to do so while train moving, many fell out and broke their arms and/or legs. The slsm doors (the actual doors were declared dangerous by HSE why the old mark 1 slam door trains had to be replaced (well at least the doors themselves anyway). Sliding doors should not be replaced by slsm doors on current modern trains let alone also replacing windows with further slam doors. Yiu should not get off the train intentionally or otherwise. ally did get offwhile train in motion and racing to their connection train a few platforms away like Usain Bolt all those years ago claim they miss their connection train now with the modern sliding door at terminus station, but tryíng to change trains in less than 2 minutes when you try to get a refund for a missed connection when both trains arrive and leave right on time, you have no right for a refund. The same connection times rule existed in the slam door era

[@soundseeker63]

Smashing footage of many now extinct classes of unit and loco. That 302 looked nice in BR green. A great shame it wasn't preserved.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

The trouble with EMU's is there is nowhere to actually run them as EMU's. I know of a CIG unit that's preserved but it lives in a shed (or various sheds), a shame i have a soft spot for old EMUs.

[@MrDeltic15]

I remember this well - I visited Waterloo, Colchester, and Upminster, but at slightly different times to you so our paths never quite crossed.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

It was a bloody good day. Too bad we don't have this anymore in our wonderful shiny privatised railway!

[@dcan48]

Great footage of Colchester soi, it's a part of Essex I know well. Hope you have more videos from that area.fantastic.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Hi Dave, i' pleased you like it. I film transport for my own pleasure so i'm pleased others find it intrerestering as well, especially as some of it was 30 years ago! I will see what i can find from the Anglia area and get it up!

[@ramblingrob4693]

17:14 Grays. I remember the Signal box

[@JACKYBOY281]

I remember that day . I am 73 now long time . 33 yrs.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Happy memories for us both.....

[@ianhiggon-caswell4225]

The 302in green looked stunning

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

That was one still in as built state. Thirty class 302 units got a refurb but most didn't, and like this one, ended up scrapped!

[@AndreiTupolev]

Whatever 50010 was doing, it was putting on a good display!

[@colinbrooks228]

think it worked 1110 from Waterloo to exeter - i photgraphed it a clapham junction

[@jasongoulden2938]

Was this not the first hoover to get withdrawn?

[@EM-yk1dw]

I was on the 33 and TC that day. Also did the Northampton to Paddington special via Bletchley and Oxford. And look no Buddleia anywhere. The railway is just neglected these days thanks to Network Rail. Lovely memories thanks Soi.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

A work friend & i did the Crompton to the Abbey & back. The rear car was locked out of use from Watford, we though by mistake and so let ourselves in by using a J Dooor key (the end is similar to a carriage key). At The Abbey i remember a fuss being made when we and others left the coach, the poor old Guard getting blamed for not locking it off but protesting his innocence! Ooops!

[@colinbrooks228]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus think because of that incident he refused to work the 33 again and the 108 was resinstated for the rest of the day , was certainly the 108 by early afternoon by the time we arrved to do the branch

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

@@colinbrooks228 I'm glad I did it early on...... Managed to do the branch again loco hauled in the 90s, after close of service a Pathfinder tour did the branch with top & tailed 2 X 73 & a RfD 47 plus I did the DMU on there in 1986.......

[@vicsams4431]

I remember the Ian Allan NSE Open Days. When they first ran an electric service to Ipswich, we were hopeful of a Class 86, so you can imagine our rants when a 4 car Class 312 turned up for the first departure from Liverpool Street. At Ipswich, we had to change to a 2 car 105 to Norwich. We wished we had kept our months shut ! That was even worse. Still it was a Norwich set, and that authorised to do 80mph (instead of the normal 75mph). The rattling of the luggage racks in the power trailer at 80mph was deafening. The little unit almost being knocked sideways by the turbulence of passing a Class 47 and rake of Mark 2s at speed ! The green Class 105 featured in this video, worked the Romford Upminster DMU farewell.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Well, at least a 312 wasn't too bad, and the Cravens would have been great fun!

[@vicsams4431]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus Perhaps better than we have today. But sadly not a patch on Class 47s, 86s, and even 90s loco-hauled.

[@jasongoulden2938]

Loved them class 302 units a few unrefurbished units ran past my house to Hertford east during peak time then nse units came along soon after all in a couple of years before 317s took over the branch along with the usual 315 workings

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, they were capable of working all over the Anglia electrified lines. They were part of a traction training package on units 302, 305, 308, 309, 310 & 312s, so once trained you could drive any of them as required.

[@jlewis997]

Nice to see upminster and the rarely now used bay platform. Excellent video

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, i don't think they run a shuttle service much now. Especially with Lakeside being built, probably need 8 car trains a lot of the time......

[@jlewis997]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus only when they have engineering works. Rest of the time all trains go through to fenchurch

[@stephenpowell5912]

Classic Liked and loved British Rail.Privatisation Sucks

[@dvidclapperton]

Bring back British Rail.

[@djpeekay25]

David Clapperton agree

[@Gideonsmythe]

My favourite new Subscription, thanks Soi. Absolutely loving your videos. Looking forward to more treasures. And yes, would love anything bus or train related for Essex and East London.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Hi Mike, thanks for that. As an East End lad i took quite a bit of bus & rail video around East London & Essex. I will sort out some more goodies back from the 80s & 90s to get you going!

[@Gideonsmythe]

Thanks Soi. I lived in Barking near the bus garage for 20 years. I'm old enough to remember RTs on the 62 and 87 and the (really) old District Line trains. I worked for LTS Rail until 1996 too. So you're helping me relive the youth I've mostly forgotten about. I can't thank you enough. Mike

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

That's a bit freaky! My first job after school was at BK as a trainee mechanic. All we had were Titans, the nearest i got to RMs was a bus mechanic school at West Ham garage. And i grew up with RTs and R & CO/CP stock on the District line (sadly none on video, they finished before i got my first vid cam in Aug 85). I signed part of the LTS as a driver, Thames Haven and Purfleet stone + the branch from Dag yard into the ARC terminal, it was the sea dredged sand trains from there that add to the trail of sand back to Acton! I think i definatly have more films to get you going, some nice RMs & Titans around Barking/Dagenham perhaps? lol

[@Gideonsmythe]

We've probably walked past each other over the years. I escaped to Colchester in 93, just in time to commute on the 309s before they went. I was saying to an old friend from Barking recently that back in the 80's Metrobuses were rarely seen over our side of the city which made visits to West London seem almost exotic with their strange-looking buses. I always thought out Titans were far superior beasts. Looking forward to whatever you can dig out, really appreciated.

[@petermartin3818]

Met the chap that designed the system to work EMUs over non electrified lines with 33's in push-pull mode. The system became improved with the advent of elctronics with TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) with 86s and coaching stock with a DBSO at the other end enabling push-pull working on the Norwich's out of the Street. Oh dear just seen Chappel with the green dmu. Just how many more gems have you got? Seems I've got some catching up to do👍

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Peter, i was very busy filming trains when i wasn't driving them in the 90s....My Priv got well used! Although my Dad & i got about a bit before then. He was a memeber of RVP and used to work on 7597 at Chappel back in the 70s......

[@petermartin3818]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus Oh blimey! 7597, thats a blast from the past. The loco was a powerful RSH built 6 coupled machine from Broxbourne power station. Spent several years at Chappel, during which time the RVP lads removed the wheels for tyre turning at Stratford DRS, and after it was reassembled, earned the name of Zebedee after the spring loaded jack-in-a-box character from the Magic Roundabout tv puppet series, as it had a tendency to bounce on the train at anything over 10mph due to some imbalance after rebuild. Either that or the coupling or buffer springs were weak. The loco featured in an episode of the BBC tv 'Nanny' series. Being blue, the beeb props department painted one side of the loco black for the filming emulating the wayward location of Wrabness and stuck fake LNER logos on it, and painted the coaches brown - again on one side. They said it would washoff. Well the toughest wet and dry didn't shift it so myself and another chap painted the remainder of the loco black - and that's how it remained until the loco went to Loughbrough GC. The Beeb spent a fortnight at Chappel filming with outside broadcast cameras and transmitting equipment, massive cables running everywhere, and all the stuff like make up rooms and caravans for actors including Jenny Agiter to get changed in. The episode was broadcast some weeks later. After a fortnight of takes and retakes, editing and breaks for tea, the whole lot resulted in a feature of 10 seconds! Remember someone bringing a telly in so we could watch it. After the 10 second slot, we all retired in disgust down the pub! Happy days! 👍

[@juliansadler6263]

Remember Network Days well. Always ended with a massive fireworks display on the Thames (run by a clergyman!)

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

There were several as i recall, bloody good every one of them!

[@AndreiTupolev]

that class 312 was shifting.

[@jess.hawkins]

@0:01 HAGRID! :D

[@1973ts]

We did Northampton to Shanklin on that day, for just £5! I think the ferry was included, though we did the Hovercraft on return. Great fun.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, it's a shame that this sort of thing doesn't happen now. I have a vid taken on a North Wales coast freight loco day, lots of action with some rateable traction. i will have to get up at some point.

[@1973ts]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus - Look forward to that. I always enjoy your uploads. Do you have any of the Ilford Depot class 306? NSE ran it on various specials, it was beautifully restored.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

I have one video live of its return to traffic here kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6TEnn1-dtxoldk and i have another film of it on the Hertford East branch in 1994 which i still need to upload.

[@dvidclapperton]

Hovercraft operated from Kirkcaldy to Portobello in 2007.

[@dvidclapperton]

The ferries, part of British Rail back in the day.

[@johnyoungieyoung123]

Was that JED????????? I think I did that day. We drove down to Northampton to get on NSE.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes! I didn't know him then and it was just pure randomness that caught him! A good day out, i wandered round with a driver from my tube depot of the time, a closet crank!

[@nickrockall2845]

Just seen jed on there

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

That's quite freaky that, i didn't know him at that time, only when i started doing railtours in the 90s. And there he is in all his glory, probably the same coat he's still wearing!!!

[@Phil6219]

He got a new coat a few weeks ago as the last one finally fell to pieces and couldn't be patched up any longer...

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Wow! I'm impressed! The last time i saw him he was chasing 68s Moor St to Solihull along with others. I assume they can use a local pass on that bit and do multiple trips to get the mileage up! He hasn't got the speed now though, i raced off an arrival at Moor St and made blue 68 008 back to Solihull myself (finished Chiltern 68s!) and poor old Jed missed it, it was about a +1 so it was always a dodgy move!

[@chriswilson2431]

Oh the speed whiskers. Superb. Why do modern trains all look so dull. The interesting stuff seemed to stop about 1998 when everyone seemed to ditch loco hauled serviced and all the old dmu’s were retired leaving 156’s and similar. Bring it back. So many more people would use the railway for fun and it’s not like the old stuff is that unreliable really, if it was, how come so many still survive in preservation and even the 37’s are still working in large numbers. Maybe Sunday services should all be heritage locos and stock across the country. That a nice thought hey? If only 😂

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

A nice idea but preserved lines are the best we can hope for.....

[@edwardbarnes2702]

Great now to think of theses days, not thinking even now how much we would remember them as being boring diesels, to every day now plastic movements, turn up to any London station, on the hour every hour, no personality, just yea just watching paint dry.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

We'll see what ittle gem i can get up next, it will be a BR vid but where from? What unusual bit of stock can i show?....Hmm.......lol keep watching!

[@vincitveritas3872]

Like 33s push pulling units. What was reason for this?

[@DCS1967]

Vincit Veritas The South Western mainline was electrified to Bournemouth in 1966/67 they needed a way to get to Weymouth without passengers having to change trains. They came up with the push pull method. From Waterloo to Bournemouth an electric “tractor” unit, 4REP (Restaurant Electro Pneumatic) with 3300hp pushed one or two 4car trailer units (4TC) to Bournemouth. There the REP was uncoupled and a 33/1 was coupled. This would then take the TCs to Weymouth and back. Then the same thing happened in reverse. This system carried on unchanged from 1967 until the line was eventually electrified (cheaply) all the way to Weymouth when the Mk3 Wessex Electrics took over.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

It was an NSE Gala Day and the push pull unit worked the branch for that reason.

[@colinbrooks228]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus it worked about 2 or 3 trains at max - some issue with it by time i got there lunchtime it wasonly the normal DMU

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

@@colinbrooks228 I was on the first trip so got it in the book. The Shenfield 306 unit also failed that day, it had been on the Romford-Upminster branch but too had failed by the time i got there late afternoon!

[@colinbrooks228]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus i live in north essex so we did the 306 then then the 302 first - then to clapham waterloo - then to watofrd - then to St albans then to bedford - Corby and run to oxford - but 58 got taken off and did 47 from corby - oxord via bletchley flyover (very late)

[@hmjmh7]

Whys the 33 hauling the unit?

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

It was a Network SouthEast Gala Day. A Southern Region TC Set+loco was used on the St Albans branch for the day as part of the gala. TC (Trailer Coaches) units were unpowered coaches with a driving cab at each end. They were used with class 33/1 or 73 locos, the TC unit was through wired so as to be able to operate the loco at the other end of the train. They were also used with REP EMUs on the Bournmouth & Weymouth route where again they could control the REP unit or class 33/1's on the diesel section to Weymouth. In later years the TCs have been used with class 50s on the West of England line as hauled stock, the through wiring wouldn't work with anything other than a 33/1 or 73 so the class 50 loco would run round at each end of the route. London Underground has an ex BR TC unit which runs with Sarah Siddons and class 20s that are used on Metropolitan Line gala days.

[@hmjmh7]

Soi Buakhao thanks😀

[@colinbrooks228]

@@hmjmh7 it onyl did about 3 trips till it was caped and the DMU substituted

[@waleedarif6740]

Was it easier to get a job in them Days?

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, BR was always short of staff! Back then though drivers pay was quite low and a lot of overtime, rest day working and out of hours shifts were needed to bring the pay up!

[@jacksugden8190]

Things were pretty dyer then, these days we have a much better standard of trains

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

I'd say the seat comfort hasn't improved. The seats in these days were comfy rather than the boards we now sit on!