British Rail Network SouthEast-West Drayton & Denham July 1991 with 33/37/47/56/59/DMus

A BR upload now from a sunny July 1991 at West Drayton and Denham. Plenty of loco action on this one including Denham. NSE had a loco hauled train running from Marylebone at this time as the DMU's were at the end of their lives and the DMU's were failing and/or due works visits. The Turbos were due to be introduced so works visits were out, so a short loco hauled rake was the answer! At West Drayton we see freight workings with a pair of 33's, a 59 & a 56 on a Bardon train to Thorney Mill using the freight only line round the back of the Up platform along with DMU's, parcels & NSE Express trains as well. Classes seen are 33, 37, 47, 56, 59, DMU & a Tamper. If you liked the video please subscribe to my channel, there are lots more transport & quirky vids to upload!

[@robv7340]

Nice toot at the end Lol I sure as hell miss the old dmu’s and bubble cars

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

By the time i was filming these, some of the WR sets had been reformed due to failures & withdrawls as can be seen with two units on this upload.

[@petelove9731]

Hi everyone, thank you for posting these clips. I spent my childhood here at West Drayton from the power plant bridge, the station and down to the coal depot spotting. From 1975 through to adulthood 1996. Some fantastic memories. Good work.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

I'm pleased you like them. I can't berlieve i filmed this 30 years ago, seems like yesterday!.....

[@petelove9731]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus Hi there, yes I left school in 1983 and life has flown by. It’s also amazing how myself and some friends would get utterly bored of seeing class47s, 50s and the units everyday. Now I’d love to see them on mainline duty. I still spot and belong to Branchline society. Thank you again. Best wishes

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

@@petelove9731 You left school same year as me.... Some trains or buses i didn't bother filming as there were so many around and were a bit boring (think Southern EMU's...), i wish i had now of course!

[@neilcrawford8303]

First 1.10 minutes is a celebration of Sulzer power. The line to Thorneymill line was extended and used for Heathrow T5 construction traffic. The Bardon wagons look good with the contrasting yellow bogies and buffer beams. Like many companies, now swallowed up by big multinationals. I loved the sometimes random way DMU formations were put together. They always sounded lazy, what with the AEC engines and the long pause inbetween gear changes. It still baffles me how they managed to any speed up at all. Another great piece of nostalgia. Happy New Year.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

And Happy New Year to you too! Plenty more great nostalgia vids to come (as well as some more recent ones). I used to sign Bardon & Thorney Mill in the 90s so saw both ends of this operation, the joys of running around at Thorney Mill with all the padlocked hand worked points. The DMUs were due for replacement so as indivudual cars failed sets were reformed quite regularly at this time.....and made for good filming!

[@tl50camiva]

West Drayton is my local station so I agree wholeheartedly with the above comments. A fab video as usual, thanks for sharing :)

[@andrewfayers9147]

I worked at The Admiralty Engineering Laboratory from 75 - 99, saw these sights every day. Thank you for the memories.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

My pleasure......

[@timothyparsons8327]

I appreciate someone who “reveals” side numbers of these classic DMUs. Well done! I commenced spotting DMU and EMUs In 1971, three years after loco spotting began big style! In 1979 I found a book which listed DMU, EMU, DEMU, loco hauled carriages and parcels stock...this created a brand new dimension to my railway enthusiasm!!

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Thank you. I tried to identify what i filmed (still do if i can) and marked them off in spotters books (that's how i know i have videod every HST power car!), how's that for desperation?....When i was still at school and spotted my Dad & i saw a Platform 5 book for coaching stock, which he brought me. That added a whole new level to my desperation!

[@markcf83]

West Drayton has changed beyond any recognition now following the electrification of the GWR line out of Paddington. The Class 117 DMU's were ultra reliable-I never once travelled on one that broke down,which is a testament to the staff at Reading TMD......

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, i went to Reading back in May for the last HST's. I was amazed at how much the route has changed!

[@tobysummers471]

Oh wow ! What a fantastic video Soi both stations are very local to me ! I live in Uxbridge and I remember it like this ! I didn’t think anyone filmed both of these stations in these times. Happy New year !

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Thank you. And i still have more from both these stations.....keep an eye out....ps-remember the Banbury-Padd commuter train that was loco hauled? It ran Up in the morning and Down at night via the Chiltern route. Got out early one morning to film it storming through Denham, an ex Scotrail 47/7.......

[@rocksreynolds3642]

Good to see British railway footage from a sunny day lol! Thanks for sharing, great stuff. Love the yellow bogies on some of the Bardon wagons.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, it's nice when sunny, sadly most of my trips out seem to be cold, wet or snow! But out i still go, even today i'm still at it, YT uploads has given me the impetus to get out again filming. I guess someone at Bardon got carried away on a wagon exam?.....

[@alltransman5033]

Hi soi, enjoyed the video, I spent a lot of time at West Drayton and denham with my camera in the late nineties, I remember seeing the Bardon at West Drayton, about 1pm ish, I believe it runs back through Dudding hill junction on to the midland

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, at the time you saw it it was an Acton driver finishing the discharge job and taking the empties back to Acton. From there another Acton driver took the train back to Bardon Hill via Dudding Hill and the Midland Main Line.

[@chris-io1ki]

Fantastic footage as always Soi. Gotta love the oddball DMU formations as well as the loco hauled trains. All gone now but not forgotten. 47521 in NSE livery? Wow! didnt remember seeing it like that. Looking forward to some more of your excellent uploads. Thanks so much for sharing 👍 Another thumbs up from me.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Thank you, my pleasure! I filmed 47 521 quite a lot but never rode behind it. when i got into haulage it was never around and to this day i've never ridden behind it! How daft was that?......

[@markpoole4187]

37258 what a beast of a 37. NSE 47s Always looked good, didn't realise 47521 was in NSE think my memory is playing up.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

521 was quite a solid performer on the Thames Line duites. £7 258 end up in Dutch livery which brightened it up no end!

[@robd2184]

Nice footage, good to see some classic locos on the chiltern line

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, everyone thinks the 67 & 68 hauled trains are the first since the 60s but the early 90s also had a working until the Turbos arrived.

[@vincitveritas3872]

Another great video.😀

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Thank you, plenty more still to comr.....

[@kitchenhamfarm]

thanks for the memories spent many a day at west drayton station dare i say train spotting ,,if you could see it now its horrid.............tony

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, i have been warned of that in another comment......plus i saw Reading back in May at the end of HST's, ....well, what CAN you say about the new Reading???......

[@Richardsrailway]

Would of been interesting if the Central line had of been extended beyond west Ruislip to Denham ?

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

It was a serious proposal, i actually have a destination plate with Denham on it (as seen here kzbin.info/www/bejne/d3mrYqGGf5Wngrc)

[@Richardsrailway]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus I saw that . I’d restore the enamel on the standard stock ones .

[@MrGriser]

NSE 47's apparently only worked on the Chiltern line between 1989-91 and were then replaced by 165's as were the 115's the last running on the 29th July 1992 and then for about 6 years the Chiltern Main line was entirely worked by Class 165 Turbos.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, it was only a short time cover for the DMU fleet. I never rode on them but i wish i had! And don't forget the loco hauled train to & from Banbury than ran to & from Paddington, Up in the morning abck in the evening on weekdays. It was off the Thames Line pool workings, just a commuter train but used to be an express train.

[@ds1868]

First impression is that everything is falling to bits!

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, a lot of what i filmed here was in it's twilight years. That's what started me off filming buses & trains in the mid 80, chasing all the things i grew up with were being replaced fast!

[@snowbird5381]

Wow, is that beautifully looking old stone bridge in the background what was in place of the ugly green metal one that is there now?

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

i didn't know it had been replaced. I imagine it was done in order to electrifiy the line......

[@snowbird5381]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus Might be, but it is also an eyesore and due to its design, it attracts antisocial behaviour, unfortunately.

[@chrisbrown3078]

👍👍👍👍

[@westerleighwerek1493]

Great vid, any idea what day in july? I was on holiday in devon for 2 weeks and can't remember sunshine!

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Thank you. This was the 4th July (indepenence day for some!) and as i recall quite a warm, sunny month.

[@westerleighwerek1493]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus just checked the diary, yes, nice warm sunny day, the day I went on hols to Devon and hardly saw the sun after that!

[@Ben-xe8ps]

Noticed that the loco hauled train at around 11.00 appears to have a disproportionate amount of 1st class accommodation - 50% of the train (coaches 1 2 and half of coach 4). What exactly is coach 5? A parcels van?

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Coach 5 is a BSK (Brake Side Corridor). Half was the guards brake compartment & parcels van while the other half was compartments with a side corridor. The Chilern line was suffering a shortage of traction as the DMU's were due works visits and were withdrawn as the Turbo's were due. In order to help out NSE ran a scratch set of coaches with a 47 to cover one of the Chiltern diagrams. I imagine some of the 1st Class coaches were de-classified to Standard.

[@adamw2911]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus that era on the Chiltern was quite interesting. You had all sorts of DMU consist being put together. That short loco hauled set made a few appearances on the Aylesbury via Amersham branch too. Someone reckons it was 33 hauled on one occasion but I've no proof of this.

[@robeycleaverland2155]

Oh my god?!!... See 11:40sec. 😲

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

Yes, some enthusiasts like on-track plant. there are even spotters books with their numbers.....

[@edwardbarnes2702]

5.50 in, remember those days, when they actually ‘staff’ cleaning the platforms etc! Lol 🤓

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

See how close to the platform edge, and on the Up Main, they are? Wouldn't happen today, they would block the line and probably shut the station as well!

[@ArtieRogers]

First

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

You'll have to explain to me that statement, is it like saying 'great' ???.....

[@Mytimekid]

@@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus it means first to view or first to make a comment, boasting basically. Either way superb footage as always, love the 47s hammering through.

[@SoiBuakhaoRoutemasterbus]

@@Mytimekid Ah! That's good then! I hope you have many more 'first's', plenty more great vids to come happy viewing (and new year to)....