British Rail Western Region

Shot in the early 1990's, this clip features London Paddington, Oxford, Reading and Exeter St. Davids.

[@RainhamRailEnthusiast]

Great archive footage here, really enjoyed this, thanks for uploading.

[@woodlandsteve]

We witnessed the end of an era in the late 80's early 90's. Never will it be the same again.

[@ctyerkes]

Railway operations here in the UK were so much more interesting then. Happy memories - thanks for sharing.

[@deltic81]

The good old days , brings back a lot of good memories from my childhood

[@limeyfox]

Absolutely brilliant, thanks for being so generous with the footage. Love the atmospheric evening shots of Paddington :)

[@MrVulcan09]

Thanks for this excellent look back at the 'proper' railway when trains were more comfortable and not daubed with silly liveries. This is the railway I knew and worked on. Not forgetting the classic locos. Thanks again for a piece of modern history.

[@iscagreen4279]

Love the class 50s, remember them well as a young lass. Lovely memories here.

[@francisfield9481]

Thank you very much for this great video, it was very nostalgic for me, remembering many hours spent at Banbury and Charlbury stations, heading off or arriving in the 80's, really appreciated!

[@9501599]

There are some great shots of the station areas, different Mk I & II & III coaches, locomotives and more. The trains coming and going are quite neat to watch well done.

[@amazoniaamazonia7225]

Good archive, all those comfortable seats, so different from today’s sterile scene, thanks for sharing.

[@angeltransportpjects]

This video was taken at the same time as I was a trainee signaller working Slough Panel. Nice to see some of these sights again after such a long time particularly the long gone ones such as Rail Express Systems and first generation DMUs ... Thanks for posting / sharing on here :o)

[@Phil6219]

Amazing footage, shame those days are gone...

[@9501599]

Hey great video good shots of train movements and vehicles in tow, nice interior shots of the platforms too. Its nice to see parcel trains rumbling through and a variety of HSTs and other locomotives, I am not to keen on Network South East but 50 030 look very nice and a nice pic to use to weather my class 50s. All in all well done thanks.

[@archechme]

Good to see 59005 (11:50) is still in use today unlike most of the other locos featured here.

[@exb.r.buckeyeman845]

I worked with all these 50s as a Shunter at Pz, enjoyed every minute except nights.

[@MSmifffy]

A great video of times gone by. 47s and 50s on West of England services, nice :-) Mind you, imagine arriving at a station and finding Repulse at the front of your train in that condition - you certainly wouldn't expect it to last the journey! I live in Reading and the view of the Thumper arriving into the Basingstoke platforms is priceless. Smifffy

[@expressboy1983]

Very nice video of times i remember oh too well.

[@hoffwell]

Looks like a railway on its last legs. We forget today how filthy everything was allowed to be back then.

[@lennylaa1686]

Filthy and failed due to the proven disaster of nationalisation! Tested to destruction. Thank God for privatisation transformation!

[@dexzel5103]

@@lennylaa1686 Not sure if nationalisation was the issue really. I would say the issue was lack of funding and political interest. Considering many other countries in Europe at the time also had and still has nationalised railways and didn't have the same issues as Britain had.

[@chrisdagger6295]

Filthy yet oddly comfortable!

[@DavidFrankal]

Fascinating Old Footage! I love watching footage of railway operators that are no more. I have this weird nostalgic feeling when I look at these, even though I wasn't around when they were operating!

[@Speedriver2001]

i was 10 at this time, my dad used to take me everywhere, great memories.

[@MrForforfor]

proper trains. Very nostalgic. What happened. Brought up on the Western in the fifties and sixties. happy days

[@ptarmegen]

Love the shot of the bloke @ 12:30 with the huge brick of a mobile phone!

[@quas392]

looks so dystopian. everything looks like City 17 from Half Life 2

[@lennylaa1686]

UK still gradually pulling away from 70's socialism - the dire dystopia you correctly speak of - and with the transformation of privatisation, we now have a superb rail system in 2020. Keep it that way by voting Tory! You know it makes sense!

[@hornbytrains125]

Great video but it seams that it was so much more exiting back then...

[@class37100]

wow this brings back memories from my childhood i was 10 in 1991 i remember this scene clearly happy days

[@taffboyslim]

I remember travelling regularly between Cardiff and Portsmouth from 1986-1988. At Westbury I'd always keep an eye out for the 'new' Yeoman 59s. I remember thinking that locos like that were impressive but they'd never catch on ;-)

[@exb.r.buckeyeman845]

I was a Guard at Bristol Bath Rd during those years, and regularly worked Cardiff to Portsmouth trains from Bristol, usually a Class 31 or 33. Maybe you were on one of my trains.

[@christopherharriman6997]

Great video just one mistake, 47576 was named ' Kings Lynn ' not ' County of Avon ' that was 47592.

[@federicofabrizio4094]

Those were the days, London, Waterloo to Exeter by a class 50 and MK2 coaching stock. It is unbelievable that they use those nauseating class 159 Sprinter DMUs for such a long distance run now.

[@MiLLwallpaul231258]

Heaven forbid.....i started off at Reading as a traction trainee in April 1975 and passing out as a secondman moved to ooc .... watching this i wonder how much times have changed... what ever happened to Ranleigh bridge fueling point, class 08 shunters on station pilot, newspaper trains, night sleepers, parcel (royal mail) trains..... the list goes on

[@Longs81]

Privatisation that's what :( As a Postie myself the TPOs or Travelling Post Offices were expensive to run so were the first thing to go when the Postal market was opened up to private companies. They were good at what they did, mail and parcels all arrived sorted and could be sent out much later because it was sorted en route. Now it has to be sorted before it's sent or when it arrives. Knock on effect of that is one delivery a day instead of two and a much later 1st delivery.

[@hoffwell]

Longs81 Was it not the case that the railway (EWS I Think) played russian roulette with the Royal Mail by not reducing prices and lost.

[@149musicfan]

Gr8 video.Nice to hear station announcements!

[@avocet89]

@ 10:37 shows 43167; this was fitted with a Mirrlees MB190 between 1987 and 1996... that's why that power car sounds different. Three others 168, 169 and 170 were also fitted with these, now replaced by MTU engines.

[@brchtr002]

Thank you so much for uploading!

[@cosmicmaniac1886]

Nice to see the gasometers were still there ans being used.

[@Ross99912]

Search Banga Buses, I'm pretty sure they were sold to Africa and then Mr Banga bought them back again, still in use today and i'm pretty sure they are at least 60 year old.

[@irelandbloke]

Great video

[@Pete4000uk]

Great video and lots of memories! I do have to ask, did BR not know how to clean its trains??

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

They were flogged to death so either in traffic or broken down, keeping them clean was not on their minds I reckon

[@davecook3840]

We had offices in the windows that can be seen with lights on at 2:06 Wasn’t the best of environments. I was at Waterloo but had to go to meetings there and it was smelly and miserable for all.

[@Panarail]

I know exactly what you mean. I was always disappointed when a 47 showed up but now I have 5 OO versions. At least there are still a few knocking around

[@imautuber]

Fond memories for me.

[@exb.r.buckeyeman845]

Why has the middle passing road been removed ?

[@Benjy5997]

40 may be an exaggeration on my part. However up untill last year a section of Stagecoach in Devon had a fleet of Mercedes minibuses and Leyland Olympian double Deckers in operation which where built in the early to mid 80's. Western national had a fleet of Bristol VR double deckers in operation which where built during late 60's. Its only in the last half decade fleet casscation has led to the removal of these from front line service.

[@Panarail]

Yes, I know what you mean, was thinking the very same thing as I was standing on Paddington Station all those years ago.

[@Panarail]

Thanks, it was very much a case of "film it because it's there"

[@tobysummers471]

Shame a lot of these locos in nse livery the 47s and the 50swere replaced with the unreliable plastic boxes that the 165s 166s are having only 5 6 coaches at most when these locos had a rake of 8 coaches. At least the 165s 166s days are numbered on this stretch due to electrification and being replaced with the slightly better 387s. the turbos were always poor replacements for the loco hauled services and should have just been kept for local services and the chiltern route. Thanks for uploading.

[@beeble2003]

We lost it because all of these great locos would be 50yrs old if they were still running today. Even if the railways were still state-run, this stuff wouldn't be still in service, HSTs excepted. Airlines don't fly 50-year-old planes, bus companies don't run 50-year-old buses, the navy doesn't sail 50-year-old ships. The class 50s, specifically, were scrapped because they were unreliable and replaced by HSTs freed up by electrification of the ECML. That was before BR was privatised, even.

[@TheLincoln37]

Are some of the HST VP185s

[@Panarail]

Thanks

[@beeble2003]

Seriously? Five minutes of Googling just told me that the average age of buses in service in the UK is about 8 years. It's hard to believe that there are significant numbers of 40+-year-old buses in service.

[@SAM-zt2uy]

i work on the p-way gangs it never suprises me the ammount f money wasted contracting and subcontracting and shifts cancelled but we all get paid just because of paperwork or lack of the correct paper work im just glad ive managed to get on the railway while the HST's and the odd propper loco is still on track!!!

[@sadelsor]

My Dad worked on the PW and he taught me a lot about "payment by result" scams, say no more, it put food in front of me for many years !!

[@TheDave31london]

ive got the oo scale 59005 kjp

[@beeble2003]

OK, so 35-40 years. A bit less than 50 but still a lot older than I was expecting!

[@1madaboutguitar]

Same here mate

[@Panarail]

Good for you, I'm glad this makes you happy :o)

[@lennylaa1686]

The scenes shown are of a NATIONALISED railway systems - grim stations and filthy belching diesel locos towing dirty, smelly carriages. fewer and fewer passengers. Look now in 2020, we've enjoyed 25 years of a privatised railway system and look at the wonderful benefits - spotlessly clean stations, modern cafes and shops - clean and super efficient locos and comfortable carriages. Yes the price is high but you get what you pay for! AND record numbers of passengers to boot. What's not to like? Time to get those socialist blinkers off, stop living in a past that never delivered under state control and wallow in the joy of fantastic privatisation! Enjoy and rejoice!

[@Benjy5997]

Bus companies not running 50 year old buses? Devon. Most of them are getting on for 44 years in some place's

[@ksmd11er]

Great variety of traction, even a mirless engine hst 43167 on there which is probably quite rare too.

[@jimih8539]

Halcyon days 🙏

[@willyboy64ify]

I think the NSE livery for diesel locomotives was rubbish - much prefer the corporate BR blue or two tone green

[@chunkybertwhistle2268]

shamus ass Well, I for one think you did a great job. I always thought the NSE livery was pretty smart. The 50's looked especially good, roaring out of Waterloo en route to Exeter St D.

[@Sackbladder]

Cheers mate - I stand corrected. I never saw these 4 in the flesh. They still sounded better than that MTU shit.

[@1madaboutguitar]

Dude, you deserve a knighthood for this video alone...

[@149musicfan]

Good Idea!

[@osakablade1958]

I would suggest you ask any BR railway man(my father(35 years), me(8 years) included) from the 50`s up to 1993 if they consider BR got its fair share of investment from any British Government. I think they will all tell you the same thing. F.O.

[@Panarail]

Why thank-you. If you see HRM, please put a word in for me.

[@flippop101]

Superb footage which can already be described as historic and very enjoyable. But the NSE livery really hasn’t stood the test of time and somehow looks horribly Eastern European.

[@adelestevens]

How did we loose it? Answer...people bought the lie that privatisation would bring costs down due to competition...yeah right! Anyone know of cheap gas,electricity, water or rail fares recently or if we still build locos or trains?

[@Sackbladder]

All Paxman Valentas.

[@sollge]

Renationalise the railways.

[@lennylaa1686]

That is what destroyed a previously successful system - 60's/70's Labour Govts. locked in with the unions caused havoc,...crippling strikes, shit service, belching diesel locos, filthy carriages, couldn't give a shit staff - passengers leaving in droves. Face facts!

[@JakeyG-eq1un]

You need to unsderstand that renationalisation wouldn't bring back the diesel locos

[@floor993]

Really “clean” diesels!😬

[@thomaspye43299]

Paxman valentas that is also how it should be

[@sadelsor]

Paxman was useless when they first put them in Shunters down at reading, along with Voith transmissions, always broke down either waiting for the Paxman or Voith service reps.

[@andrewwenzel3600]

british rail was intercity mayhem!!!

[@Panarail]

Oooops

[@allgoo1964]

Why England is so slow to convert their rail system to electric?

[@mikethecabbie8476]

allgoo19, because in the period immediately after WW2, the decision was made to stick with steam traction because it was cheaper than rebuild for electric, and with several hundred years' of coal reserves, electric was considered only suitable for suburban routes. Ironically, Reading is now a centre of the biggest electrification project in 50yrs - which is running 3 years late and costing over 3 times its original budget. Looking out of my window, I can tell you that it's also blighted the scenery...

[@allgoo1930]

Mikethecabbie says: "because in the period immediately after WW2,...." == Thank you for the explanation. I guess they didn't see the future in the mirror. Coal is now one of the most costly source of power. Abundance doesn't necessarily mean cheap.. Coal is more costly to extract from the ground and cost more to transport and that doesn't even include the cost of cleaning up the pollution. Mikethecabbie says: "I can tell you that it's also blighted the scenery..." == I suppose you live in or near Reading, England?

[@mikethecabbie8476]

allgoo19, you have to remember that at that period, the British economy was wrecked by nearly 6yrs of warfare, the railway network had only just been taken under State ownership, and there was little or no concept of pollution control that we have today. In its day, it was a pefectly reasonable decision. Within ten years, a programme of dieselisation was implemented, and by 1967 steam working was extinct in Britain. Today, a few privately preserved locos run special excursions for enthusiasts, and there are privately owned lines that run steam traction as tourist attractions. Yes, I do live near Reading; about a dozen miles east of the place. The main line west out of London, toward Bristol, runs through my town to Reading and beyond.

[@allgoo1930]

Mikethecabbie says: "the British economy was wrecked by nearly 6yrs of warfare, the railway network had only just been taken under State ownership, and there was little or no concept of pollution control that we have today. In its day,..." == That's a failure right there. It should never been privatized. They should have considered it the investment for the future, specially in the situation under economic ruin. Railroad was the driving force of the British economy during the Industrial Revolution which lead the country to empire status. Budget balancing is a small potato compare to the future economic growth and Britain didn't see it that way. Capitalism knows no long term planning.

[@HORNEBEEDUBLO]

I may be old fashioned but I feel that in some ways electrification is a step backwards as electric trains have to rely on overhead wires for power, add too that new trains don't have opening windows due to air conditioning. This is all very well until there is a power failure and I read a few months ago that on a hot summer day, people were trapped on a train with no air conditioning for hours after the power failed. Despite the bad press recently, diesel is a relatively safe fuel that won't go up in flames with a spark like petrol will or LPG or hydrogen. Lithium batteries that power a lot of electric vehicles can also be very dangerous and can easily blow up in an accident. Finally with regards to pollution, power stations use diesel generator farms as a backup.

[@nanba25]

lots of fumes… I guess they didn't care about the good setting of the engines to get a minimum consumption, then

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

Large capacity engines (about 65 litres and higher) , old technology (no dpf's or catalysts or electronic fuel management) and with large mileages smoke was normal,

[@Panarail]

Good for you, I'm glad this makes you happy :o)