End Of BR Blue - Cardiff (April 1986).wmv

Double-headed 56's on iron ore; 37's on coal; 47's on passenger and freight; 33052 on passenger; and some HST's - including one of the first complete sets in Inter-City Executive livery - all seen during a visit to Cardiff Central on 3rd April 1986. There's also a short clip of Cardiff Canton depot taken from a passing DMU.
This is Part Two of my BR Blue series - next up will be 37's at Fort William and Mallaig

[@TimHall42]

This was the era when it was worth spending time watching trains, and riding behind locos on the mainline. I live in Cardiff now, and although still very much a rail enthusiast, modeller and active volunteer on a narrow gauge "heritage" line, I wouldn't cross the road to see a procession of sprinters and 66s. Thanks for sharing what, although we probably didn't think so, was a golden age.

[@bellers13]

The good old BR days, feels like only yesterday,shows how quick time has passed Darren,

[@Isochest]

A brilliant flashback to simpler times. I love the fact that there was loads of heavy freight through Cardiff Central (Caerdydd Canalog) those days.Lots of loose coupled freights pulled by 37s. Brilliant or should i say Bendigedig!

[@taffboyslim]

I was in college in Cardiff in April 1986, good times. I remember the 56s being introduced on the Port Talbot-Llanwern trains (1979-1980-ish?) ...fantastic sight. I went on to Portmouth Poly in the Autumn of '86. Used to love that journey... had a compartment of a Mk1 more or less to myself with a 33 chuntering away at the front. When I went back for my 2nd year, the 155s had been introduced ...shocking. More cramped, with less comfortable seats, questionable air-con, and twice as noisy as the stuff they replaced ...progress.

[@ClagManUK]

WOW! Cardiff has changed a lot in 20 years! This is a great video! Thanks for sharing.

[@StripeyNick]

Ahhh............that's the Cardiff I remember. Especially with those flower beds. They made perfect perches for a day's spotting.

[@MEKAYJIMMYNATHE]

Oh happy days, another superb historical film, loving it :-) cheers Darren. Tony.

[@stephenjohnson2195]

Another brilliant video it certainly brings back some memories. Me and my mate sometimes used to "forget" to go to school near Chesterfield and end up in Cardiff though you couldn't get away with it now

[@MrDeltic15]

Thanks very much. That was quite forgetful of you :-) Chesterfield would have been great back in those days too, but I guess you got bored of the same things back then - hindsight is a marvelous thing of course!

[@stephenjohnson2195]

@@MrDeltic15 yep Chesterfield was good but Clay cross junction was better because you didn't get Avenue coking plant traffic through Chesterfield. Plus if Johnny Rotten was on the ticket gate you didn't stand a chance of getting on the platform he hated spotters. Never knew his proper name but he was a miserable nangy old git. Though a 80p half fare return to Sheffield sorted that out he couldn't refuse access to the platform with a valid ticket. Didn't always use it only if something good for haulage came in or a 31 going through the old road via Barrow Hill. It certainly doesn't feel like 35 years ago

[@MrDeltic15]

Thanks everyone for the respones and glad you're all enjoying a look back in time. Lots more to come over the coming months showing the big changes that took place and the switch to sectorisation before privatisation after that.

[@chris-io1ki]

The best railway station in the Uk😊 Great video as well which brings back many a great memories when I used to live and spot there. Does anyone remember Selwyn? A painted on white sheep on CF 37s. I was there last week and it's still busy for passenger trains although sadly freight has dwindled. I did manage to see a few whilst I was there though.

[@MrDeltic15]

A lot different now indeed! Glad you enjoyed, and although not a lot more from the South West/Wales area to come, there is loads more stuff from the 80's/90's filmed across the country to come.

[@bellers13]

Superb footage Darren, really enjoying these memories, top work mate!

[@MrDeltic15]

Indeed they were - wish it was more like that today. Thanks for commenting.

[@djtrainspotter]

Most interesting to this particular spotter! 47225 i modelled in its next livery and had the honour of my girlfriend at the time (5 years ago) having a play with it lol, when loadsa my loco's were stabled over her gaff! She was only a diesel loco driver at OC from 1990 oooof!! Also, she was impressed at the squashing capabilities of loco's when i showed her my metal rod i kept after 47033 ran it over in about 1986 while i was bunking school at a level crossing in Kent hehe! Great vid, i love pretending i'm at Cardiff spotting as its a damn good escape from reality. . .

[@NapierNimbus]

Great shots Darren

[@SMILEVIDEOTRAINS]

Great stuff Daren..Thanks for the memory

[@MrDeltic15]

Thanks. A case of you don't know what you've got until it's gone for sure - we took these for granted at the time of course. Maybe another 30 odd years down the line Class 66's will be in short supply like Class 47's today?

[@curlewatblacktoft]

This is great stuff.

[@MrDeltic15]

That's true, as did the numerous mail and parcel trolleys that used to be everywhere.

[@MrDeltic15]

@newportboy72 Wow, that's quite a coincidence - you'll have to show him the clip. Glad you enjoyed the movie and thanks for taking time to comment.

[@MrDeltic15]

27 years - where did that all go! These were the days of proper locos and very little overcrowding on trains, both of those in very short supply in 2013 sadly.

[@HSTHoward]

Brilliant!

[@Dean57010]

Very nice

[@simonpilk]

Plus of course the Canton breakdown vans at one point!

[@deltic81]

The good old days , good video mate