History of Hull : Railways, Episode 1 - Victoria Dock Branch Line

[@MrMarr123456]

another great video thanks of producing that

[@shep9231]

If Brian ever reads this... y'know, the man who owed Brian's pallet yard near the old Victoria station. I just wanna say thanks to him, for preserving what he's saved from hulls old rail yards/

[@richbrown8174]

Would be good for these videos to be shown in local schools as part of their history lessons

[@hullhistorynerd]

Funnily enough I have started to get invited to schools to give talks about local history - it seems that a lot of schools are including a local history component in their syllabus these days, which I think is a great idea!

[@johndanville6643]

Oh my god! I just love this absolutely fantastic.

[@planetmaxretroreview]

Can't believe I've only just discovered your channel I'm mad about Hull and love discovering everything I can about it. Your videos are fantastic thank you so much for doing these you have shown me parts of my home town I have never seen or really noticed before. Hull is forever changing and many of the places I once enjoyed are no longer here even things like the old bus station, Northern Dairy, Northern Foods and the old ABC/Cannon cinema, Duncan's, Skelton's, Yankee Burger, Bun in the oven, the smell of the pubs and bakery's where all things I used to enjoy ,make use of or pass on a regular basis but miss dearly now they are no longer here. I've never taken Hull for granted but I'm shocked at how much there is to learn and how much I've not seen before. Thanks again and please keep them coming 👍.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Learning about the history of Hull really is a huge rabbit hole, that's for sure! More coming over the following weeks and months, including the history of East Park, and a huge episode on St Andrews dock and the fishing industry!

[@SimonPJohnson]

Just rewatched and this is a great first video. I’ve enjoyed finding surviving sections of railways and industrial archaeology for over 50 years. Keep up the excellent work, Jamie.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou! I rewatched it myself a few weeks ago, after doing the Spurn video, and whilst there are some edits and moments and voice overs that are a bit clunky and student filmish, it's actually not that bad, and I'm still happy it's up there! Without the Victoria Dock Branch line, I'd never have become so obsessed with Hull's old railways and industrial history!

[@richleeson2160]

I remember the Stepney and Willmington Bridge, on the opposite side was Earls Cement, I was brought up round that area, and remember there was the Soucthcoates sttion on Holderness Road, even satnding on the footbridge and getting steamed by the steam trains....memories, and thanks for showing this....

[@hullhistorynerd]

My grandma lived in the shadow of the Earl's cement factory as a little girl, down Withernsea Street!

[@asc.445]

Your excellent videos are taking me back. I've been living in exile from Hull for nearly 20 years. The memory's have flooded back from working at the oils mills of Bank Side and across the river at Morley Street to when I lived on Victoria Dock at the beginning of the 90's. Keep em coming!

[@hullhistorynerd]

Will do! I've been having to take a break from making the videos due to covid and, more recently, moving house, but that disruption is over and I'm currently writing and filming new episodes, so stay tuned!

[@bragget]

I'm old enough to remember when the botanic gardens crossing was still in operation. Over 50 years later, I'm still just as fascinated by the line, and recently cycled all the accessible parts from botanic crossing to Hornsea and Withernsea. It's brilliant that you can do that, with just a few gaps, and makes for a couple of great days out. Hornsea museum is terrific with a wonderful model of Hornsea Town station layout.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Sadly I was born after the line was closed, so my only memory of it consists of seeing trains parked up behind a chain link fence on Spring Bank, and a billboard across the road covering up the remains of the station. I love seeing all the photos of these old stations in operation, though!

[@walkingwithtamson]

Illuminating, great to get a look inside the station.

[@hullhistorynerd]

It was so exciting, ever since I learned what that building was, the state of the subway entrance has fascinated me; to get the opportunity to see it was just fantastic!

[@walkingwithtamson]

@@hullhistorynerd I could hear! Get that way myself when I get a wee peek at such things.

[@saltspringrailway3683]

I used to catch the train to Hornsea from Stepney. Observed my first semaphore signal in action there. Watched teenagers on the footbridge screaming whilst engulfed in steam and smoke. I found the cement works interesting just beyond the river Hull bridge, south of the line. When out cycling in '67 we crossed the railway next to the bridge. The signalman waited for us to cross then shut the gates. We stopped and waited. A filthy steam engine pulled tatty metal wagons east past us and over the bridge. On the way to Hull Fair I would climb the footbridge at Botanic Gardens and peer into the signal box fascinated by the technology within. Found the October '64 tickets sold booklet at Botanic and saw the station building demolished in '76. Had a look round Victoria dock in the 70's and remember the gas lamps with the dock name engraved on the arms. Thank you for the video, always had a soft spot for the Victoria dock branch line. I now live in Canada and run a British model railway show for tourists. To view it click on my symbol. Kind regards, Philip

[@hullhistorynerd]

I've always had a soft spot for it too, it's one of the reasons I did that one first, but as I planned out the series it seemed the logical place to start anyway! Sadly I'm too young to have seen any of the line working, I would have loved to have seen it with trains running regularly. To me it's a ghost of a time just beyond my memory, and that itself is fascinating!

[@Charlie-wood]

A hundred thankyous for this wonderful film. I was brought up off sculcoates lane in the 50’s used Stepney station many times.

[@johndanville6643]

Got the day off today so I'm working my way through the videos I have not watched. Fantastic, the perfect day 👌

[@hullhistorynerd]

Enjoy! The first couple are little way off, technically, as they were the first videos I made, but they do get better fairly quickly once I settled into a routine!

[@johndanville6643]

@hullhistorynerd I think they where spot on .

[@scamz1204]

Great vid bro. I'm a rapper from Hull and I've lived on Vicky Dock all my life and had no idea how important the branch line was. Glad to have found ur channel my g!

[@hullhistorynerd]

Cheers, and glad you are enjoying it! It's exactly that sense of realisation that gets me about the whole thing, as it dawns on you that the stuff you walk past every day turns out to be so significant to the past!

[@mbhambleton]

I’ve just discovered this series, absolutely fascinating. Thank you for putting these videos together.

[@hullhistorynerd]

No worries, glad you're enjoying them! Stay tuned for the next series on the Docks which should be appearing from January :-)

[@neilmartin1531]

Very professional production, good enough to be broadcast on regional TV at least. Thank you.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou!

[@ianphilpott3121]

Brilliant video and I love watching historical stuff like this, well done and thanks.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Glad you enjoy them :)

[@davidharris8987]

Fantastic video. Love the history of Hull and the East Riding, specially around the docks and railways. Glad to have found your videos, and look forward to more. I found this well presented and great content.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou, I try to keep to a fortnightly schedule so keep your eyes peeled for the next video on the 8th September!

[@ThermoMan]

Great to see inside the subway at Wilmington

[@NJPurling]

The Wilington Swing Bridge retained it's original machinery into quite recent times, the motors by Siemens & the machinery by Cowans Sheldon C1907 who also made heavy steam cranes. The current came from Osborne Street. The motors were for Direct Current, which was what the trams used. This meant there had to be a massive rectifier just inside the control cabin. There were two motors 'just in case' and also a hand-crank gear-train by which the signalmen could open the bridge with their own muscles & sweat if there was a power-cut.

[@5N1D3]

Just discovered the channel and it's great! I moved south from the King's Town to King's Lynn, Norfolk and wanted to show my partner where I'm from. Great channel and so well made! Gonna sit and watch em all!

[@hullhistorynerd]

That's awesome, glad you're enjoying it!

[@daystatesniper01]

Superb video esp' the peek under the infilled platforms ,and well done to the owners for allowing you to film this amazing pieces of history, the HnB is my fav' line

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou, hopefully you'll enjoy episode six, where I follow tbe H&B up to the Ouse!

[@daystatesniper01]

@@hullhistorynerd If it involves the HnB i will enjoy it lol

[@davidmiller6728]

loved it. clear and illustrated

[@djtyser-czvt]

Enjoyed this. Looking forward to this series developing.

[@HullEastYorkshire]

Very interesting, that Wilmington station was great, would love to see it uncovered, look forward to more, thanks 👍

[@hullhistorynerd]

It was so exciting to take a peek in the subway, that was some genuine history nerding right there!

[@markm49]

Absolutely fantastic.

[@UKHeritageRailways]

Found your channel on RailUK Forums. Excellent production. I look forward to watching the other episodes. Keep up the good work.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou, glad you're enjoying them! There will be some new disused railway episodes coming up in spring so stay tuned - episodes are planned for the York and Beverley line, the Malton and Driffield branch, and the Scarborough and Whitby line!

[@misskittysmith]

Nicely done sir! Loved it.

[@hullhistorynerd]

You're welcome, I hope you enjoy the next one too!

[@housebasher]

Brilliant, 100% gona retrace the old railways that i've drove past regular and never knew was there. Thanks so much :-)

[@hullhistorynerd]

No worries, glad to have fired up your interest! Enjoy exploring!

[@chocholateShunter]

Absolutly loved it :)

[@logotrikes]

I love your little "However" surprises. Regarding the 5 track bridge in Stoneferry, I remember as a child, would be mid '50's, my gran used to take me to see a relative on Leads Road, and we'd pass under that bridge. I distinctly remember the white glazed tiles on the bridge walls. In my 20's I worked as a fitter at the cocoa mill nearby and that bridge had well gone by then, just the stumps of the walls remaining....

[@hullhistorynerd]

Yes, that would be about right, the last of the line was pulled up in the 70s, near Dansom Lane. I think they used that stretch as a head shunt for the cement factory for a while after the Beeching closures.

[@Eurobrasil550]

Absolutely brilliant,I lived in the 1970s just across the Humber in what is today North Lincs, live 6000 miles away now but still visit every couple of years, I will check out some of the sites you have shown(where public access is posssible of course) Many thanks,look forward to future videos.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Glad you're enjoying them, I've done all of Hull's railways now in this series but later today I should be uploading the first episode of the History of Hull: Docks, covering the rise of Hull as a port!

[@grahamforrester9024]

Absolutely brilliant! Really interesting and you do a great job of making it interesting too,many thanks ..

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou!

[@heaveauhu1335]

Thanks for the upload mate I have just watched the history of our docks now I’m going to watch these 👍

[@hullhistorynerd]

Really glad you're enjoying them, and I hope you enjoy these too! There are many more Docks videos to come when I start getting out and filming again, so watch this space!

[@corkofski9442]

That was excellent. Really looking forward to the next videos!

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou! I'm well on track for uploading the next episode next Sunday, so watch this space!

[@paulthegardener82]

Just discovered your channel. Great videos, very well made. Now need to work through all your videos

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou, and I hope you enjoy the others!

[@steveclem]

Another great video on a great channel. I've learned so much these last fews days. Cheers.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Awesome stuff, thank you! Glad you've enjoyed them, and I'll be out doing some more when the whole virus situation is a bit more under control!

[@algayathi]

Fascinating!! Would love to see some of the sites identified in this very well researched documentary. Looking forward to future episodes.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thanks! Next episode is being worked on already :)

[@Nickgowans]

Brilliant video, keep up the good work I look forward to seeing many more :)

[@hullhistorynerd]

You're in luck, I've got a LOT planned out for these videos! Lots more railways, the docks, the trams and trolleybuses, urban growth, waterways. I'm hoping to build a really comprehensive video history of the city and surrounding area!

[@Nickgowans]

@@hullhistorynerd archiving for future generations. I like it :)

[@Maliique]

Man, I live in a completely different country, and I have nothing to do with Hull at all. Enjoyed the watch immensely. Pace of video, enthuthiasm and general knowlegde was superb.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou! Really glad that it has interest beyond Hull itself 😊

[@MartinZero]

Great Video

[@hullhistorynerd]

Coming from you that means a lot! Thankyou!

[@kabsoft]

Good viewing. Let's see what Episode 2 brings.

[@hullhistorynerd]

The next one should be a lot more greenery - Hull to Withernsea!

[@flippop101]

Superb video, very enjoyable!

[@hullhistorynerd]

Really glad you enjoyed it, it was the first video I made and I'm quite glad that it still stands up pretty well against my newer videos!

[@flippop101]

@@hullhistorynerd I haven’t seen your other videos yet, but look forward to watching them! 👍🏻

[@pauljohnson4525]

Fantastic

[@runlarryrun77]

Top effort!

[@MtherSuperior]

Hi Great video. As a Springhead resident, I’m looking forward for the Hull to Barnsley Railway episode.

[@hullhistorynerd]

I'm filming it throughout the next week or two, it's a big one so it might not be finished for a couple of weeks yet! Watch this space :-)

[@martingreen5192]

I remember catching the train to Hornsea (we always went to Hornsea as my parents thought it a cut above Withernsea - sorry residents of Withernsea) from Botanic Gardens, must have been in the 50's. In retrospect Beaching was a real vandal but it's always difficult to fully understand the thinking of people in the past.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Sadly not too difficult - the man who commissioned Beeching to do the report was Ernest Marples, minister of transport at the time, and who coincidentally was the managing director of the family road building firm and was awarding himself road building government contracts. It was certainly in his interests to cripple railways and promote cars! Not much changes, sadly, when it comes to governments!

[@dewexdewex]

@@hullhistorynerd You've said it.

[@wattyschannel]

quality video, really enjoyed it as i do the others about hulls history.. thanks

[@drzapedzki298]

Great video! A shame links to it keep getting removed by some busybody on the Old Hull Facebook group. You'd think this would be right up their alley!

[@hullhistorynerd]

I think I got banned for posting the link there, I don't know why, the admins won't reply to any messages! I might have fallen foul of a 'no self promotion' rule they have in place so don't hold it against them, I've been seeking admin permission everywhere else I'm posting just in case.

[@saltspringrailway3683]

Love your vids as an ex Hullite, but I have a query. The map at 10:10 suggests the line from Paragon station to Botanical Gardens was a later spur put in when the seaside lines where incorporated.

[@hullhistorynerd]

The original Victoria Dock branch line ran as, primarily, a freight line from Victoria Dock to the goods stations at the old Manor House Street station next to Humber Dock. The extra spur from Paragon was indeed put in later when passenger services started to run out to the seaside destinations.

[@Trek001]

8:37 - you sure about that date? Edit: Regarding the "new" Wilmington station, I went to an alternative schooling / training establishment round the side on Foster Street and, being railway mad, asked to go round the back and have a look. I was allowed and spent many an hour digging in the dirt (much to the annoyance of my tutors) and indeed the stairs are still in situ - BR seemingly just dumped spoil down the stairwell. and then covered it up. If you look at the most recent Google Maps view for it, you can just make out the track bed still In the end, my tutors decided it was much easier to get work out of me by assigning a "guide" to go with me on our free days (normally a Thursday) and let me wonder around the area following the old lines in the area... Good days

[@hullhistorynerd]

Gah, I never even noticed, my script says 1881, for some reason I said 1891. Good catch.

[@Trek001]

@@hullhistorynerd I did play it back several times just in case I misheard, but yeah... Not that big of a deal but worthy of a mention. Sat in my armchair at home with a few beers at my side working my way through the series and i have to say i am jolly well impressed. Although, it has to be said, I am enjoying the "filler" shots of the Pacers!

[@hullhistorynerd]

Aye, they're already no longer with us!

[@Trek001]

@@hullhistorynerd Sadly not - number of great times on them including one overhauling a HST! Still, plenty of them being saved

[@hullhistorynerd]

Opinion is very much divided on them - my partner used to have to get them occasionally on her commute, and an hour on a Pacer at rush hour isn't a lot of fun! But that said, I am glad some are being preserved and I think they're actually brilliant for preservation lines, as they're very cheap to run and maintain.

[@WILD35]

wow i love hull railway history

[@hullhistorynerd]

Me too, though that might be obvious! :)

[@maproductions9945]

Fantastic video. Subscribed 😁

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou, glad you enjoyed and thanks for subscribing!

[@maproductions9945]

@@hullhistorynerd No problem!

[@Jeagles]

Great! Came from your post on Reddit

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou! I'm going to try to keep to a fortnightly schedule, so the next one should be Sunday 25th.

[@alanrobertson9790]

Whilst there are many disused railway videos few are as well done as yours. Narration. history and use of maps all excellent. Maybe you'll get around to the Hull and Barnsley.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Hi Alan, Hull and Barnsley is the last one in the series (I really need to set the scene with the Hull and Selby and their takeover by the NER) and will be a two parter, looking at late October and early November for those videos.

[@maxwelllxx2560]

I’m your 100th subscriber 😁

[@martingreen5192]

Near where the bridge over the River Hull is was Earles Cement works (www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw010839 - in the picture you see the bridge and the cement works). I was surprised to find in closed as recently as 1969 (www.cementkilns.co.uk/cement_kiln_wilmington.html) if you look at this last link you can see rail links into the plant. I had at least two of my ancestors working at this plant and believe they came to Hull from Kent for that employment. Sorry if I am being nerdy.

[@hullhistorynerd]

That's right, it had its own sidings leading to it. My Grandma grew up living down Withernsea Street and she always said that every day there was a thick layer of cement dust all over everything in the street from the chimney. Not the healthiest environment, I think!

[@TheCatOfWarCSGO]

Damn, this is professional quality on the first episode, seriously well done. Can't wait to see what else you go on to make, but if you keep making stuff like this the channel will surely grow in no time!

[@hullhistorynerd]

That's very kind of you to say, cheers! So far there are another 5 episodes about Hull's railways, and the next series will be about the docks!

[@TheCatOfWarCSGO]

@@hullhistorynerd Awesome! As a scarborough person it would also be interesting if you got around to some episodes about the wider area of the yorkshire coast and the many lost railways around- although obviously the channel is about Hull so can respect if you'd rather stay closer to home. I'll stay tuned!

[@hullhistorynerd]

@@TheCatOfWarCSGO Scarborough will certainly get a mention in the Bridlington branch episode! As for the future, I have definitely considered roving further afield, and the Scarborough to Whitby line is certainly *very* tempting, so who knows?

[@TheCatOfWarCSGO]

@@hullhistorynerd Great to hear! Yeah that was the one that sprung to mind for me too. But anyway, do what you enjoy and I'm sure it'll be interesting nonetheless :)

[@TheDaf95xf]

Very interesting 👍🏻 What a shame it's all gone filling up our roads now 🙄

[@hullhistorynerd]

There's certainly an argument to move more stuff onto the railways, though I'm not sure that Holderness Road or Bev Road or Spring Bank would appreciate another level crossing these days!

[@AC-id5ow]

Great video. So sad that Hull is now an empty shell of its former glory.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Perhaps if we can remember that glory better, things might not seem quite so bleak.

[@sahhull]

I wonder what would have happened if the Beeching report never happened? Would the old railways be used in 2023?

[@hullhistorynerd]

Undoubtedly, and some of those lines would likely be busier than the were in the 50s and 60s with the rise of commuting. The route through Market Weighton from Beverley to York, for instance, wasn't even an unprofitable route back then; Beeching just decided that people from Hull could live with their journeys to York taking almost twice as long thanks to changing in Selby or Doncaster! Perhaps the seaside lines would have only been seasonal, but for locals, the services to Hornsea and Withernsea would have been preferable to the buses; far quicker and more reliable. Would they ever have been profitable? Perhaps not, but the big problem with viewing the railway network as a business is that it ignores the fact that it has become a vital service. Cutting that service devastated many communities across the country in the 60s.

[@chriszanf]

When I watch history docus like this, I like to follow along using Google maps and streetview to see what its like nowadays and found this great image someone uploaded of an aerial view of the area: goo.gl/maps/P9gLTyVTUkmffSPH6 Theres also this page about the Wilmington Bridge with images of the original bridge with the second one under construction in the background! www.forgottenrelics.co.uk/bridges/wilmington.html

[@hullhistorynerd]

Yes, if you look in the description I did link to that second site you mentioned, it was an awesome source of information!

[@maxwelllxx2560]

Wait, do you use cute cut pro?

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou! And no, I edit on Davinci Resolve 16.

[@maxwelllxx2560]

Hull History Nerd Ahh 😌 the only free editor with no watermark

[@hullhistorynerd]

@@maxwelllxx2560 I think there are a few free ones with no watermark, my son uses Hitfilm Express. That's not why I use it though, I used to use Premiere for all my video work but I discovered Resolve recently and find it far superior. The convenience of having pro grading tools in the same package as excellent audio tools and editing, and that it renders almost twice as fast as Premiere (without crashing) make it my go-to these days.

[@btfstudioscottingham2965]

Great watch, great video quality and editing, looking forward to your next episode. Check out my channel! I fly a drone and do some editing as a hobby.

[@hullhistorynerd]

Thankyou! I will take a look, drones look huge fun, I keep thinking how useful they are for what I do!

[@SkyLarkin]

I'm back ☺️ 😊 😄 did a coffee and drifted into something but remembered and watch the rest looking forward to the next one's 😀 uLl born and bread first 30 years west now 30 east °¿° if you do read this forgot name sorry not techy savvy or educated to well doss nt look back or I end up watching now 😉 sh°¿°t to do

[@SkyLarkin]

Half way through I thought I better pause make coffee I could watch the next chapter? Also im wantedp sorry meant I wanted to comment (im northeast 👂 i nearly slipped up wanted °¿° with a decent sense of youmor..can't spell I had to think it starts with a"H")before it's finished as I forgot 😅 so much♡i remember to say ..w and Stuggl with my grammar 🙃 🤪 H that's how to spell my home town I 2 thought it was a U..ill.try to say 👍 at the end