BR in the 1980s - The Alan Harrison Collection Part 35 London Euston (British Rail Trains)

[@philipholt9112]

Hi my name is Phil Holt.I did 50yrs on the footplate on steam.Started at edgeley shed.In 1961.i.I finished my time out at longsight as a driver.And I drove a number of these locomotive.From Manchester to London Regards.Phil.

[@EM-yk1dw]

Enjoy your well earned retirement Phil!

[@Wemblesden]

I seem to recall the driver on the 1985 railscene Euston to Liverpool video was called Phil your not the same chap are you?

[@kartwheelkarl]

What a fabulous and enjoyable career you must have had Phil. I envy you very much.

[@rodneycooperLMSCoach]

Oh the memories!! Wish we had this Railway back.

[@kartwheelkarl]

You and me both Rodney. Glad you enjoyed the video and that we were able to bring back such happy memories.

[@111672balernabz2010]

Proper cans, 83,85,86,87,very well filmed video some history here..

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks Balernabz. I agree, Alan did a great job didn’t he?

[@soundseeker63]

Superb footage, especially for a lover of AC leccies like myself! Including the very rare shots of a class 83 in action, and the now preserved 86259 in its younger days. Strange to think that barely 2 years after this was filmed virtually all shunting operations at Euston were over with the introduction of DVTs and of course the class 90s. Apart from the sleeper services its rare to see loco haulage at Euston today :-(

[@EM-yk1dw]

Yes it’s all rancid Pendolinos now

[@kartwheelkarl]

Indeed Soundseeker. It was always exciting to find out what would drop onto your train, or try and work it out from a heavily used copy of Loco Hauled Travel. And as you say, DVTs and top and tailing were unheard of. Trips on tours such as merrymakers could turn up almost anything! Really pleased you’re enjoying the collection.

[@madtrainspottermacrae6744]

These were the days indeed

[@ModelRailway]

Wonderful video once again, many thanks for uploading. Also includes 86429 The Times at 13:18 that was involved in the unfortunate collision at Colwich Junction only a few months after.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks DP. Really pleased that you’re enjoying the collection, and thank you for the kind comments. I’d totally forgotten that 429 was the loco that was involved in the Colwich accident.

[@chriswyke1584]

Brilliant video brought back some nice memories from my childhood days of spotting

[@kartwheelkarl]

Likewise Chris. Really glad to have brought back those memories for you and I hope you enjoy all 50 episodes of the collection.

[@bennickss]

22 years before I was born and this puts a strange nostalgia in me. The humming of the 86/87s brings back memories that I don’t have.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Brilliantly and amusingly put Bennickss! For those of us lucky enough to have witnessed them, these were indeed great times to be a rail enthusiast. And if you like the sound of an 87, you would have loved the guttural roar of a class 85.

[@bennickss]

I have heard the 86 roar in the form of 86259, though sadly it seems the 81-85s that are preserved won’t run again

[@wombatofludham]

Thanks for sharing your friend's archive tapes. An invaluable record of recent history that I am enjoying very much

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks Mark. Really pleased that you’re enjoying the collection.

[@derekmeller5873]

Fantastic just watching good old school trains coming and going.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Absolutely Derek. I’ve actually played every part of the entire collection over and over and never tire of them.

[@dotherightthingbro]

Fantastic video. My dad took me here when I was a young boy a few times in the late 70s early 80s. Because of this I managed to tick every leccy train off in the book. Though I saw most of these at my local station, Nuneaton. Look at the rake on the front of the very rare class 83 oh the memories. Thanks

[@kartwheelkarl]

Happy days indeed DtRTB. Really glad you enjoyed the vid and thank you for the great comment.

[@siddywiddyb]

Thank you so much for making these...i can relive the Glorious past...That 08 was going some! Never see that these days

[@kartwheelkarl]

You’re very welcome Siddywiddy. Glad you’re enjoying the collection.

[@PaulWright]

Thank you to you for going to the trouble of sharing these wonderful memory evoking videos of times gone by. And a big thank you to Alan too for recording what was considered to be boring and mundane by many at the time. How little we knew of what was comming. Excellent quality from 33 years ago of both sound and vision. I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of his collection so far evoking so many memories of the twilight and heyday of so many loco's and liveries.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thank you for your kind comments Paul. I’m really pleased that you’ve enjoyed the collection so much. Interestingly, Alan thought very few people would be interested in his work. He’s so happy to see how well they’ve been received.

[@adamw2911]

Brilliant footage. Exactly how I remember this period as a child. This was just before they decided to 'standardise' WCML rakes and probably 3-4 years before DVT push-pull working was normalised. You could still find all sorts of coaching stock on front line use. MK1 buffet cars joined up to Mk3 saloons. Mk2d corridor firsts joined up to even earlier mk2 saloons. Train lengths varied from around load 9-14 on daytime intercity services.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Absolutely Adam. Brilliant wasn't it? So glad you're enjoying the collection.

[@andyparnell8413]

Fantastic 1984 to 1995 was my main spotting years as a 17 yr old spending many a summer Saturday sat on the end of a platform somewhere in the uk surprised I’ve not seen my self on any footage around Manchester and Crewe those days of mixed rake ml3 mk2 and mk1 parcel van combinations for me were the best

[@kartwheelkarl]

You and me both Andy. I was 15 years old in 1984 and spent much of my time doing exactly the same as you. I wonder if we ever met?

[@andyparnell8413]

Was you based in the north west I was from Bolton so man vic man picc Crewe Preston Warrington lime st York and if I was feeling flush with money up to Scotland or down to London

[@kartwheelkarl]

@@andyparnell8413 I was Stockport based but spent my weekends doing much the same as you Andy. I was into bashing so it wasn’t unusually to do ten returns in a day between Stockport and Piccadilly, or three or four Pic to New Mills (for the 31s) or TPs from Vic to Stalybridge. As you say, when funds allowed we would head off up to Scotland or down to Paddington or Waterloo in search of 50 haulage. I’d imagine there a very good chance we swapped gen at some point.

[@West_Coast_Mainline]

Amazing footage

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks RUTF. Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the great comment.

[@Georgeasaurus2001]

Well you dont see a lot of footage of 81/85's let alone the 83 so excellent stuff again, well done

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks George. When I saw the 83 (albeit stabled) I too was most surprised.

[@speccylimone3684]

Haha, exactly 20 years before I was born! Great footage lots of beautiful old classic AC Locos in action. As much as I do appreciate the modern stock we have today I love this auld stuff (My favourite train is the Class 303) and I'm glad to see it well documented. Great video! Edit: The multiple units are also lovely.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks for the comment L303. Glad you're enjoying the collection. I'm guessing you're referring to the 310 units when you say they're lovely? I'd have to agree. I think the 310 EMUs (and they're sister 312 units on the eastern) were among the best looking of all the first gen EMUs. And they were exceptionally comfortable to ride on, with Mk2 coach body shells, B4 bogies and ample upholstery.

[@spartan1171926]

Fantastic video. Thank you for uploading. Brings back some childhood memories.

[@kartwheelkarl]

You’re welcome Andrew. Really pleased to be able to bring back such great memories.

[@jezbo7827]

Amazing footage back when there were real trains at Euston. More Euston footage please! Loving all your uploads by the way, keep them coming!

[@kartwheelkarl]

I couldn’t agree more Jexbo. Unfortunately, this was the only footage of Euston in Alan’s collection. There was also further images of ac electrics filmed at Stafford, Crewe, Heston Chapel, and wcml north of Crewe though. Have you seen those episodes?

[@craigdoran6811]

An 83 with original sound, very rare indeed

[@chrisbrown3078]

Fantastic video thanks for uploading this. Takes me back standing at euston always a good place to stand at the end of the platform. Thanks 😊

[@kartwheelkarl]

You’re very welcome Chris. Really glad you enjoyed the video. Alan’s collection really does bring back great memories doesn’t it?

[@chrisbrown3078]

@@kartwheelkarl yes very Good memories. It nice to look back and remember. Euston was a favourite of mine back in the early days. Hope to see more video. Just out of curiosity have you got any of stratford east . Back in the day

[@kartwheelkarl]

@@chrisbrown3078 I’m afraid Alan didn’t visit the eastern region very much at all during his time back in England. Just a few jaunts out to the north east. Have you watched the rest of the collection, and the bonus episodes?

[@AndreiTupolev]

Good to see that Alan's trusty bike accompanied him to the end of the platform!

[@kartwheelkarl]

I think it went everywhere with him Andrei.

[@stuartshaw8604]

Fantastic memories,never to be seen again. Euston & the whole railway is boring now. We didn’t realise then what we were witnessing.

[@kartwheelkarl]

We didn’t did we Stuart? To think there was a time where I thought that a procession of Class 86 and 87 hauled expresses was mundane. What I’d give to relive those days now! Thanks for the great comment and really glad you’re enjoying the collection.

[@warwickroad4111]

Just great! Even a Class 83..... OMG 👍

[@kevinfowkes2327]

The 83 was looking in strangely good condition here. Much of its job was dragging coaches through the carriage washer so a few years later it was so bleached it looked virtually white.

[@warwickroad4111]

Kevin Fowkes Yes, thinking the same! A bit of 'ex works' look about her but surely not. Maybe just a repaint job?

[@ronh5a471]

@@kevinfowkes2327 The same goes for the 82s (or the single one they'd kept at Euston for ECS), the awful effects of the washer on the 83 can be seen on the other one standing in the beginning, at 27 seconds

[@fatwalletboy2]

For me this is the final curtain call for the glory days of Euston. Never the same once dvt and pendo's came along and the traffic is so different and the shunting non existent almost. First time I have seen reversing moves into the platforms here unless the footage omits a loco hauling the train and country end loco in to the buffer stops. Rare to see the 08 hauling a single coach too..... Peak Euston this was.......

[@kevinfowkes2327]

Also trains of mk1 stock were pretty unusual by this time. I wonder if the 85 + mk1 stock train was one of the Northampton loco hauled diagrams.

[@siddywiddyb]

Well said sir..same for me too

[@JamesTaylor-lt9jq]

The reverse move into the station is interesting... I was young at the time, but I recall the carriage sidings on the north side just out of Euston used to have locos (like 86's) on the buffer end... So possible a reversing with a loco on the front only... OR... maybe with the 81 / 82 / 83 carriage loco on the front (station end) of the consist.

[@kartwheelkarl]

His is a very interesting debate, and I’m afraid I can’t add anything more other than I thought the Northampton peak hour loco hauled trains (were they known as “Master Cobblers” ?) were fixed 12 coach rakes so it’s unlikely they’d be adding extra coaches. As you say, very unusual to be propelling into the platform.

[@ClydebridgeStation]

@@kartwheelkarl Could I suggest that such a move may have been to combine stock for an ECS move to Wembley carriage depot?

[@holidaymoviecompany]

Excellent video!

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks HMC. Really glad you’re enjoying the collection.

[@ThePanzer6]

Love the orange vests of the era

[@SpoonyMcSpoonface]

I would often travel up to London and spent many an hour spotting during this same period on that same platform. I alway remember the sound of the pneumatic points heralding the arrival of a train.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thank you for your great comment SMcS. Glad you enjoyed the video. I think we forget all of those little subliminal cues which, at the time, caused increased anticipation but that we used to take so much for granted. A big one for me was when the wires started to vibrate suggesting that the home semaphore at Talacre in North Wales was about to be pulled off, indicating the approach of yet another class 40 in full cry!

[@thestaffordshiretrainspott5799]

Fantastic video. Really captures the characteristics of the West Coast AC locomotives.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks ST. really glad you're enjoying the collection.

[@richardwoodward3949]

Great video, I miss the sound of the roarers. Shame the is so little footage of the class 310s. I loved riding on those from Bletchley to Euston

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thanks for the great comments Richard, and really glad you’re enjoying the collection. I agree totally with you about the 310 EMUs - in my humble opinion they were the best of all the first gen units. They owned the Euston to Brum stopping services for so long, providing intercity quality comfort with their mk2 body shells and B4 bogies. Whilst it is sad that their aren’t more shots of them is this clip, I was excited to find those images that I did. They brought back great memories.

[@richardwoodward3949]

@@kartwheelkarl Yes, they were fantastic trains. I loved the big, comfy bench seats and sometimes the thrill of seeing out of the front if the driver had the blinds up. The 320’s that replaced them weren’t anything like as nice, and I never liked those. Maybe all the years commuting to London in them in the summer heat.

[@kartwheelkarl]

@@richardwoodward3949 And the 310s were such fabulous looking units weren’t they Richard? Those lovely, curved fronts were excellent and looked incredibly futuristic when they were introduced.

[@arthurmatthews9321]

O my god love that class 83 looking a bit scruffy. I remember that BR kept a couple of them as coach stock shunters .

[@kartwheelkarl]

That’s the duty that this one is on Arthur, and I was delighted to find such rare footage of one in action amongst Alan’s material. I never saw one working myself, which is a shame. I do remember one being at the stops at Euston one evening when I was heading down the ramp to board a train home to the north west, but that was the nearest I ever got to one. Thanks for the great comment and hope you enjoyed the video.

[@kartwheelkarl]

That’s the duty that this one is on here Arthur - I was delighted to find such rare footage of an 83 in action amongst Alan’s material. I never saw one working myself, which is a shame. I do remember one being at the buffers at Euston one evening when I was heading down the ramp to board the train back home, but that was the nearest I ever got. Thank you for the great comment and hope the video brought back great memories for you.

[@fatwalletboy2]

Some skilled reversing going on here 👍

[@kartwheelkarl]

Indeed. And quite unusual for Euston I believe.

[@BenDover-ln6ns]

@@kartwheelkarl yes i never knew they propelled in, i assume they were short of power and releasing locos quickly.

[@philipholt9112]

Hi its me.It could have been me I have worked a number of specials in my time Regards.Phil.

[@ClydebridgeStation]

This is why my layout is a terminal layout, albeit set in 1990. The various ECS moves, and the shunting moves. Terminal layouts interest me, with the loco changes.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Absolutely CS. The days before fixed formations, DVTs and multiple units were indeed a great time for watching trains. Glad you’re enjoying the collection and thanks for the comments.

[@williamradford9631]

The good old intercity train with a separate Buffet coach, 4 2nd, 4 1st, guard coach. Trains to Shrewsbury, changed locomotives at Wolver Hampton, Class 47 diesel.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Absolutely William. And Shrewsbury actually had a quite regular service back then from Euston, not to mention the wonderful class 37 hauled Saturday service that carried on to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli.

[@ClydebridgeStation]

At 4:15 we see 83009. This was a loco that enjoyed, at this time, a THIRD life! After withdrawal from main line duties, it was sent to Longsight depot, where it was placed onto a piece of track disconnected from the other lines, and had it's pantograph removed. Then it was wired up to the 25KV supply, and formed a switch, to provide power to a separate siding, with 1500V DC overhead wires. This was neccessary after the closure of Redditch depot in 1983, meaning there was nowhere to test the units on the Hadfield - Manchester line, the 506s. Upon conversion of that line to 25KV AC in 1984, the 506s were withdrawn, and 83009 was then, surprisingly, reinstated, and moved to Willesden, to be an ECS pilot loco between Euston and Wembley. It's pantograph was restored, but it was restricted to 40mph.

[@kartwheelkarl]

I’d totally forgotten about 83009’s time isolated in the depths of Longsight CS. I grew up a stone’s throw from Reddish depot. It was so sad when it closed. It sat derelict for many years, but I think it’s now been turned into a housing estate. The last time I saw it was some time in the early 90s. Thanks as always for the great comments.

[@williamradford9631]

London Euston in 1986, 32-33 years ago, Classic days of the Intercity trains with class 86 electric locomotives, change of the intercity colours.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Absolutely William. Glad you’re enjoying the collection.

[@ChangesOneTim]

Ah - the days before push-pulling with DVTs, when the station position in Euston Power Box was non-stop route setting with the need for loco release and stock moves. Barely any time to drink a cuppa. Routes needed to set quickly and the air-driven points rammed over faster than electric motors or clamp locks ever could. Something about the design of the Class 310 EMUs made them look modern even when they were withdrawn from the LTS in 2003. Reminds me how many rakes of MkI stock was still kicking around at that time; I think used mostly on the fast Northampton 'Cobblers'.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thank you for your fabulous comment Tim. Really glad you enjoyed the video and that we were able to bring back such fabulous memories. I agree with everything you say. The 310s were not just good looking units but they were also fabulous to ride on. I seem to remember they were based on the early mk2 bodyshell, and that they rode on B4 bogies. I remember them being incredibly comfortable, with nicely padded seats; a real contrast to the uncomfortable hard seating provided on recent designs, including the hitachi 800 series if my informers are correct?

[@ChangesOneTim]

@@kartwheelkarl Indeed so - when seat cushioning was just that. A lot of things were 'wrong' with BR but at least it built trains suited to their purpose, in this case outer suburban. The 310s and the 312s of ten years later ended up the only MUs based on the MkII design and were a step change in ride comfort from the earlier rough n bouncy EMUs. They were also Britain's first disc-braked stock From much personal experience of the 800s too, their seats and general interior ambience are dire with ride quality only so-so. InterCity standard they are not!

[@kartwheelkarl]

@@ChangesOneTim Whilst I haven’t experienced the Hitachi 800s myself Tim, your comments align with those I’ve heard from of other people. Doesn’t make me want to rush back to check them out. And now that GWR have phased out the HST castle sets, there’s even less to entice me!

[@ChangesOneTim]

@@kartwheelkarl Castle HST sets are still about. GWR is holding onto a few of them for a bit longer.

[@kartwheelkarl]

@@ChangesOneTim That’s good to hear Tim. From what I’ve been seeing coming out of the UK, it appears quite a few special train operators are planning on using HSTs as well, so hopefully they’ll be around in one form or another for a while yet.

[@grahamtester749]

Every now and then i watch these videos of Euston in the hope of seeing my old dad Driver Mick Tester going about his work but appart from a distant clip of what I'm sure is him on the little dobbing shunting around I've not been lucky still ill keep on watching i worked there as a coupler/trip shunter 85/6/7 till I left the railway and how that place has changed to date 2022 its like a ghost town now .Sheds,huts,canteen,little bar all gone even the smell of the place has changed the bizzy hum and noise of it but a memory still thats progress for.SHAME,

[@kartwheelkarl]

I was so hoping you’d say that you’d spotted your dad while watching this video Graham! Shame you didn’t. Still glad you enjoyed watching though. I haven’t been to Euston myself for a very long time but, last time I was there, it was indeed a shadow of its previous self, with Pendos all over the place and very little of any variety to be seen. Having worked there, you must miss it so much more than the rest of us. Thank you for your great comments.

[@philipholt9112]

Hi thanks for that I am still working and I am 73 but it keeps me going.I am a boss.They were good days on steam and the locomotive in the video again thanks Regards Phil.

[@ClydebridgeStation]

The 83 with the working headcode panel we see early on, is 83012. It later became a minor celebrity, despite being restricted to ECS workings, by gaining Intercity livery. I'm also please to say, not only did it retain its headcode panels to the end, it's now preserved!

[@kartwheelkarl]

Where is it preserved CS? Was that the one that spent some time at the now defunct Coventry Electric Train museum?

[@ClydebridgeStation]

@@kartwheelkarl it belongs to the ac electric locomotive group, who can be found at www.aclocogroup.co.uk/

[@kartwheelkarl]

@@ClydebridgeStation Thank for that CS. Just had a look on their page - they’ve done a nice job of the cosmetic restoration haven’t they? Doesn’t sound like it will ever run again, unlike 81002 ! Fascinated to read that they hope to get that back to operating condition - that’ll be very nice to see.

[@annescholey6546]

I had a brief glimpse in 89 but more often than not staying on the platforms wasn't encouraged. Today you're confined to the main concourse.

[@kevinfowkes2327]

Yes that is exactly correct. Even popping up to the end of the platform for a quick glance at a London terminus often gets you accosted by security personnel. There is no way on God's earth you would be allowed to do this now.

[@owenevans83]

Well I know for a fact that’s wrong as I’ve been platform ending in the last month here and despite the pandemic etc, I’ve not been stopped.

[@kevinfowkes2327]

86429 "The Times" at around 13:30....this loco was wrecked 2-3 months later in the Colwich rail crash of September 1986 EDIT oops seen others have made the same point

[@kartwheelkarl]

I’d actually totally forgotten that it was involved at Colwich Kevin so I’m pleased you’ve all pointed it out.

[@fatwalletboy2]

Much footage around from the blocks end of arrivals departures???

[@kartwheelkarl]

Sadly, Alan didn’t capture any shots around the buffers FWB. Maybe it was a bit too dark that deep into the depths of Euston! I agree though, it is a shame we don’t have any shots there. The stops at Euston were (still are I suppose?) somewhat unique amongst the London termini aren’t they? I often think they’re more akin to an underground car park than an important railway station, and each one has a big ramp alongside it, linking platform level to the concourse. The staff are very reluctant to let anyone onto the platforms before there’s a train there ready for boarding, so I’m pleased Alan was able to get the shots he did.

[@stephensmith799]

Those MK2d coaches were the best ever for passenger experience. Indeed every penny spent on what’s seen here was well spent by British Rail, the second most cost effective railway system in Europe…. Until privatisation came along and created numerous expensive gravy trains…

[@kartwheelkarl]

Absolutely Stephen. I think the whole family of Mk2 coaches were wonderfully designed. Personally, my favourites were the pressure ventilated corridor composites used by Scotrail on services to and from Inverness. The second class compartments were declassified firsts and they offered a level of comfort and privacy that, to my mind, has never been matched by any of the newer designs. Modern coaches tend to be heartless, plastic boxes with as many rock hard seats crammed in as possible.

[@stephensmith799]

@@kartwheelkarl I grew up loving train travel but find the Pretendolinos awfully claustrophobic due to the inward sloping walls, high seat backs and restricted views out of the windows from most seats. The formations are very short so they are often terribly overcrowded eg Reading to Manchester standing room only. Best to scrap the lot of them. It’s a pity because the acceleration and ride is good.

[@kartwheelkarl]

@@stephensmith799 I agree wholeheartedly with your views on Pendolinos and Voyagers Stephen. The Voyagers aren't too bad if you're lucky enough to be in first class, something I was able to experience from Stockport to Bournemouth and return thanks to an incredibly priced special offer when Virgin first introduced the units. In facts, that was a wonderful trip - comfy seats, great window views and tea, coffee and snacks all included! But it's not nearly so much fun when you find yourself in overcrowded standard class.

[@AndreiTupolev]

That Class 310 at the beginning must have been one of the very first painted in NSE livery as that was only launched in June '86 wasn't it.

[@paulanderson79]

That sounds about right. First time I saw NSE livery was at Slough in June 1986. From memory NSE as a region was created in '82? Please correct me as I'm not totally sure of this.

[@kartwheelkarl]

I’d have to look that one up Andrei. I seem to remember the midland region being one of the slowest regions to adopt the livery the livery though.

[@ClydebridgeStation]

@@paulanderson79 the London and south east sector was created on 5th January 1982. Took on the network southeast identity on 10th june 1986.

[@stephenmatura1086]

The railways weren't in bad shape in the 1980s and didn't really need to be privatised - as events later proved.

[@kartwheelkarl]

The railways were certainly more interesting weren’t they Stephen? Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@limeyfox]

At 13:32 locomotive 86429 was one of the locos destroyed in the Colwich rail crash only a few months later.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Thank you for providing this info a few years ago LF. I've used it in my reworking of this video where I've included a commentary. If you haven't seen it yet, you can watch it at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHKsdqJrmMxjprM

[@milehighclassics]

1986

[@class87srule]

What a brilliant soundtrack...Bo-Bo whine and bogie clickety clack. Beats ''BGT' any time. Query. Was the train at 6'58'' a partial two-coach sleeper or just a collection of shunted ECS?

[@kartwheelkarl]

Hiya Ian, That's the 1703 to Holyhead. The two sleepers were conveyed empty at the front of the train. The were only used for passengers on the return working, leaving Holyhead just after 1am. This was a connection with the ferry which, if memory serves me right, left Dun Laoghaire at 9pm.

[@class87srule]

@@kartwheelkarl Thanks for that. If someone had suffucient coaching stock they could spend weejs recreating those trains! :)

[@class87srule]

Not the same watching trains any more, now these babies are gone. Pendos and Voyagers are two a penny and it's a sickener watching so many 66s and 68s running under the wires when Bo-Bos are supposedly 'redundant'.

[@EM-yk1dw]

In the days when the railway was run as a public service not a business, and when weeds/Buddleia were actually treated.

[@thestaffordshiretrainspott5799]

The days where there was no Brexit nonsense and when England had proper trains.

[@EM-yk1dw]

The Staffordshire Trainspotter Well said. Makes me so sad seeing how much better the railway was then.

[@thestaffordshiretrainspott5799]

I was very lucky to see 86101 the other day hauling the Caledonian Sleeper stock from Polmadie to Wembley. Back in the days of British Rail and even in the early days of privatisation they would have passed my village all the time and here's me getting excited over seeing a single 86. I wonder what the trainspotters of the 80s and 90s would have to say about that.

[@kevinfowkes2327]

@@EM-yk1dw Better for trainspotters definitely. But passengers numbers have risen threefold since 1986 and how on earth would ancient 86s and 87s tootling up the WCML with similarly decaying stock have been able to cope with that? Like it or not railways have to change and adapt to survive, like everything else in life. PS you certainly couldn't get from London to Paris and Brussels by train in 2-3 hours in 1986....more like 8 hours

[@kevinfowkes2327]

In today's environmentally aware age I'm not sure repeatedly carpet bombing the tracks with toxic weedkillers is the best idea unless it is impacting operations. Ironically with litter it's totally the opposite. Far far more litter on the tracks in those days as numerous of Alan's videos show us.

[@milehighclassics]

1983

[@milehighclassics]

No graffiti

[@kartwheelkarl]

Football fans were known for their rioting back then Sharpy, but at least spray cans weren’t used as much! Thanks for the comment. Hope you enjoyed the video.

[@AndreiTupolev]

This was before the Mk 3 restaurant/buffet cars then? They all seem to have Mk 1 buffets

[@fatwalletboy2]

Just a coincidence that the video mainly shows mk1 catering cars. The mk3 buffets were around from br blue days.

[@kevinfowkes2327]

@@fatwalletboy2 From the sleepers it seems this was a late evening video so the last trains beyond Preston (bar the sleepers) would have already left. The mk3 buffet cars and also the 87s were most focused on the Glasgow and pullman services at this time (pullmans had all left before 7pm too). This is also probably why there were a lot more 86s than 87s in the video.

[@JTucci100]

Mk 1 buffets were the norm for loco hauled trains in the 80s, same with mk 1 gangwayed brakes. There were a few mk 2 mind buffets. The mk 3 buffets were in HSTs.

[@JTucci100]

Edit: 'mini' not 'mind'.

[@kartwheelkarl]

Regarding this comment from a few years ago Andrei, I've now made a different version of this video with a carefully researched and cross checked commentary. I'm hoping that it answers a lot of the questions raised in this thread. If you haven't seen it already, you can watch it at: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHKsdqJrmMxjprM