BR in the 1980s London Liverpool Street Station in November 1986

[@chris8405]

Wonderful nostalgia, I spent many hours at the same location in the late 70s onwards watching the loco movements - my most precious memory being the sight of 31005 coming out of the siding the 86s used and backing onto a Lowestoft train, which I took to Colchester. Think that was a spring bank holiday in 1979(?). Thank you for posting. Damn the darkness imposed by that Bishopsgate development, so much of interest was lost.

[@spompey]

Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@richardsargent1643]

When this film was made I had just over a year left as a Colchester based driver before I transferred to Cardiff Canton. This film brings back many happy memories for me.

[@spompey]

Best wishes to you Richard....Many thanks for watching and glad it evoked great memories......Mark

[@MrGlenfraser]

I was there at that time as a D/A second man.... I do notice a couple of the guys I worked with in this. Great to see and brought back some memories for me.

[@spompey]

That is part of the reason the videos are posted and I do intend to include in the clips shots of people, so I am particularly pleased when viewers can see old friends and colleagues and maybe themselves from time to time....Many thanks and my sincere regards Glen....Mark

[@MrGlenfraser]

@@spompey Thanks for the reply Mark and thanks for the memories.

[@spompey]

@@MrGlenfraser You're very welcome Glen.....Mark

[@vicsams4431]

Scenes I had almost forgotten. Mechanical banner repeater on the end of the platform. The original signalbox ! The 08 stabled in her usual place. Silver-roofed Stratford 47s - wonderful. 15 mph cut-out speed sign. Mechanical ground shunt signals. The 86s only went as far as Ipswich before the wires were juiced to Norwich in May 1987 and no DBSOs back then. Still with their Mark 1 buffet car. Light engine movements as a result of shunt-release from the buffers. 47 572 heading on to the Down Suburban no doubt to do a Cambridge or Kings Lynn. Ditto 47 585. Poor old Broad Street station already gone. The old standard lampshade with the station name on for the fluorescent lighting. A proper railway back then. Thanks for videoing it.

[@spompey]

You're most welcome Vic...an era gone....many thanks...Mark

[@pascalfarful952]

Lovely to see the 305's bumbling around. Thanks very much!

[@spompey]

You're very welcome...many thanks for watching and for the comment...best wishes....Mark

[@captainboing]

very nice. captured the hum-drum day-to-day perfectly.

[@spompey]

Many thanks and best regards...Mark

[@spompey]

@@MatthewJackson-qb7jt Most likely is because the lines are electrified with 25Kv AC Overhead (Mostly)....and diesel is more costly than electric...many thanks Matthew and best regards...Mark

[@gail7961]

Pure nostalgia. Did a lot of commuting from 1982 to 1992. I think of it as my decade I rode the trains. Was in this station in about 1990 couple of times on a train to Ipswich for a job interview and it was just like this. It's fab that these films exist, thank you for sharing ❤️

[@spompey]

You are so very welcome gail7961....much appreciated and hope to share more soon....Mark 😍

[@ianmelrose8590]

good old days for me i was a 20 year old secondman back then couping and uncoupling them locos in liverpool st

[@andrewbrown6786]

Wow, takes me back to my D/A duties at Ipswich, where were blessed with Change Overs as well, whilst undertaking the electrification and re signalling of much of the northern section of the GE. How little did we know about how big the changes would be - at that time.

[@spompey]

Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@nigelfarley814]

I remember commuting around this time. There used to be a 1650 to Lowestoft usually hauled by a class 37. It actually had a buffet car, remember those!

[@spompey]

Only too well...they were comfortable and interesting to just sit and watch people......Best regards....Mark

[@philclennell]

Amazing to think that quite a few class 37s and 47s from the ER are still with us today. The class 20 choppers are sadly missed though.

[@spompey]

Like a lot of the traction classes gone....Many thanks and best regards Phil...Mark

[@James47298]

Excellent and great picture and sound quality!

[@spompey]

Thank you James...I am quite surprised at how the Mono audio track comes out...Can't wait to see how my stereo recordings turn out and not too bad for old VHS ...took some time to get the magic converter to do the job...Much appreciated for your interest....Mark

[@mikeuk4130]

Wonderful memories, thanks. It looks like the 86s had taken over from the 47s on Norwich services, with the latter handling the Cambridge/Ely/Kings Lynn trains. I clearly remember 08833 in its glorious Great Eastern Railway livery and it’s a great pity that the video technology of the day couldn’t retrieve enough colour and detail from the gloom of the 08’s official hiding place.

[@spompey]

I totally agree with you, the 08 should have been in a position to show off the dedicated work and paint job done on her....Many thanks for watching and so glad to have brought back memories......Mark

[@andrewbrown6786]

By this point, 86’s covered all Norwich workings as far as Ipswich, also covered some of the work to Cambridge. In truth, the West Anglia is not suited to 86’s…

[@alhumphrey81]

Why didn't the GEML fall under NSE rather than intercity,? But the line up to Kings Lynn did fall under NSE for a similar distance.

[@spompey]

May have been the city status on that route....Many thanks and best regards....Mark

[@soundseeker63]

What an utterly different scene to the same location today! In fact the same location just 5 years on from this clip would have been unrecognisable when they built over it, and of course all loco shunting operations would have ended by then as well.

[@spompey]

Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@AndreiTupolev]

What was the train of non Air con Mk 2 stock they was brought in by the 86 and taken out by the 47? All the Norwich services were air con stock. Unless it was ECS for a Cambridge service which they put the 86 on

[@spompey]

It may have been a service to King's Lynn ? Not too sure on that one....Many thanks ...Keep safe...Mark

[@PaxmanY3J]

I lived in King's Lynn back in the 80s. mk1s were common stock on the service though from memory 31s were more common than 47s at the head

[@spompey]

@@PaxmanY3J Many thanks for the comment....Best wishes to you....Mark

[@kevinfowkes2327]

@@PaxmanY3J I think it was mostly 37s on the Liverpool Street to Cambridge and Kings Lynns up to the early 80s, from around 1984 class 47s took over though the occasional 37 and very occasional 31 still turned up.

[@kevinfowkes2327]

@@spompey No NSE markings on the stock and it turned into one of the long platforms (9/10?). So most likely a Norwich or Harwich service in my view. We forget nowadays how the loco hauled stock used to get jumbled up in the 80s. Mk1 or early mk2 stock sometimes turned up on services that usually had AC coaches.

[@shadytube84]

I’m pretty sure that old shunter is still in the sidings at Ilford depot!!

[@spompey]

Many thanks for watching and for the comment....best regards...Mark

[@MKTTransportVideos]

I'm guessing the 86s only ran as far as Ipswich at this point?

[@spompey]

Yes If I recall correctly then a class 47 for the remainder.....many thanks and best wishes....Mark

[@duncancurtis5108]

I had just one pic at this time - 33117 facing off Clan Line and Flying Scotsman. Dad didn't entirely approve.

[@spompey]

A matter of opinion and too secretly state that "Flying Scotsman" is not the most attractive steam loco......Now I am in trouble with "DAD"....Mark

[@waleedarif6740]

When British Rail was at a serious level.

[@spompey]

You are most welcome Many thanks for your comment and for watching...best wishes...Mark

[@ukmusichero]

Ely Cathedral, scrapped,..24 years ago,..

[@spompey]

It is a shame but she did a good service....many thanks Nina and best wishes...mark

[@dieseldave3879]

🚂👍

[@spompey]

Many thanks dieseldave3879....Best wishes to you....Mark

[@andrewganley9016]

Back in the day when Liverpool St was a 'proper' station not the abortion its today(or will be) travelled behind 47572 many times !

[@spompey]

Many thanks for your comment and interest....Yes. Many a time I drove that loco on the Western from around 1990 onwards. Used it on the Padd - Oxford's and Padd - Newbury services.....My best regards to you ....Mark

[@andrewganley9016]

👌

[@kevinfowkes2327]

This video does however highlight how short the old platforms were on the west side (1-8). That alongside numerous other factors was why the old station sadly had to go. You can see how the locos on the Cambridge and Kings Lynn expresses were perched right at the platform edge with only around 7 coaches. That's probably why the cameraman (sadly) never got to pan round to the station proper.

[@spompey]

Many thanks for the info and you are right about the view being restricted....best wishes.....Mark

[@kevinfowkes2327]

@@spompey Here is a really interesting tour of the platforms and walkways of the old Liverpool Street, from 1985 so about a year before your video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqOtn5WFhp6Si9U Been enjoying your uploads, thanks for sharing.