BR in the 1980s Class 37s on Aberystwyth and Pwllheli Services during September 1989

BRITISH RAILWAYS IN THE 1980's
CLASS 37s on Aberystwyth and Pwllheli Services in September 1989
Continuing with my archive of video recording between the years of 1986 to 2001 this clip is of Locations between Aberystwyth and Newtown in Mid Wales of some of the class 37 hauled trains from London to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli taken over a few days in late September of 1989. The services I filmed were all late runners so the timetable went to pieces, but I do hope the video takes you back to this period with fond memories. Feel free to comment, good or bad, all comments are read and greatly appreciated,but it is not always possible to answer each individually. Sit back and enjoy this latest production remembering all those now long gone Locomotive classes and other types of traction. Many thanks for all subscriptions and all of those viewers who have kindly shown an interest in my material.

[@stefanbradley1617]

Another great video that takes me back to my childhood - I remember travelling this line back in 1986 from Shrewsbury to Criccieth behind 2 37’s, one of which was 37 427 Bont Y Bermo. It must have been shortly after the reopening of Barmouth Bridge. If I remember rightly, most of the platforms were that short that only the first few carriages were at the platform - anyone who was at the back had to scurry 5 or 6 coaches forward to be able to get off.

[@spompey]

I believe the 37s worked to New st.....and the train would do what was called a double draw (Pulled up the platform) Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@gavinparkes1515]

Used to catch from Criccieth up to Pwllheli on summer Saturday. The dreaded double draw was the reason it always ran 40 - 60 mins late.

[@spompey]

@@gavinparkes1515 Yes it did cause a bit of time loss as passengers just were not aware of this manovre.....best wishes....Mark

[@cambriansaab92]

Awesome, some footage of Mike Elkins, Simon Roderick, Paul Turner and even me hanging out of the window behind 37427 at Newtown! Dreadful 🙂 My Mum and Dad came to Pwllheli that day also!

[@spompey]

Nice to have captured you and your friends on this video....Many thanks for your interest in the channel and best regards to all......Mark

[@ianjones4116]

The beauty of Retb ! Great memories of cab rides from Shrewsbury to Barmouth on some of those trains . Thanks Dad. Didnt realise how lucky i was at the time . Thanks for posting this 👍

[@spompey]

You are very welcome and Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@111672balernabz2010]

Great video,remember seeing Pwllheli-london euston at porthmadog around 1986,i know my old man has some on slides,of cl37's on these services.

[@spompey]

You are very welcome and Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@spompey]

Also love to see those fantastic slides .. and best wishes....Mark

[@railfreightdrivergallagherGBRf]

Back in good old BR days when the Cambrian was decent with direct London services. Not like today with the ridiculous ERTMS. Used to love visiting the line, on my hols & made a change to see some 37 haulage.. seeing as I drove little but 47's & 86's at the time at Longsight.

[@spompey]

You are very welcome and Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@vicsams4431]

I took the Cambrian Coast Express (07.30 London Euston to Pwllheli) as far as Machynelleth. Class 85 to Wolverhampton, Class 47 to Shrewsbury and pair of Class 37s forward. It was with Mark 1 compartment stock. 8 seater 2nd class compartments. After an incident on Anglia Region where four P.Way staff were launched out of the back of a brakevan due to power surge, when the Class 37/4s left Crewe Works, they were fitted with an overspeed governer, so if you gave too much welly, she would cut out. I remember taking the 11.00 Glasgow Queen Street to Perth, going as far as first stop Stirling. The driver stalled the loco three times going up the 1 in 45 Cowlairs Incline, having to press the engine restart three times. Myself, a Class 27 basher, said to my Class 37 mate that had we had a Class 27 on the front we would be halfway to Stirling by now. Then we challenged the Growler Group to a Type 3 competition between Swansea and Fishguard, and the Class 33 did the same run, uphill in 25 less minutes. Of course, the famous battle was with 45 110 from Fishguard to Trecwn, the Peak climbed the 1 in 49 grade and supercharged the brakes, preventing the Class 37 to take the brakes off and roll downhill. Eventually the Class 37 asked for rear end assistance and Peak Army just fell about laughing. The trip on the Cambrian Coast Express was to do London to Devil's Bridge to London in a day. I managed to get a Class 150, and the kettle was number 7. Back at Aberystwyth, I then caught a two car Class 150 from Aberystwyth to Birmingham New Street. A dreadful journey in a kart ! Then at Brum, I caught the last Up working, which was a four car Class 310 kart, arriving at Euston around 01.30 after the last tube. So it was a taxi to Liverpool Street. My boss at Kings Cross tried to do the same thing, but got stranded in Aberystwyth, as he saw the kettle leave as he arrived.

[@spompey]

Many thanks for the story, it does sound like the 37 let the trip down a little....but I wish we had rail tours like this today....many a good memory for you I hope....best wishes to you....Mark

[@vicsams4431]

Yes. Many happy memories. In more recent times, i did 37s on the Cambrian Coast and Norwich to Yarmouth. Over 80 examples, for haulage but when 26 002 failed at Kirkcaldy and 26 001 + 26 002 were removed at Perth in favour of 37 153 I got off to bash 47s.

[@spompey]

@@vicsams4431 Sounds like a wonderful time...best wishes...Mark

[@vicsams4431]

Cheers Mark.

[@the1laird]

I was on these trains back in't day. See myself.f a few times, also got some videos that I captured around Welshpool, Newtown and Shrewsbury.

[@spompey]

Many thanks for your viewing and comment...best wishes....Mark

[@owenevans83]

good footage and gen

[@spompey]

Many thanks Owen and best wishes...Mark

[@peterowbottom6640]

My lords, go to 12:18, notch 8 from a standing start!! quality.

[@spompey]

Top Man !! You are very welcome and Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@gareththomas6714]

Nice historical record

[@spompey]

You are very welcome and Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@steveblanchard7293]

Back in the very early 1970's went to Barmouth for my family holidays from Rugby. The train split somewhere - I was guessing it was at Dovey Junction, but could it have been Mac? Back then it was all BR Mk11 and of course class 37

[@spompey]

Most probably Machynlleth Steve....I could be wrong.....but many thanks and keep those great memories....all my regards...Mark

[@ghostontheline]

Great video, class 37 and real coaches what is not to like.👍

[@spompey]

Nothing.....and many thanks for watching and for commenting....best regards...MARK

[@peterharvey1762]

My god NSE liveried stuff got every where 😂

[@spompey]

I have even witnessed it in Scotland, seen at Glasgow and even at Edinburgh.....the stock did get literally all over...many thanks Peter as always and for watching also for the comment...best wishes....Mark

[@limeyfox]

@@spompeyIndeed, I’ve seen picture of a rake of NSE stock on the Stirling car flats!

[@mickeybarrass3625]

Fantastic video. One question though. How can you let a pair of 37s go without you jumping aboard. I couldnt have let them go. 37429 was always a bit of a monster. Those welsh lads werent afraid of thrashing the guts out those 37s.

[@kevinfowkes2327]

Because a fair amount of NSE stock was used for weekday peak commuter services it was surplus on Saturdays thus available for use on this kind of service. I'm pretty sure the Saturday Euston-Aberystwyth and Pwllhelli services used Euston-Northampton "cobbler" stock, which were all NSE mark 1s as shown here. It must have been a slow, noisy, dirty, uncomfortable ride for normal passengers (though heaven for enthusiasts and bashers). The last "cobbler" ran in May 1990 but the loco hauled Euston-Cambrian trains lasted one and a half more years (coming to an end at the end of summer 1991)....in that last 16/17 months I'm guessing InterCity stock would have been used.

[@ianjones4116]

​@@mickeybarrass3625Some Shrewsbury drivers would give those welsh boys a run . My dad for one. He managed to break 37428, lol. Great days, all but a memory now 😁👍

[@The1977joey]

Absolutely loving these video's. This one & the footage at Wolverhampton in particular as i used to travel with my mum as a kid back in the day between Aberystwyth & Wolves, usually on a 150 & back on the Class 37 hauled InterCity. Amazing happy memories. I wondered if you have any footage of Shrewsbury station back then too? Best regards, Mark

[@spompey]

You are very welcome and Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@spompey]

Unfortunately none of Shrewsbury....a big regret of mine....and best wishes....Mark

[@jackmilne9764]

One again my Dad loved your footage. He did say how does he get rid of the tracking lines before uploading to KZbin??

[@spompey]

You are most welcome and many thanks for watching and for commenting....best regards...MARK

[@captaincurly1532]

Simon driving the class 37 from Aber lol

[@spompey]

Good stuff Simon.....many thanks CC...and best wishes....Mark

[@briannash1982]

Network South East branded rolling stock in Wales

[@spompey]

You are very welcome and Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@timstrainvideos142]

excellent video! how far did the 37s work the train heading towards euston? did an electric loco take over somewhere?

[@spompey]

New St I think.... Many thanks for the comment and best wishes....Mark

[@gavinparkes1515]

shrewsbury usually, 47 to wolves and elec to eus

[@spompey]

@@gavinparkes1515 Many thanks for that Gavin.....best wishes....Mark

[@roden81]

can you still get to pwllheli by train?

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

Yes you can, it’s a 158 TFW usually

[@roden81]

@@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge Just looked up the price and the route, nearly £70 for an open return!!!😮

[@ianjones4116]

​@@roden81from where ? Welshpool to Shrewsbury return used to be around £5, not bad for 40ish mile round trip. Back in the days of Retb, we would have class 20, 24, 25, 31, 37 working on the Cambrian, even a Deltic and a Hst set. Couldnt do it these days . Sadly all but a memory now . 👍😀

[@railfreightdrivergallagherGBRf]

Yes, just TfW 158's for now, until the 197's take over.

[@railfreightdrivergallagherGBRf]

​@@ianjones4116Soon will be able to as the mobile version of ERTMS will be available with 4 sets. Will take around 10 minutes to fit to the front of a locomotive, but will enable any traction(providing signed) to work the Cambrain again. Should become available for use in 2024 all being well. Will spell the end of domination for the NR class 37(97's). Also the weight limit on Barmouth Bridge will be increased due to it's current rebuilding. Hopefully we'll see the return of summer steam specials as well as more varied loco-hauled railtours. I'm trying to get TfW to reintroduce direct trains to London from Aberystwyth & Pwllheli (even though I work for another operator)so fingers crossed. These would be hired in stock/loco's,obviously. A brighter future for the Cambrian hopefully!