TONBRIDGE Kent steam train era lineside & cab ride 1958

[@johnmurray8428]

This lady’s commentary is superb. She must be complimented for doing such a wonderful job! Thank you.

[@janetavarne9627]

I remember as a young child of about 3 or 4 going with my father to Tonbridge Station, just to watch the steam trains coming and going and the porters and guards bustling about and whistles blowing. In those days, you could buy a ticket just to sit on the platform and watch the world go by.

[@tarquinhenderson85]

Thanks for sharing

[@Rosie6857]

Excellent piece of historic footage. It was nice to see a couple of L's. Wed had them on the Oxted Line for a few years; they weren't really suitable for restarting 7- and 8-coach commuter trains on gradients of 1 in 100. Shove the regulator hard over from the word go and wait for something to happen. It's the only way to drive engines like this. Interesting point about Schools with heavy trains for Tunbridge Wells. They were allowed eleven coaches and no banker if they had a free run through Tonbridge.

[@SimonPJohnson]

Another great record of the past. Often visited Tonbridge but from the late 1960s, and good to see steam still in operation on your video.

[@bennewinn1101]

Nice to see more steem anywhere on the planet

[@jimbegin6554]

Another great oldie Alan, and wonderful commentary from Heather.

[@Isochest]

Cheers Alan. Another first class video of the days when diesels were few and far between!

[@runlarryrun77]

If you know where to look you can still glimpse one or two things in the background as the train pulls in from the east side of Tonbridge station. Also the footbridge shown is still there as the line branches off to Tunbridge Wells, although the area is very overgrown nowadays.

[@Mechanicalrob]

I literally saw my old house on here! Barden Road just behind Tonbridge station.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

is that really your old house in Tonbridge

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

wheres the new house you are living now

[@stuartthegrant]

This is an education and a joy. Great to see a D class again.

[@djtrainspotter]

Wow i'm gobsmacked at this vid! I live next to the old steam shed, Tonbridge been my stomping ground for years, brilliant footage this, all that history. Double track through Summerhill tunnel etc! Brilliant! Cheers

[@ianburnett7333]

When I was at VSC lots of failures, Peter Scott was a T.O there he made cine films, don't know what became of them.

[@stephensmith799]

Fly-shunting three-link non-braked stock using shunting poles and hand signals. Madly dangerous, yet considered normal. How many shunters were killed doing that on Britain's railways.... stumbling over point-work and other obstacles in all weathers?

[@AlanSnowdonArchive]

Well, I'm glad someone realises it WASN'T a golden age in those days.

[@stephensmith799]

@@AlanSnowdonArchive Yes! But if I had had the chance I would have liked to have joined the 'steam railway' as a cleaner, say around 1920. Problem: I was not born until 1955... too late. But shunter... NEVER!

[@Wally34070]

Do you have any footage of 34070 Manston?

[@AlanSnowdonArchive]

Sorry, I really don't know. If you search through some of my other uploads showing Southern Region steam you MIGHT be able to identify this loco. Put my name in the search line on KZbin. It's just possible it MAY be at the start of the footage of trains passing thro' Paddock Wood on the Hawkhurst Branch film.

[@Wally34070]

Thanks

[@MrSuperflye]

Dover to Birkenhead, bet that took a while..

[@AlanSnowdonArchive]

Consulting a railway atlas, I THINK from Tonbridge it was:- Redhill (reverse), Guildford, Reading, Didcot, Banbury, Birmingham (Snow Hill), Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury, Wrexham, Chester (reverse), Birkenhead. BUT if one was back off the boat at Dover after a trip to Europe, tired, and with luggage - it must have been a Godsend! Also it must have been very convenient as part of many journeys within the UK not possible by a direct service.